Poultry Lairage Welfare at Slaughter

The period between arrival at the slaughterhouse and slaughter, known as lairage, is a significant welfare risk period for poultry. Duration, conditions, and handling all affect welfare outcomes.

Key Facts

Broilers may spend 3-12 hours in lairage after transport before entering the slaughter line
Heat and cold stress during lairage cause mortality and significant suffering in poultry
Water deprivation during lairage causes osmotic stress, particularly in birds already dehydrated from transport
Controlled atmosphere stunning applied at lairage can reduce handling stress compared to line stunning
Lighting levels in lairage affect bird calmness; dim blue lighting reduces panic and activity
Up to 0.5% of poultry may die during transport and lairage, representing millions of birds globally

Welfare Considerations

Lairage is a welfare blind spot in poultry slaughter systems. While pre-slaughter handling has received some regulatory attention, lairage conditions, duration, and welfare monitoring remain poorly standardised. Birds that have already experienced the stress of catching, loading, and transport arrive at lairage in a compromised welfare state. Extended waiting times, inadequate ventilation, and absence of water worsen this. Improving lairage welfare requires regulatory standards for duration, conditions, and welfare monitoring, as well as industry investment in better-designed facilities.

What You Can Do

Support poultry welfare certification schemes specifying maximum lairage duration and conditions
Advocate for mandatory water provision during lairage for poultry
Encourage slaughterhouse welfare officer roles with specific authority over lairage conditions
Support research into controlled atmosphere systems applied at the point of lairage entry
Ask poultry producers about their slaughterhouse partners and lairage welfare standards