Poultry Transport Duration Welfare

The transport of poultry to slaughter is a significant welfare bottleneck, with duration, density, temperature, and loading quality all affecting suffering at scale.

Key Facts

EU regulations limit poultry transport to a maximum of 12 hours in most circumstances
Millions of birds die annually during transport from cardiovascular failure, crushing, and heat stress
Catching and loading is often the most stressful phase - mechanical catchers reduce some but not all injuries
Broilers are more physiologically stressed by transport than ducks or geese due to cardiovascular compromise
Maximum journey times below 8 hours significantly reduce mortality and stress hormone levels
Night transport reduces thermal stress in summer but is associated with other handling difficulties

Welfare Considerations

Poultry transport welfare operates at vast scale - billions of birds are transported annually in the UK and EU alone - meaning that even small improvements in average welfare conditions prevent enormous amounts of suffering. The catching, crating, loading, transit, and livebird holding periods each present distinct welfare risks. Scientific evidence consistently shows that shorter journey times, better thermal management, and mechanical loading all improve welfare outcomes. The political and commercial resistance to journey time reductions relates to slaughterhouse efficiency rather than technical feasibility.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for reduced maximum poultry transport journey times
Choose poultry from farms with documented short-distance slaughterhouse relationships
Advocate for mobile slaughter units as an alternative to long-distance transport
Ask retailers about maximum journey times in their poultry supply chains
Support research into mechanical loading systems and thermal management during poultry transport