Farm Animals

Poultry Welfare and Broiler Pre-Slaughter Welfare

Pre-slaughter handling and transport of broilers causes significant welfare harm, with improved catching, transport, and lairage practices reducing suffering.

Key Facts

Broiler catching and loading causes wing fractures in up to 5% of birds in poor systems
Journey durations exceeding 4 hours increase mortality and welfare compromise in broilers
Lairage temperature must be maintained between 15-25 degrees C to prevent heat stress or cold stress
Controlled atmosphere stunning (CAS) used before hanging eliminates shackle-line inversion stress
Broiler welfare at slaughter is increasingly subject to CCTV monitoring requirements

Welfare Considerations

Pre-slaughter welfare deserves equal attention to on-farm welfare. The final hours of a broiler's life should be minimally stressful, and achievable standards exist.

What You Can Do

Advocate for mandatory CCTV in broiler slaughter facilities
Support maximum journey time standards for broilers
Choose chicken from slaughterhouses with controlled atmosphere stunning