S. No.

Compliance Requirement

Applicability / Responsibility

Records / Evidence

1

A documented poultry welfare programme shall be established covering poultry catching, transportation, holding, stunning and slaughter/processing.

Poultry suppliers and processors

Poultry Welfare Programme / SOP

2

The welfare programme shall incorporate relevant elements of the welfare audit into the processing unit's quality plans and manuals.

Processing Unit

Quality Manual / Welfare Audit Checklist

3

Poultry intended for slaughter shall be clean and in good health at the time of catching.

Poultry Supplier / Catcher

Supplier records / Pre-slaughter inspection records

4

Reasonable precautions shall be taken during catching to minimise injury to poultry.

Poultry Catcher / Supplier

Catching SOP / Welfare inspection records

5

Persons engaged in catching poultry shall be appropriately trained in humane handling and injury prevention.

Poultry Supplier / Catching Contractor

Training records / Attendance sheets

6

Transport crates/cages shall be maintained in good repair and suitable condition.

Poultry Supplier / Transporter

Crate inspection / Maintenance records

7

Crates/cages shall be free from damage that could cause injury to poultry or result in accidental opening during transportation.

Transporter

Pre-loading crate inspection checklist

8

Transport crates shall not be over-filled.

Transporter / Catching Team

Loading records / Welfare inspection

9

Adequate space shall be provided in crates to enable all poultry to lie down during transportation.

Transporter

Loading-density records / Transport SOP

10

Poultry held in storage/holding sheds shall be provided with adequate ventilation.

Processing Unit

Holding-area inspection records

11

Appropriate climate-control arrangements, such as fans or curtains, shall be provided in holding areas as required to protect poultry welfare.

Processing Unit

Equipment maintenance records / Shed inspection checklist

12

Stunning equipment shall be properly maintained and kept in working condition.

Processing Unit

Equipment maintenance / Calibration records

13

The effectiveness of stunning shall be checked to confirm that poultry are insensible prior to slaughter.

Processing Unit / Slaughter Personnel

Stunning monitoring records

14

The interval between stunning and slaughter shall be controlled and kept sufficiently short to minimise the possibility of poultry regaining consciousness before slaughter.

Processing Unit

Stunning-to-slaughter monitoring records

15

The welfare programme shall cover the poultry welfare requirements throughout the relevant stages of catching, transport, holding, stunning and processing.

Poultry Supplier and Processing Unit

Approved Welfare Programme / Internal Audit Reports