Catching and loading poultry for transport is a major but overlooked welfare bottleneck. Manual and mechanical catching methods have different welfare profiles affecting millions of birds.
The catching and transport phase of broiler production is one of the most acute welfare events in a short life already characterised by significant welfare compromise. Manual catching by legs subjects birds to positions and forces their anatomy cannot sustain without injury. The scale — billions of chickens globally — means that even small welfare improvements per bird translate to enormous aggregate gains. Mechanical harvesting systems reduce handling time and human variation but require careful design to prevent crush injuries. Pre-slaughter feed and water withdrawal causes hunger and dehydration stress that adds to the welfare burden of the catching and transport process. This phase is poorly regulated and monitored compared to the slaughter process itself.