Unloading and lairage

A truck carrying poultry arrives at a slaughterhouse. Photograph: Lotta Berg, SLU.

If the transport arrives at the slaughterhouse in daylight, locks can be used when unloading so that the intense light does not worry the animals. It is also important to protect poultry from draughts, and so the positioning of the vehicle in relation to the direction of the wind is of significance in winter. You should also remember not to park transport vehicles in direct sunlight for any length of time on hot days. Modules containing birds are unloaded using a forklift truck.

Containers can also be lifted and dragged across the floor by hand using a hook attached to the container grille.
Photograph: Viveca Sandström, SLU.

When unloading, it is important to handle containers of animals carefully so as to avoid stressing and injuring the birds. The skill of the forklift operator and the way in which he operates the forklift have a major influence on the animals. Jerky movements and braking operations are propagated through containers/modules and become significantly large movements that may cause animals to slide around and be pressed against one another or the walls of the container.

The same is true when containers are pushed forwards or carried by hand. It is also important to remember not to place containers/modules so closely together that there is a risk of animals being trapped if a leg or wing is protruding out of the container. Containers placed very closely together also impair ventilation and air flow, which can cause major anxiety for the animals.

Here, a bird has stuck its head through the container grille, become trapped and died. When stacking containers/modules against one another, it is very important to check first to make sure that no heads, legs or wings are protruding with a risk of being trapped or broken.