Handling and loading market-ready turkeys – Focus groups exploring the perspectives of live haul crew workers in the turkey industry
Summary: Improper handling and loading of market-ready turkeys during live haul presents significant challenges in the U.S. turkey industry. Bird injuries, such as bruises, scratches, and/or fractured or broken bones compromise animal welfare and lead to economic losses. However, the factors contrib...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-09-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Applied Poultry Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1056617125000327 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849233655995564032 |
|---|---|
| author | Luz A. Hernandez Victoria R. Merenda Monique D. Pairis-Garcia Maria Coady Alejandro Amaya Jesse L. Grimes Allison N. Pullin |
| author_facet | Luz A. Hernandez Victoria R. Merenda Monique D. Pairis-Garcia Maria Coady Alejandro Amaya Jesse L. Grimes Allison N. Pullin |
| author_sort | Luz A. Hernandez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary: Improper handling and loading of market-ready turkeys during live haul presents significant challenges in the U.S. turkey industry. Bird injuries, such as bruises, scratches, and/or fractured or broken bones compromise animal welfare and lead to economic losses. However, the factors contributing to these handling challenges remain understudied. We aimed to identify barriers to implementing proper handling and loading techniques for market-ready turkeys through focus groups with commercial live haul crews. Participants identified three key themes: animal, farm, and human factors. Animal factors, such as bird sex, age, weight, and mobility, required crew members to modify handling strategies and varied the efficiency of live haul. The farm factors centered on the importance of preparing the barn environment for live haul. Adjusting lighting, ensuring good litter quality, scheduling nighttime shifts, using loading equipment correctly, and maintaining stable temperatures improve bird movement. Human factors included employee training methods, where informal training was the primary way in which crew members learned how to perform their tasks; the physical demands of the job, especially in challenging situations; and specific handling strategies to efficiently move birds and minimize injuries to animals and crew members. Animal, farm, and human factors are often interconnected, which compounds the complexity of ensuring proper animal handling for live haul. Future research in formal training, the design of farms, loading equipment, and personal protective equipment may mitigate the effects of these factors. Additionally, proactive teamwork and communication amongst veterinarians, producers, and live haul crews would better prepare farms for live haul. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-efb6203e487b4a9fbd7b38c258fb511e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1056-6171 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Applied Poultry Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-efb6203e487b4a9fbd7b38c258fb511e2025-08-20T05:04:32ZengElsevierJournal of Applied Poultry Research1056-61712025-09-0134310054710.1016/j.japr.2025.100547Handling and loading market-ready turkeys – Focus groups exploring the perspectives of live haul crew workers in the turkey industryLuz A. Hernandez0Victoria R. Merenda1Monique D. Pairis-Garcia2Maria Coady3Alejandro Amaya4Jesse L. Grimes5Allison N. Pullin6Prestage Department of Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USADepartment of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USADepartment of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USADepartment of Educational Equity, College of Education, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USADepartment of Educational Equity, College of Education, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USAPrestage Department of Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USAPrestage Department of Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA; Corresponding author at: 2711 Founders Drive, Campus Box 7608, Raleigh, NC, 27695.Summary: Improper handling and loading of market-ready turkeys during live haul presents significant challenges in the U.S. turkey industry. Bird injuries, such as bruises, scratches, and/or fractured or broken bones compromise animal welfare and lead to economic losses. However, the factors contributing to these handling challenges remain understudied. We aimed to identify barriers to implementing proper handling and loading techniques for market-ready turkeys through focus groups with commercial live haul crews. Participants identified three key themes: animal, farm, and human factors. Animal factors, such as bird sex, age, weight, and mobility, required crew members to modify handling strategies and varied the efficiency of live haul. The farm factors centered on the importance of preparing the barn environment for live haul. Adjusting lighting, ensuring good litter quality, scheduling nighttime shifts, using loading equipment correctly, and maintaining stable temperatures improve bird movement. Human factors included employee training methods, where informal training was the primary way in which crew members learned how to perform their tasks; the physical demands of the job, especially in challenging situations; and specific handling strategies to efficiently move birds and minimize injuries to animals and crew members. Animal, farm, and human factors are often interconnected, which compounds the complexity of ensuring proper animal handling for live haul. Future research in formal training, the design of farms, loading equipment, and personal protective equipment may mitigate the effects of these factors. Additionally, proactive teamwork and communication amongst veterinarians, producers, and live haul crews would better prepare farms for live haul.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1056617125000327Animal welfareTurkey productionLive haul, handlingFocus group |
| spellingShingle | Luz A. Hernandez Victoria R. Merenda Monique D. Pairis-Garcia Maria Coady Alejandro Amaya Jesse L. Grimes Allison N. Pullin Handling and loading market-ready turkeys – Focus groups exploring the perspectives of live haul crew workers in the turkey industry Journal of Applied Poultry Research Animal welfare Turkey production Live haul, handling Focus group |
| title | Handling and loading market-ready turkeys – Focus groups exploring the perspectives of live haul crew workers in the turkey industry |
| title_full | Handling and loading market-ready turkeys – Focus groups exploring the perspectives of live haul crew workers in the turkey industry |
| title_fullStr | Handling and loading market-ready turkeys – Focus groups exploring the perspectives of live haul crew workers in the turkey industry |
| title_full_unstemmed | Handling and loading market-ready turkeys – Focus groups exploring the perspectives of live haul crew workers in the turkey industry |
| title_short | Handling and loading market-ready turkeys – Focus groups exploring the perspectives of live haul crew workers in the turkey industry |
| title_sort | handling and loading market ready turkeys focus groups exploring the perspectives of live haul crew workers in the turkey industry |
| topic | Animal welfare Turkey production Live haul, handling Focus group |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1056617125000327 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT luzahernandez handlingandloadingmarketreadyturkeysfocusgroupsexploringtheperspectivesoflivehaulcrewworkersintheturkeyindustry AT victoriarmerenda handlingandloadingmarketreadyturkeysfocusgroupsexploringtheperspectivesoflivehaulcrewworkersintheturkeyindustry AT moniquedpairisgarcia handlingandloadingmarketreadyturkeysfocusgroupsexploringtheperspectivesoflivehaulcrewworkersintheturkeyindustry AT mariacoady handlingandloadingmarketreadyturkeysfocusgroupsexploringtheperspectivesoflivehaulcrewworkersintheturkeyindustry AT alejandroamaya handlingandloadingmarketreadyturkeysfocusgroupsexploringtheperspectivesoflivehaulcrewworkersintheturkeyindustry AT jesselgrimes handlingandloadingmarketreadyturkeysfocusgroupsexploringtheperspectivesoflivehaulcrewworkersintheturkeyindustry AT allisonnpullin handlingandloadingmarketreadyturkeysfocusgroupsexploringtheperspectivesoflivehaulcrewworkersintheturkeyindustry |