Humane 

Handling

 of Livestock and Poultry 

Food Safety and Inspection Service

United States Department of Agriculture

An Educational Guidebook 

Based on FSIS Policies
USDA 2

Introduction 

This booklet is an easy-to-read 

guide reviewing regulatory 

requirements for humane handling 

of livestock. This guide also reviews 

FSIS policies on good manufacturing 

processes for poultry. Proper 

training and supervision will do a 

lot to ensure humane handling at 

your establishment. Following the 

principles in this guidebook will 

help you improve humane handling 

practices in order to better comply 

with the Federal Humane Methods 

of Slaughter Act. The content of 

this guidebook is based on FSIS 

statutes, regulations, and policies 

concerning humane handling. 
3

Humane Handling 

 Guidebook

FSIS

 

Background: 

Humane Methods 

of Slaughter Act 

All FSIS inspected livestock 

slaughter establishments 

are required to meet the 

requirements of the Humane 

Methods of Slaughter 

Act. Inspectors from the 

United States Department 

of Agriculture (USDA), 

Food Safety and Inspection 

Service (FSIS) are responsible 

for verifying that livestock 

establishments are complying 

with the Act. FSIS 

will respect the ritual 

requirements of religion. 

The following are some 

examples of types of 

observations FSIS inspectors 

make to ensure that the 

Humane Methods of Slaughter 

Act is being followed at livestock 

slaughter establishments. 

Adequate measures for 

inclement weather: How 

does the establishment adapt 

its facilities and handling 

practices to inclement 

weather to ensure the 

humane handling of animals? 

When the weather conditions 

warrant concern (e.g., 

extreme cold, heat, humidity, 

heavy rains, or high winds), 

inspectors are to assess 

what effect these conditions 

have on the establishment’s 

humane handling of animals. 

 Truck unloading: What 

is the condition of vehicles, 

ramps, and driveways? Do 

they permit the unloading of 

animals without injury? Are 

animals unloaded and driven 

to pens with a minimum of 

excitement and use of prods? 

Water and feed 

availability: Is water 

available to animals at all 
Humane Handling 

 Guidebook

USDA 4

 

times? Do animals held 

longer than 24 hours have 

access to feed? 

 Handling during ante 

mortem inspection: 

Are livestock pens, floors, 

driveways, etc., maintained 

in good condition? Are 

animals being moved with 

a minimum of excitement? 

How often and in what 

manner are prods being used 

by the establishment to move 

animals? 

 Handling of suspect 

animals: Are establishments 

taking steps to ensure 

that livestock designated 

“U.S. Suspect” are handled 

humanely? Are they held 

in covered pens during 

inclement weather? 

 Electric prod/alternative 

object use: Are 

establishments humanely and 

effectively moving livestock 

without excessive prodding 

or use of sharp objects after 

ante mortem inspection 

has been completed? This 

includes observation involving 

animal movement between 

pens, in alleyways, and in 

areas up to the knock box or 

stunning area. The reasons 

for excessive implement use 

may include poorly trained 

employees, animals balking 

because of distractions, 

or some other issue. It is 

expected that establishments 

train their employees 

adequately in the proper use 

of these implements, ensure 

that only objects designed 

for the intended purpose 

are being used, and maintain 

facilities in a manner that 

prevents excessive prodding. 

 Slips and falls: Are animals 

slipping and falling? Does the 

establishment have flooring 

that provides adequate 

footing for animals? Are 

animals being driven with a 

minimum of excitement and 

discomfort? Are livestock 
5 FSIS

 

 

 

being forced to move faster 

than a normal walking speed? 

 Stunning effectiveness: 

Does the establishment 

appropriately and effectively 

administer stunning methods 

that produce unconsciousness 

in the animal before the 

animal is shackled, hoisted, 

thrown, cast, or cut? Are 

animals rendered insensible 

by a single blow or gun shot, 

or an appropriate electrical, 

chemical or other means that 

is rapid and effective? Is the 

stunning area designed and 

constructed to limit the free 

movement of animals to allow 

the stunning blow to have a 

high degree of accuracy? 

