Farm Animal Welfare

Poultry Welfare and Pre-Slaughter Feed Withdrawal

Feed withdrawal before slaughter is standard practice in poultry but causes hunger and stress. Managing this period appropriately reduces unnecessary suffering.

Key Facts

Feed withdrawal for 8-12 hours before slaughter is typical industry practice
Longer withdrawal periods cause significant hunger stress and metabolic changes
Birds with full crops have higher contamination risk at slaughter
Feed line clearance can reduce effective withdrawal time without welfare compromise
Water should always be available during feed withdrawal periods

Welfare Considerations

Feed withdrawal is a welfare challenge affecting billions of poultry annually. Minimising withdrawal duration while maintaining food safety standards reduces hunger stress and improves welfare at this final stage.

What You Can Do

Support welfare certification schemes with feed withdrawal time criteria
Advocate for minimum standards on pre-slaughter feed withdrawal
Learn about poultry welfare at slaughter
Support research into reduced-stress pre-slaughter management