The catching and loading of broiler chickens before transport to slaughter is a high-risk welfare event that receives little public attention despite affecting billions of birds annually.
Catching and loading is a welfare-critical moment that is largely invisible to consumers and regulators. Birds are handled under high-speed conditions in darkened sheds, often by teams with variable training and welfare commitment. Injuries sustained during catching contribute to the total welfare burden of broiler production beyond what is visible at the farm level. Mandatory training standards for catching teams, injury rate monitoring at slaughter, and incentives for mechanical harvester adoption in large operations are all achievable improvements. Welfare certifications increasingly require catching to be covered in audit scope.