New stunning technologies for poultry slaughter are improving welfare outcomes at one of the most welfare-critical points in the food production chain.
Poultry stunning technology advances represent some of the most significant welfare improvements available in food production. Conventional water bath stunning requires live birds to be shackled while conscious - a stressful process that precedes stunning. Well-designed CAS systems render birds unconscious in a chamber before any handling, eliminating shackling stress. The debate continues about which gas combinations provide the best welfare - nitrogen and argon cause unconsciousness without aversive sensation, while CO2 causes distress before unconsciousness. Investment in welfare-optimal CAS systems affects hundreds of millions of birds annually and represents a major welfare opportunity for the poultry industry.