Injury and mortality in broilers during handling and transport to slaughter

Multiple factors affect the risk of broiler injury and mortality during loading, transport and lairage. These include the physical and pathophysiological condition of broilers before loading and the type of handling procedures used. The external environmental conditions have a major influence on the risk of mortality. Combinations of high stocking density, insufficient ventilation, and high temperature and humidity pose a risk of hyperthermia. Combinations of wet conditions, cold temperature and air movement, increase the risk of hypothermia. However, protection from cold and wet conditions involves the use of side protection that restricts the trailer ventilation that can cause heat and moisture to build-up in the load, increasing the risk of hyperthermia. Modular systems reduce the risk of injury and facilitate unloading into a lairage where temperature and ventilation can be controlled. The duration of loading, transport and lairage increases the mortality risk. Deaths can occur during each stage and interactions between the duration of the pre-slaughter stages, the thermal environment, fasting, ill-health and injury can reduce the physiological capacity of the birds to maintain homoeostasis resulting in exhaustion and death. Quality control and action on the identified risk factors should reduce injury and mortality during pre-slaughter handling and transport.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author