Slaughter of animals: poultry.

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Food Safety
• Veterinary Public Health

Background:

• Poultry slaughter occurs in slaughterhouses or on-farm, involving distinct pre-stunning, stunning, and bleeding phases.
• Existing research highlights potential risks to animal welfare during these processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize hazards in poultry slaughter processes.
• To assess corrective and preventive measures for identified hazards.
• To describe animal welfare consequences and propose mitigation strategies.

Main Methods:

• Hazard identification and characterization across three main slaughter phases: pre-stunning, stunning, and bleeding.
• Assessment of corrective and preventive measures, with a focus on staff-related factors like skill sets and fatigue.
• Development of outcome tables linking hazards, welfare consequences, animal-based measures, origins, and control measures.

Main Results:

• 35 hazards were identified, predominantly associated with stunning and bleeding stages.
• Staff were identified as the source of 29 hazards, with 28 linked to inadequate skills or fatigue.
• Ten welfare consequences were identified, including pain, fear, distress, and physiological stresses.

Conclusions:

• Management plays a critical role in preventing hazards and ensuring animal welfare during poultry slaughter.
• Targeted training and improved skill sets for staff are essential for mitigating risks.
• Proposed mitigation measures aim to minimize adverse welfare consequences for poultry.