Pre-slaughter stunning is the primary welfare intervention at the point of slaughter for cattle, and audit quality directly determines welfare outcomes for millions of animals.
The quality of pre-slaughter handling and stunning is the most concentrated welfare decision point in the cattle production system. Poorly designed lairage, misuse of electric goads, high-speed line speeds and inadequate stun verification all contribute to welfare failures at slaughter. Audit methodologies using animal-based outcomes rather than process checklists are more sensitive to real welfare failures. Video surveillance is associated with significantly improved welfare outcomes in abattoirs where it has been installed.