How the transport of poultry to slaughter causes significant welfare harm and what improvements in catching, crating, and transport can reduce suffering.
Poultry transport welfare is a hidden component of the animal product supply chain that causes enormous but largely invisible suffering. Millions of birds die during or immediately after transport annually, and many more are injured during catching or experience acute stress from temperature extremes, handling, and deprivation of food and water. The welfare improvements available — mechanised catching systems that reduce handling stress, controlled atmosphere systems that stun birds before loading, journey time restrictions, and temperature management requirements — are technically feasible and increasingly being adopted by higher-welfare operations. The gap between current standard practice and what is achievable represents an enormous and tractable welfare improvement.