Mechanical catching machines harvest broiler chickens automatically from the floor before transport, reducing manual labour but potentially introducing new welfare risks compared to well-executed manual catching.
Mechanical catching was introduced primarily to reduce labour costs and improve catching speed, but its welfare implications compared to manual catching are complex. Poorly calibrated or operated machines cause breast bruising and wing injuries at higher rates than skilled manual catchers. However, well-calibrated machines operated by experienced technicians can achieve injury rates comparable to good manual catching while processing more birds per hour. The welfare comparison is not static: manual catching quality varies enormously with team training, experience, and supervision. Very poor manual catching causes more welfare harm than good mechanical harvesting. The key welfare determinants for mechanical harvesting are calibration to bird size and weight (important as heavier birds need different finger speeds), bird density management before harvesting to prevent panic crowding, and lighting management to reduce bird activity during the harvest operation.