Code of Maine Rules › 01 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY › 001 - AGRICULTURE - GENERAL › Chapter 348 - POULTRY SLAUGHTER AND PROCESSING WITH GROWER/PRODUCER EXEMPTION › Appendix 001-348-A - HUMANE HANDLING & SLAUGHTER GUIDELINES FOR BROILERS, TURKEYS AND OTHER FOWL

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
Good Commercial Practices
Based on recommendations from:
NATIONAL CHICKEN COUNCIL
ANIMAL WELFARE GUIDELINES FOR BROILERS
January 28, 2010
NATIONAL CHICKEN COUNCIL
1015 15TH Street NW Suite
				  930
Washington DC 20005
phone (202) 296-2622
fax (202) 293-4005
AND
ANIMAL WELFARE APPROVED (AWA)
WELFARE STANDARDS FOR CHICKEN, TURKEY, DUCK
2010
ANIMAL WELFARE APPROVED
1007 Queen Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
202-564-5292
FAX: 202-446-2151
Preface
Under the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA), all live
				  poultry must be handled in a manner that is consistent with good commercial
				  practices, which means they should be treated humanely. Poultry product
				  resulting from birds that are killed in a manner that is not consistent with
				  good commercial practices, is considered adulterated under the PPIA.
The following guidelines are consistent with good commercial
				  practices, and are to be used to assure the humane treatment of poultry, and to
				  promote the production of quality poultry products.
Humane Handling During Catching
1. The producer has a person in charge of promoting animal
				  welfare and adherence to these Guidelines.
2. Feed is withdrawn up to 8 hours prior to transport but not
				  exceed 24 hours prior to slaughter. Water is continuously available until the
				  birds are crated.
3. Birds are crated immediately prior to loading.
4. Unfit animals are not transported, and are euthanized the
				  same day, at the farm, by trained individuals.
5. Employees of the producer are trained before handling live
				  birds. A training program is conducted annually for all employees involved in
				  handling live poultry (multi-lingual if necessary).
6. Supervisors of producer catching crews have the
				  responsibility for training crew members in handling of birds so as to minimize
				  injury to the birds.
7. Whenever birds are handled for any reason, handling is
				  accomplished in such a manner as to avoid injuries. Abuse of the birds is not
				  tolerated under any circumstances. Chickens are not dragged, kicked, or
				  mishandled in any way.
8. Catchers are not to catch or carry birds by the wings,
				  necks or head, and are not to throw them or step on them.
9. Chickens are caught calmly and with a minimum of chasing.
				  It is recommended that birds be caught in dimmed light to minimize the stress
				  for the birds.
10. If chickens are to be picked up by the legs, they will be
				  held by both legs without crossing the birds' legs. Catchers are not to carry
				  more than two birds in one hand.
11. The producer monitors birds for wing and leg
				  damage.
12. Transport coops:
a) Are appropriately sized to permit the birds to sit during
				  transport without being on top of one another (in a single layer)
b) Are designed to prevent chickens' toes and heads from
				  being injured.
c) Are in good repair so that birds cannot be injured or
				  escape during transit.
d) Have doors large enough for the chickens to be easily
				  loaded and removed from the crates.
e) Have solid floors.
f) Are cleaned and sanitized between each group of
				  birds.
g) Are monitored and repaired.
13. Transport density:
a) Will not exceed 12 lbs per square foot in weather below
				  60º F.
b) Will not exceed 10 lbs per square foot in weather above 60
				  ºF.
Humane Handling During Transport
(not applicable
				  for Grower-Producer Exemption who must slaughter on their own premises, in
				  their own facilities, and therefore not transport to another
				  slaughterhouse)
1. Truck drivers transporting chickens will maintain a
				  log:
a) To record loading start and end times
b) To record departure and arrival times
c) To record reasons for and duration of any stops or delays
				  enroute
d) Keep either a master log, or the truck logs are turned in
				  to a central location for review
2. The truck driver will protect birds from extremes of heat
				  and cold during transportation, with a ceiling or trailer cover if truck is
				  open.
3. Transport is designed to minimize the time from catching
				  to plant.
4. Transport to slaughter facility will not exceed 4
				  hours.
5. Alternatives are in place in case of traffic delays or
				  road closures.
6. There is a clear, written procedure for the driver to
				  follow in case of a crash or emergency enroute to include:
a) actions taken by the driver and a clear point at which he
				  should call for assistance.
b) driver has an emergency number that will reach the staff
				  poultry scientist or farmer
c) staff poultry scientist or farmer will initiate logistic
				  actions that could include getting a replacement truck to the scene, getting a
				  crew to the scene to reload the birds and designating a person responsible for
				  euthanizing or separating injured birds.
7. The number of birds dead-on-arrival (DOA) at the plant are
				  minimized. Greater than 0.5% DOAs will require a corrective action.
Humane Handling During Unloading, Holding and Prior to
				  Stunning
1. The poultry processing facility has a person in charge of
				  promoting animal welfare and adherence to these Guidelines.
2. Employees of the processing facility are trained before
				  handling live birds. A training program is conducted annually for all employees
				  involved in handling live poultry (multi-lingual if necessary).
