Examining the welfare implications of different poultry slaughter methods, the problems with conventional water bath stunning, and the transition toward more humane controlled atmosphere killing systems.
Poultry slaughter welfare affects more individual animals than any other single welfare intervention point in the food system. The scale makes even small percentage improvements significant — reducing the stunning failure rate by 1% affects tens of millions of birds globally. Controlled Atmosphere Killing systems represent the most significant available improvement in poultry slaughter welfare, eliminating the acutely stressful live shackling process and providing more reliable unconsciousness before slaughter. The welfare case for CAK transition is scientifically strong and increasingly supported by major food companies through supply chain commitments. Consumer pressure and company commitments are moving this transition faster than regulatory change alone.