Farm Animals

Farmed Poultry Pre-slaughter Handling Welfare

Pre-slaughter handling including lairage, stunning, and slaughter line speed critically affects the welfare of billions of poultry animals annually.

Key Facts

Pre-slaughter stress affects both welfare and meat quality outcomes
Lairage conditions including lighting, temperature, and duration affect stress levels
Line speed is a primary determinant of stunning and killing accuracy
Audit systems for slaughter welfare are inconsistently applied globally

Welfare Considerations

Pre-slaughter handling represents a final high-stakes welfare event for farm animals. Speed pressure on slaughter lines increases the risk of inadequate stunning and conscious slaughter. The scale of poultry slaughter means even small improvements in stunning accuracy have massive aggregate welfare impact.

What You Can Do

Support mandatory slaughter welfare auditing with independent oversight
Advocate for line speed limits in poultry slaughter facilities
Back CCTV requirements in slaughterhouses as a welfare accountability tool
Choose welfare certifications that include slaughter welfare requirements