The pre-slaughter lairage period at abattoirs is a high-welfare-risk period for cattle, with stress, mixing, and handling all contributing to fear and physiological compromise before slaughter.
Lairage welfare is critical but often overlooked. Cattle arriving at abattoirs have already experienced transport stress and now face unfamiliar smells, sounds, and mixing with strange animals. Social mixing triggers aggression and hierarchy disruption. High-noise environments, inadequate lighting, and rushed handling amplify fear. Cattle with high pre-slaughter stress show elevated dark-cutting rates — a measurable welfare indicator. Low-stress handling techniques, appropriate lairage stocking densities, and competent stockmanship are proven welfare interventions. CCTV in lairage enables welfare audit and identifies handling failures.