According to Farming South Africa 980 Million Tons of broilers are slaughtered in South Africa every year.
A broiler bird is a chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) that is bred and raised for the purpose of consumption. These birds are selected to grow quickly to maximise the amount of meat produced in the fastest time. These animals are often susceptible to several welfare concerns at farms throughout the country. These include, ammonia burns, high stocking densities, inhumane handling, lameness, inadequate lighting, baren environments, lack of disease control and treatment, poor ventilation, beak trimming, de-spurring and toe clipping.
Once birds have reached slaughter weight they are transported by road over various distances to abattoirs. These birds can be exposed to various stressors during transit such as overcrowding, lack of feed and water and heat stress (Impact of Heat Stress on Poultry Production (nih.gov).
Inspectors in the Farm Animal Protection Unit conduct ongoing inspections to improve the welfare of broilers at every phase of their lives to stop cruel practices and/or prevent cruelty from taking place.
