Commercial poultry are typically fasted before transport to reduce contamination at slaughter. The welfare implications of this practice require careful management.
Pre-slaughter fasting welfare is a technically complex area where food safety and animal welfare interests partially conflict. Removing feed before transport reduces intestinal content that, if gut rupture occurs during slaughter, contaminates carcasses with pathogenic bacteria. However, prolonged fasting causes genuine welfare harm through hunger, increased aggression, and GI discomfort. Water withdrawal during fasting is particularly welfare-problematic: dehydration causes more acute distress than food deprivation over short periods. The welfare-optimized approach involves the shortest effective fasting period, maintained water access during fasting, and transport conditions that minimize additional stressors during the fasted state. As slaughter technology improves, the food safety justification for long fasting periods may weaken, allowing shorter, more welfare-positive pre-slaughter management.