Pre-slaughter stunning is intended to ensure unconsciousness before killing, but current methods have significant welfare limitations that ongoing research and regulation seek to address.
Pre-slaughter stunning is one of the most important welfare interventions in poultry production, yet current widespread methods fail to deliver the humane unconsciousness they are intended to provide. Water-bath systems deliver painful electrical shocks as birds' wings contact the sides of the bath before reaching the stun current. High-CO2 CAS systems cause distress during the rising concentration phase before unconsciousness. The best available evidence points to inert gas or very high-concentration CO2 systems as the most welfare-positive currently available options. The gap between evidence and industry practice is driven by equipment cost and regulatory lag. Consumer demand for higher-welfare certified poultry and regulatory pressure are the primary drivers for closing this gap.