The method of slaughter used for poultry has major welfare implications. Advances in stunning technology and practice can minimize suffering at this critical point in production.
Slaughter represents the final welfare challenge for farmed poultry, and the minutes before and during death matter ethically. Conventional electrical water-bath stunning is widely used but studies show concerning rates of ineffective stunning, meaning some birds remain conscious during neck-cutting. Controlled atmosphere systems that expose birds to gases before any handling represent a welfare improvement for the shackling and stunning stages, though all gas mixtures involve varying degrees of aversion. Achieving genuinely humane slaughter for the tens of billions of poultry killed annually requires investment in better technology and rigorous audit.