Failure to properly stun 

animals is a serious violation 

of the Humane Methods 

of Slaughter Act, and 

represents a deficiency in 

training, equipment design, 

maintenance, or application. 

Is the stunning equipment 

in good repair? If carbon 

dioxide is used, do records 

show that the gas is used in 

the correct concentration? 

Are animals properly 

restrained so that stunning is 

accurate? 

Animals on the rail: 

Are animals regaining 

consciousness during the 

shackling, sticking, and 

bleeding process? If so, they 

have not been rendered 

insensible as required. 

If inspectors observe animals 

being injured or treated 

inhumanely, they must take 

immediate enforcement action. 

Establishment 

Responsibilities: 

A Systematic Approach to 

Humane Handling 

FSIS recommends that you 

use a systematic approach to 

humane handling and slaughter. 

With a systematic approach, 

establishments focus on treating 
USDA 6
 
7

Humane Handling 

 Guidebook

FSIS

livestock in a way that minimizes 

excitement, discomfort, and 

accidental injury the entire time 

livestock is held in connection 

with slaughter. 

To develop and maintain 

a systematic approach to 

meet the humane handling 

requirements, FSIS has stated 

that establishments should 

follow four steps: 

1. Conduct an initial assessment 

of where and under what 

circumstances livestock may 

experience excitement, 

discomfort, or accidental 

injury while being handled in 

connection with slaughter, 

and, except for establishments 

conducting ritual slaughter, 

where and under what 

circumstances stunning 

problems may occur. 

2. Design facilities and 

implement practices that 

will minimize excitement, 

discomfort, and accidental 

injury to livestock. 

3. Evaluate handling methods 

periodically to ensure 

they minimize excitement, 

discomfort, and accidental 

injury, and, except for 

establishments conducting 

ritual slaughter, evaluate 

stunning methods periodically 

to ensure that all livestock is 

rendered insensible to pain by 

a single blow. 

4. Improve handling practices 

and modify facilities when 

necessary to minimize 

excitement, discomfort, and 

accidental injury to livestock. 

Identify where 

problems occur 

In the first step of a systematic 

approach, establishments 

should conduct an assessment 

of where handling and stunning 

problems occur. Establishments 

should consider such factors 

as whether (1) the movement 

of livestock is done with a 

minimum of excitement and 

discomfort to the animal and 
Humane Handling 

 Guidebook

USDA 8

 

at a suitable pace; (2) the 

particular livestock’s genetics, 

instincts, and behavior are taken 

into account in the handling of 

livestock in the establishment; 

(3) electric prods and other 

implements are used as little as 

possible to move animals; (4) 

animals have access to water; 

(5) there is sufficient room in 

the holding pens for animals that 

are held overnight; (6) training 

is provided for establishment 

personnel in the appropriate 

and proper use of restraints 

and prods; and (7) potential 

weather and climatic conditions 

of the locale, especially for nonambulatory(not for slaughter) 

livestock in the establishment, 

will lead to the inhumane 

treatment. 

In addition, establishments 

should also assess the 

stunning method used for 

its effectiveness in rendering 

animals immediately unconscious 

and to ensure that animals are 

being properly stunned before 

being slaughtered. 

Establishments should 

also assess the training for 

establishment personnel in the 

appropriate use of stunning and 

slaughtering equipment. 

Adequate footing 

In the second step of 

a systematic approach, 

establishments should 

determine whether the plant is 

in compliance with regulatory 

requirements by analyzing 

whether (1) the pens, driveways, 

and ramps are designed and 

maintained to prevent injury 

or pain to the animals; (2) the 

pens are free of loose boards 

or openings, so that the head, 

feet, or legs of an animal will 

not be injured; (3) the floors of 

pens, ramps, and driveways are 

constructed so that an animal 

is not likely to fall (e.g., using 

cleated or waffled floors or sand 

on the floors); and (4) driveways 

are designed so that sharp turns 

or sudden reversals of direction 

are minimized, so that they are 
9 FSIS

 

 

 

not likely to cause injury to 

animals. 

