Farm Animal Welfare

Broiler Catching and Loading: Welfare at the End of Production

Catching and loading broilers for transport to slaughter is a high-risk period for injury and distress. Mechanical catching systems and best-practice manual handling reduce welfare harms.

Key Facts

Manual catching involves grabbing and inverting birds which causes fear and pain
Broken bones and dislocated joints during catching are common in poorly managed operations
Mechanical catching machines reduce injuries when properly operated
Pre-catching lighting changes reduce bird activity and fear responses
Loading density and crate design significantly affect transport welfare
Catchers handle thousands of birds per shift making fatigue a welfare risk factor

Welfare Considerations

The catching and loading process exposes broilers to acute fear, pain from rough handling and potential injury at a point when they are already nutritionally and physically compromised. Investment in mechanical catching equipment, training for manual catchers and evidence-based protocols for lighting and bird density can substantially reduce suffering in this final stage of production.

What You Can Do

Support poultry welfare standards covering catching and loading procedures
Choose chicken from producers with mechanical catching or certified catching teams
Advocate for catching and loading to be included in welfare certification schemes
Encourage industry adoption of best-practice catching protocols