Farm Animal Welfare

Broiler Catching Machine Welfare

Welfare impacts and improvements in mechanical broiler catching machines used to collect birds for transport to slaughter.

Key Facts

Manual broiler catching causes wing fractures, dislocations, and severe stress
Mechanical catching machines have reduced some physical injuries versus manual catching
However, machine catching still causes fear and injury if not calibrated properly
Speed of catching operations affects the severity of stress and injury rates
Training and supervision of catching teams is a critical welfare variable

Welfare Considerations

Broiler catching represents one of the final and most stressful phases of the broiler lifecycle. The transition from the relatively calm house environment to being caught, crated, and transported involves acute fear and significant injury risk. Mechanical catching machines offer some improvements over manual catching but require careful calibration, maintenance, and operator training to deliver consistent welfare outcomes.

What You Can Do

Support welfare standards that include minimum requirements for catching equipment and training
Ask producers about their catching protocols when assessing welfare standards
Advocate for mandatory recording of injury rates during catching operations