Farm Animals

Poultry Catching and Transport Welfare

Catching and transport of live poultry to slaughter is a high-risk welfare moment, with mechanical catching, rough handling, and crowded transport causing injury.

Key Facts

Manual catching causes wing fractures in up to 4% of birds in some studies
Mechanical harvesters reduce fracture rates compared to manual catching when well-operated
Journey times under 4 hours are associated with significantly lower mortality
Temperature regulation in transport vehicles is critical, especially in summer
Pre-slaughter mortality (DOA rates) is a welfare and economic metric tracked by abattoirs

Welfare Considerations

Catching and transport causes some of the worst acute welfare problems in commercial poultry production. Fractures, dislocations, and thermal stress cause pain and distress. Investment in mechanical catching, journey time limits, and vehicle temperature monitoring reduces suffering significantly.

What You Can Do

Support mandatory journey time limits and welfare monitoring for poultry transport
Choose chicken from certified supply chains with transport welfare requirements
Advocate for mechanical catching standards and operator training in legislation