As consumers become more conscious of animal welfare, poultry producers are under increasing pressure to meet higher welfare standards, often verified by independent certification schemes. Methods of stunning — a critical welfare touchpoint in poultry processing — play a significant role in achieving these certifications. One method leading the way is Low Atmospheric Pressure Stunning (LAPS®).
Why Poultry Stunning Methods Matter for Welfare Certifications
Welfare assurance schemes, such as Red Tractor Enhanced Welfare, RSPCA Assured, and various European and international programs, place a specific emphasis on pre-slaughter handling and stunning processes.
Certification bodies assess factors including:
- Minimisation of pre-stun stress
- Effectiveness and reliability of stunning
- Humane handling procedures
- Operator welfare and safety
Traditional systems, such as electrical water bath stunning and gas stunning, have limitations in terms of consistency and animal welfare outcomes, often requiring invasive handling, including the shackling of conscious birds.
How LAPS® Aligns with Higher Welfare Standards
Low Atmospheric Pressure Stunning offers multiple advantages that support certification goals:
✅ No Live Shackling: Birds remain in their transport crates, avoiding stressful manual handling.
✅ Gradual, Controlled Process: Reduces stress behaviours such as wing flapping and vocalisation.
✅ Consistent, Reliable Stun Quality: Controlled, repeatable conditions improve animal welfare outcomes and reduce the risk of ineffective stunning.
✅ Improved Staff Welfare: Reduced exposure to live bird handling improves on-site working conditions — a welfare requirement in many schemes.
Recognised by Welfare Authorities
Several independent animal welfare research groups and advisory bodies have acknowledged LAPS® as a humane stunning alternative, recommending it as a system that can help operations meet or exceed welfare standards required for higher certification levels.
For processors aiming to future-proof their operations and meet growing welfare expectations, LAPS® is a technology worth considering.