The hours before slaughter involve fear, confusion, and physical stress; reducing pre-slaughter stress improves both welfare and meat quality.
Pre-slaughter environments expose animals to an accumulation of stressors — unfamiliar environments, mixing with strange animals, handling by humans, noise, and olfactory cues from prior animals. Stress hormones at slaughter affect meat quality through pH changes. Low-stress design principles from animal behavior scientists including Temple Grandin have improved welfare outcomes while also benefiting meat quality.