Poultry Catching Machines: Welfare Assessment

Mechanical harvesting systems for catching broilers at slaughter offer potential welfare improvements over traditional manual catching, but require careful evaluation of their actual welfare impact.

Key Facts

Manual catching of broilers involves workers picking up birds by one leg in high-density, low-light conditions
Injuries from manual catching include wing fractures, dislocations and bruising affecting significant proportions of birds
Mechanical catching systems use rotating rubber fingers or conveyor systems to harvest birds with reduced physical trauma
Studies on mechanical catching show mixed results, with some systems causing less injury but others causing different welfare concerns
Worker safety is also significantly improved by mechanical catching systems compared to manual handling

Welfare Considerations

The welfare comparison between manual and mechanical broiler catching is complex. Manual catching by skilled catchers can achieve low injury rates but is rarely performed with care under commercial time pressure. Mechanical systems provide more consistent handling but may cause different types of stress or injury. The best welfare outcomes likely require well-designed and maintained mechanical systems operated alongside appropriate lairage time and pre-catching management that minimises bird stress.

What You Can Do

Support research evaluating the comparative welfare impacts of different catching methods
Advocate for independent welfare auditing of both manual and mechanical catching operations
Choose certified higher welfare chicken from producers with documented catching and transport standards
Support mandatory CCTV coverage of catching operations within poultry houses
Engage with equipment manufacturers to ensure welfare is a primary design criterion