3. Whenever birds are handled for any reason, handling is
				  accomplished in such a manner as to avoid injuries. Abuse of the birds is not
				  tolerated under any circumstances. There will be no inappropriate handling or
				  employee misbehavior.
4. Processing facility supervisors have the responsibility
				  for training crew members in handling of birds so as to minimize injury to the
				  birds.
5. If chickens are to be picked up by the legs, they will be
				  held by both legs without crossing the birds' legs. Catchers are not to carry
				  more than two birds in one hand.
6. Catchers are not to catch or carry birds by the wings,
				  necks or head, and are not to throw them or step on them.
7. The person delivering the birds to slaughter will stay
				  with the birds to ensure that they are handled according to guidelines.
8. In the event of a utility outage, mechanical breakdown, or
				  some other event that dictates that not all the birds moved to the processing
				  facility can be processed, measures are taken to make the birds comfortable.
				  Rehousing birds is stressful and is considered only in extreme
				  situations.
9. Holding times are kept to the minimum consistent with good
				  processing practices, not to exceed 15 hrs.
10. Feed withdrawal should not exceed 24 hours prior to
				  slaughter.
11. The processing facility has a program and equipment for
				  keeping birds comfortable in covered holding sheds.
a. The holding facility is designed to keep the birds dry,
				  shaded and cool in the summer, warm in the winter.
b. Procedures are in place to retrieve loose birds in a
				  timely manner.
12. If the processing facility employs mechanical catching
				  systems it will develop protocols to ensure humane handling of birds. The goal
				  is to ensure that mechanical catching is at least equal to hand-catching in
				  terms of bruises and injuries.
13. No live bird will enter the DOA bin.
14. Unloading:
a. Cages are lifted and moved from trailers in a manner not
				  to injure birds
b. The unloading and conveyor system is designed to avoid
				  injury to birds.
c. Birds are not unloaded on top of other birds.
d. Conveyors have sufficient space and no
				  obstructions.
e. Birds remaining in cages are carefully removed.
f. Birds are not handled by the wings.
15. Best management technology, such as adjustment of light
				  levels, is in use to help keep birds calm. Birds will be unloaded in a dimly
				  lit room.
16. Birds must be unloaded and slaughtered within 2 hrs of
				  arrival at the slaughterhouse.
17. Crates will be unloaded in an upright position and will
				  be handled with care to ensure they are not tipped.
18. Personnel and equipment will handle birds in a manner
				  that minimizes broken legs and wings. A program is in place to monitor wing and
				  leg damage.
a. Broken wings and legs are monitored, preferably before the
				  stunner; however, immediately after the stunner is also acceptable.
b. There will be less than 3% broken or dislocated wings.
				  Greater than 5% broken or dislocated wings requires a corrective action.
c. Corrective action is required if there are more than 2
				  broken legs per 500 birds.
Humane Handling During Stunning and
				  Killing
1. Killing of birds without prior stunning is
				  prohibited.
2. Stunning will render the birds immediately insensible to
				  pain.
3. Methods of stunning included in good commercial practices:
a. Controlled Atmosphere Killing (CAK), poultry remain in
				  crates and oxygen is slowly replaced by a mixture of argon and/or nitrogen and
				  carbon dioxide, is the preferred method of killing prior to bleed-out.
b. Controlled Atmosphere Stunning (CAS), poultry remain in
				  crates and oxygen is slowly replaced by carbon dioxide, is the preferred method
				  of stunning prior to kill and bleed-out.
c. Rapid cervical dislocation prior to kill and
				  bleed-out.
d. Single, sharp blow to the head prior to kill and
				  bleed-out.
e. Electric stunning knife to induce a post-stun posture that
				  includes arched neck and wings tucked as visual evidence of an effective stun,
				  prior to kill and bleed-out.
4. Stunning equipment is monitored to insure proper
				  function
5. Cones may be used to restrain birds prior to stunning.
				  Birds will not leave the cones until dead.
6. Automatic knife used after an accepted method of stunning
				  is effective to cut vessels and induce bleed-out.
7. All birds are dead before entering the scalder. [Evidence
				  that a live bird entered the scalder consists only in a finding after the
				  picker that the bird's carotid arteries were not cut.]
8. Personnel and equipment will handle birds in a manner that
				  minimizes broken legs and wings. A program is in place to monitor wing and leg
				  damage.
a. Broken wings and legs are monitored, preferably before the
				  stunner; however, immediately after the stunner is also acceptable.
b. There will be less than 3% broken or dislocated wings.
				  Greater than 5% broken or dislocated wings requires a corrective action.
c. Corrective action is required if there are more than 2
				  broken legs per 500 birds.
9. Any live birds culled at the processing facility will be
				  euthanized by:
a. Controlled Atmosphere Killing (CAK), poultry remain in
				  crates and oxygen is slowly replaced by a mixture of argon and/or nitrogen and
				  carbon dioxide, the preferred method for killing.
b. Rapid cervical dislocation
c. Any other American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
				  or American Humane Association (AHA) approved method.