Reducing the stress of broiler chickens with the use of pre-slaughter holding

Abstract

Poultry meat quality depends on many factors. It is determined by the marketability of the carcass, its quality and, especially, the biological value of the meat produced. The physiological state of broiler chickens immediately before slaughtering is one of the most important prerequisites for obtaining high-quality and safe poultry products. The stress factors that affect the poultry organism during growing have a negative impact on the state of its health, which causes negative consequences during slaughtering. In the process of poultry slaughtering at a poultry farm, chickens are transferred to boxes immediately after they are caught and loaded. This technology has its drawbacks, in particular, a high level of stress and injury to broiler chickens. Chickens are affected by transportation stress due to overcrowded conditions in the cage during transportation. Broiler chickens are injured during loading and unloading. The stressed state of broiler chickens affects the functioning of all systems and organs, which is manifested in changes in the morphological composition of the blood, deteriorated immune function, and shifted biochemical parameters. Holding broiler chickens before slaughtering in special holding traps gives an opportunity to compensate for these shortcomings of the process. This contributes to improving the quality of the ready product due to the normalization of the physiological functions of systems in the organism and reducing the degree of stress to the chickens.