Today, our team made an unannounced visit to slaughterhouse Wilki in Ravels, where large numbers of Dutch laying hens are slaughtered.
At our suggestion, Wilki previously installed a canopy for poultry trucks. In warm weather, loaded trucks can wait here instead of standing in direct sunlight. We inspected the canopy today: it accommodates 2–3 trucks and is equipped with mobile fans. The white roof helps reflect sunlight. Since the weather wasn’t particularly warm today, it was difficult to assess the effectiveness, but we view the canopy as a positive step. On colder days, it also provides protection from the wind. We offered a few suggestions for further improvement.
We discussed several concerns with Wilki regarding the welfare of laying hens:
- Feed withdrawal. Laying hens are often caught in the evening and have had their last feed in the morning. Slaughter typically takes place the next day, meaning the animals often go without food for more than 24 hours. In our view, this is way too long. Laying hens are highly productive (producing an egg daily) and have no metabolic reserves. Wilki explained that hens arriving early are slaughtered first. They also emphasised that feeding shortly before transport can lead to carcass contamination, since digestion slows when water intake is insufficient. We discussed possible technical adjustments to the slaughter line to prevent crop contents from contaminating the carcass, so that hens would not have to endure such long periods without feed.
- Catching-related injuries. Laying hens are often removed from the aviary by their legs and carried upside down to the crates. This causes a lot of stress and can lead to injuries such as pelvic fractures. Because it is difficult to determine exactly when and where such injuries occur, penalties are rarely imposed. We discussed ways to encourage careful catching and reduce injuries, including housing adjustments and the use of reward systems.
We also spoke about positive developments, such as Wilki’s participation in the Legmoni project, which visually monitors animal welfare on the slaughter line. This project stems from ILVO’s KIPVANG project, in which Eyes on Animals was also involved. In addition, we received valuable tips on crate design and use, as well as for our training sessions with catching teams.
