Farm Animals

Broiler Welfare at Catching and Transport: Reducing Injuries

The catching and transportation of broiler chickens to slaughter is a high-injury phase with significant welfare implications.

Key Facts

Mechanical catching machines reduce injury rates compared to manual catching
Up to 30% of broilers arrive at slaughter with acute injuries in some studies
Journey times over 4 hours significantly increase stress and mortality
Pre-slaughter lairage conditions affect final welfare outcomes substantially

Welfare Considerations

The final hours of a broiler's life often involve the most acute suffering. Investment in mechanical catching, journey time limits, and improved lairage conditions are cost-effective welfare improvements.

What You Can Do

Support higher welfare poultry standards that include transport provisions
Advocate for mandatory maximum journey times for poultry
Choose chicken from producers with documented low-injury handling records