- Knowledgebase
- Animals used for Food
- Abattoirs / Slaughterhouses
- Age of animals slaughtered
Age of animals slaughtered
Last updated 18 June 2024
Most animals are slaughtered as babies, at a very small portion of their natural life span, regardless of whether they are raised conventionally or in operations that are labelled “humane”, “sustainable”, “natural”, “free range”, “cage free”, “heritage bred”, “grass fed”, “local” or “organic”.
| Typical Slaughter Age | Natural Life Span | |
| Chickens (male in egg industry) | 1 day | Up to 8 years |
| “Veal” calves | 1-24 weeks | 15-20 years |
| Chickens (broilers / meat breeds) | 5-7 weeks | Up to 8 years* |
| Ducks | 7-8 weeks | 6-8 years |
| Rabbits | 10-12 weeks | 8-12 years |
| Goats | 12-20 weeks | 12-14 years |
| Geese | 15-20 weeks | 8-15 years |
| Turkeys | 10-17 weeks | Up to 15 years* |
| Pigs | 5-6 months | 10-12 years |
| Lambs | 4-12 months | 12-14 years |
| “Beef” cattle | 18 months | 15-20 years |
| Chickens (egg laying hens) | 18 months | Up to 8 years |
| Pigs (breeding sows) | 3-5 years | 10-12 years |
| Dairy cows | 4 years | 15-20 years |
* Most chickens and turkeys are bred to grow so fast that their bodies cannot endure very long. When not bred for consumption, chickens and turkeys can grow at a rate their bodies can sustain for many years.
