Farm Animal Welfare

Broiler Transport to Slaughter Welfare

The catching, crating, and transport of broiler chickens to slaughter represents one of the most welfare-compromising events in commercial poultry production.

Key Facts

Mortality during catching and transport averages 0.1-0.5% but represents millions of birds globally
Wing fractures from mechanical catching occur in 1-4% of birds in some studies
Cold and heat stress during transport cause additional mortality
Pre-slaughter stress affects meat quality through pale soft exudative conditions
Welfare during transport is regulated but enforcement is difficult

Welfare Considerations

The final hours of a broiler's life are among the most stressful. Catching causes fear and physical injury, crating restricts movement, and transport exposes birds to thermal stress. Improving catching methods and transport welfare is a high-impact intervention for a population measured in tens of billions.

What You Can Do

Support certification schemes with specific transport welfare requirements
Advocate for mandatory pre-slaughter welfare monitoring including dead-on-arrival recording
Choose chicken from farms and processors committed to transport welfare improvement