Slaughter of animals: poultry

Abstract

The killing of poultry for human consumption (slaughtering) can take place in a slaughterhouse or during on-farm slaughter. The processes of slaughtering that were assessed, from the arrival of birds in containers until their death, were grouped into three main phases: pre-stunning (including arrival, unloading of containers from the truck, lairage, handling/removing of birds from containers); stunning (including restraint); and bleeding (including bleeding following stunning and bleeding during slaughter without stunning). Stunning methods were grouped into three categories: electrical, controlled modified atmosphere and mechanical. In total, 35 hazards were identified and characterised, most of them related to stunning and bleeding. Staff were identified as the origin of 29 hazards, and 28 hazards were attributed to the lack of appropriate skill sets needed to perform tasks or to fatigue. Corrective and preventive measures were assessed: measures to correct hazards were identified for 11 hazards, with management shown to have a crucial role in prevention. Ten welfare consequences, the birds can be exposed to during slaughter, were identified: consciousness, heat stress, cold stress, prolonged thirst, prolonged hunger, restriction of movements, pain, fear, distress and respiratory distress. Welfare consequences and relevant animal-based measures were described. Outcome tables linking hazards, welfare consequences, animal-based measures, origins, and preventive and corrective measures were developed for each process. Mitigation measures to minimise welfare consequences were also proposed.

Keywords: ABMs; animal welfare consequences; hazards; poultry; preventive/corrective measures; slaughter.

Figure 1

Conceptual model showing interrelationships between the elements corresponding to the different ToRs

Figure 2

Structure of outcome table (for details on the data, see Tables 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20–21)

Figure 3

Structure of the sections on the processes assessed in this scientific opinion (Sections 3.1.1, 3.1.2, 3.1.3, 3.1.4, 3.2, 3.2.1, 3.2.1.1, 3.2.1.2, 3.2.2, 3.2.2.1, 3.2.2.2, 3.2.2.3, 3.2.2.4, 3.2.3, 3.2.3.1, 3.2.3.2, 3.2.3.3, 3.2.3.4, 3.3, 3.3.1, 3.3.2–3.1.1, 3.1.2, 3.1.3, 3.1.4, 3.2, 3.2.1, 3.2.1.1, 3.2.1.2, 3.2.2, 3.2.2.1, 3.2.2.2, 3.2.2.3, 3.2.2.4, 3.2.3, 3.2.3.1, 3.2.3.2, 3.2.3.3, 3.2.3.4, 3.3, 3.3.1, 3.3.2)

Figure 4

Unloading of crates from the truck. Source: kindly provided by Berg C

Figure 5

Lairage zone at poultry slaughterhouse. Source: Federation of French Poultry Industries (FIA)

Figure 6

Most common types of cages and containers used for the transport of poultry: a.1 and a.2: Plastic poultry crate with top opening or top and side opening, depending on model; b: Containers with front and side access; c.1 and c.2: Containers with plastic drawers that slide (source: Avipôle Formation)

Figure 7

Restraint of poultry prior to entering (A) and exiting (B) the multiple waterbath stunner. Source: kindly provided by Berg C

Figure 8

(a) Equipment for head‐only stunning in poultry; (b) manual restraint during poultry head‐only electrical stunning. Source: kindly provided by Berg C

Figure 9

Shackling of conscious birds in head‐only electrical stunning: bird position (a) and entering stunning wheel (b). Source: Dutch Vision Solutions

Figure 10

Restraint and application of captive bolt stunning. Source: European Commission, 2018b

Figure 11

Illustration of manual cervical dislocation by pulling (1) and twisting (2) of the head dorsally in one continuous motion. Source: European Commission, 2018a

Figure 12

An illustration of the duration of stun‐to‐neck‐cutting and bleeding. Unconsciousness after stunning should persist during bleeding, until the animal is dead (from EFSA, 2004)

Figure 13

Handling and removal of birds from crates or containers: (a) good handling practice: the operator takes the bird by both legs, using two hands; (b) and (c) inappropriate handling practices: the operator takes the bird by the head or neck or by one leg (source: Federation of French Poultry Industries (FIA))

Figure 14

Manual restraint performed with two hands in a careful and gentle manner (European Commission, 2018b)

Figure 15

Compliant shackle (left) and standard plant shackle (right) installed in a processing plant. Reprinted by permission from: Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW), Lines et al., 2012