An investigation by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism reveals that cotton harvested through forced labour in Xinjiang is being processed into detoxified cottonseed and cotton-straw feed that feed billions of animals. The supply chain connects labour-transfer schemes in Xinjiang cotton fields to feed mills and feed mills, then onward to fast-food giants like McDonald’s and KFC and to supermarkets in the UK, highlighting the global reach of products linked to forced labour. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other governments have banned Xinjiang cotton and cottonseed products under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), but the transformation of cotton into animal feed is exploited as a loophole, undermining enforcement. The report urges governments and companies to conduct due diligence, close regulatory gaps and ensure that forced-labour cotton does not enter global supply chains through animal feed.