We have a SQL Server table(table_1) that we occasionally need to perform several
thousand deletes on. This table has several other tables(table_2, table_3, table_4)
with foreign keys defined to the PK in table_1.

Would it be more efficient to enable ON DELETE CASCADE on the
child tables and then in our stored procedure delete table_1 records in batches?

Or would it be better to not enable ON DELETE CASCADE, then in our
stored procedure perform the deletes
on table_2, table_3, table_4 then lastly table_1, and perform the deletes in batches?

We want to avoid blocking and make this as efficient as possible.