It is essential to have non-slip 

flooring. There are many easyto-implement and low-cost 

methods of ensuring that floors 

provide adequate traction for 

moving animals. An animal must 

have adequate traction with the 

floor for proper movement, 

particularly in the stunning box. 

If an animal is slipping or falling, it 

will be difficult to properly stun 

and ensure a humane process. 

Minimize excitement 

In the third step of a systematic 

approach, establishments should 

evaluate periodically their 

handling methods to ensure 

that their employees are, in 

fact, minimizing excitement, 

discomfort, or accidental injury 

to livestock. 

Electric prods should be used 

rarely, if ever. If an animal balks, 

try using a stick with a piece 

of plastic on the end, a plastic 

paddle stick, a plastic bag, or 

something similar to encourage 

the animal to move. 

Why do animals balk? Usually, 

they balk because they are 

distracted. If you find your 

animals balking, take a look 

up the chute to see if there is 

a reflection, water dripping, a 

shadow, air blowing, or some 

other distraction causing animals 

to balk. 

To minimize animal discomfort, 

do not overload or overcrowd 

animals in pens. The pen that 

leads up to the chute should 

only be filled about half or three 

quarters full. 

Establishments should also 

periodically evaluate their 

stunning methods to ensure that 

they are working effectively to 

render all animals insensible to 

pain by a single blow. 
USDA

 

 

 

Indications that an animal is Indications that an animal is 

properly stunned: NOT properly stunned: 

 Vocalization.  Animal has a straight back and 

floppy head.  Eye blinks. 

 Absence of righting reflex,  Eye reflexes in response to including an arched back. touch. 

 Tongue is hanging  Rhythmic breathing. out—NOT curled. 

 Curled tongue.  Absolutely no vocalization of 

any kind. 

Use plastic 

bag instead 

of cattle 

prod. 

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Humane Handling 

 Guidebook

FSIS

 

 

Make sure employees who 

operate stunning equipment 

are properly trained. Also, 

make sure stunning equipment 

is maintained in good repair. If 

firearms are used, be sure the 

correct caliber is used for the 

animal. 

If an establishment finds 

evidence of a problem during 

the first three steps of the 

evaluation process, it should 

follow step 4 of the systematic 

approach and improve its 

handling practices or modify 

its facilities to minimize the 

excitement, discomfort, or 

accidental injury to livestock. 

When conducting the four 

recommended steps outlined 

previously, establishments 

should consider all factors 

relevant to the humane handling 

and slaughter requirements for 

the entire time that livestock 

is held in connection with 

slaughter. 

shadows can caUse 

animals to become 

spooked. 

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Humane Handling 

 Guidebook

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Benefits of humane 

handling 

Following the principles in 

this guidebook will not only 

help you make sure that the 

establishment complies with 

Federal regulations, but also 

will improve animal welfare, 

make handling of animals easier 

and more efficient, and improve 

the quality of your product. 

Good Commercial 

Practices for Poultry 

Poultry slaughter establishments 

are responsible for ensuring 

that good commercial practices 

are followed. In poultry 

operations, following humane 

methods of handling and 

slaughter that are consistent 

with good commercial practices 

increases the likelihood of 

producing unadulterated 

product. FSIS regulations 

provide that poultry carcasses 

that show evidence of having 

died from causes other than 

slaughter are considered to be 

adulterated, and must therefore 

be condemned. The regulations 

also require that poultry be 

slaughtered in accordance with 

good commercial practices 

in a manner that results in 

thorough bleeding of the 

poultry carcass and ensures that 

breathing has stopped before 

scalding, so that birds do not 

drown. Compliance with these 

requirements ensures that 

poultry are treated humanely. 

FSIS inspectors will verify that 

poultry slaughter operations 

are following good commercial 

practices. They will do this 

by observing conditions in the 

receiving to prescald areas in 

the plant. 
13 FSIS

Following are steps to 

take to ensure that good 

commercial practices are 

followed: 

 Ensure that employees are 

trained in handling birds, 

and that they are aware that 

mistreating birds, or handling 

birds in a way that causes 

injury or death, prevents 

thorough bleeding and is 

not permitted. Examples of 

inhumane treatment include 

employees breaking the 

legs of birds to hold them 

in shackles, or throwing live 

birds into a discard barrel 

so that they suffocate, or 

otherwise mishandling the 

bird while transferring it from 

the coop to the shackle. 

Make sure that in cold 

weather, birds are not allowed 

to freeze inside cages or 

become frozen to cages. 

Also, make sure that in warm 

weather, birds are not dying 

from heat exhaustion. Heavy 

panting is a symptom of heat 

stress in birds. 

 Employees should be trained 

on the handling and treatment 

of loose birds in unloading and 

live hang areas. For example, 

employees are not to drive 

over live birds with equipment 

or trucks. 

 Employees should be trained 

in the proper use of stunning 

equipment. Post-stunned 

birds with a posture that 

includes an arched neck and 

wings tucked is visual evidence 

of an effective stun. Evidence 

of improper stunning may 

include birds entering the 

scalder that are still breathing, 

or an increased number of 

cadavers at the inspection 

station. 
USDA

Inspection Resources 

Following are the directives that provide instruction to inspectors for 

verifying that humane handling requirements are being followed by 

establishments: 

 Directive 6100.3, Ante

Mortem and Post Mortem

Poultry Inspection

 Directive 6900.1, Humane

Handling of Disabled

Livestock

 Directive 6900.2, Humane

Handling of Livestock

 9 CFR 313: Humane Slaughter

of Livestock

 Federal Register Notice,

Docket No. 04-013N,

Humane Handling and

Slaughter Requirements and

the Merits of a Systematic

Approach to Meet Such

Requirements

 Federal Register Notice,

Docket No. 04-037N,

Treatment of Live Poultry

Before Slaughter

14
 
 

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____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Sample Self-Evaluation Form 

for Humane Handling of Livestock 

Date _____________ Evaluator ___________________ 

Stunning 

 Equipment is functioning properly. 

 Operators are following proper stunning procedures. 

 Procedures to maintain stunning equipment are followed. 

Insensibility 

 No evidence of righting reflex for animals on the rail. 

 No evidence of animal returning to consciousness (e.g., no blinking, 

rhythmic breathing, vocalization) after stunning. 

Animal movement 

 No vocalization from animals as they move to the stunning box. 

 Minimal slipping or falling of animals in the pen, chute, or stunning box. 

 No abusive methods used to move animals. 

 No distractions causing animals to balk. 

 No over-crowding of animals in pens. 

 Animals moved at a walk or trot to avoid slipping and falling. 

 Animals unloaded from trucks without injuries or inhumane treatment. 

Food and water 

 Animals have access to water. 

 Animals held longer than 24 hours have access to feed. 

Pens, chutes, and floors 

 Pens and chutes in good repair and free of sharp edges or other 

conditions that cause injuries to animals. 

 Suspect animals receive humane treatment (e.g., in covered area 

during inclement weather). 

 Animals are not slipping or falling or being injured because of 

floor conditions. 

Employee training 

 Employees are trained in proper humane handling and stunning methods. 

Corrective Actions: (for any box that is not checked) 
Food Safety and Inspection Service

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

prohibits discrimination in all its programs and 

activities on the basis of race, color, national 

origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, 

marital status, familial status, parental status, 

religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, 

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of an individual’s income is derived from any 

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communication of program information (Braille, 

large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact 

USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice 

and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, 

write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 

1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, 

D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) 

or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal 

opportunity provider and employer. 

Office of Outreach, Employee 


Education and Training
 

April 2009 (Slightly Revised June 2015)