Sheep respond to transport with cortisol elevation, tachycardia, and immunosuppression. Respiratory disease risk increases significantly during and after transport. Fatigue, dehydration, and hyperthermia are welfare risks on long journeys. Sheep physiologically adapted to temperate climates face severe heat stress during summer transport through Mediterranean regions.
EU Regulation 1/2005 requires sheep to be offered water and feed after 14 hours of travel, with a 1-hour break. Space allowances are specified (0.4m² for sheep up to 55kg). Transport during extreme temperatures (above 35°C or below 5°C) requires special conditions or transport restriction. Enforcement across member states is inconsistent.
Long-distance live sheep export — particularly from Australia to Middle Eastern markets — has been subject to sustained welfare campaigns. Documented welfare failures include: heat stress mortality on ships, overcrowding, disease outbreaks, and inhumane handling at destination. Australia suspended its summer live sheep export to the Middle East in 2019 and phased out all live sheep export by 2025.
Validated sheep transport welfare indicators include: physiological (cortisol, packed cell volume, plasma protein), behavioral (time spent lying, posture quality, aggression), and health-based (respiratory disease incidence, mortality rate, injuries). The AWIN (Animal Welfare Indicators) project has developed species-specific measures for sheep transport assessment.
Dead-on-arrival rates above 0.2% in road transport indicate welfare problems requiring investigation. Post-transport disease incidence, weight loss exceeding 5%, and injury rates above 1% are welfare alert thresholds. Systematic record-keeping enables benchmarking and identification of transport operations requiring welfare intervention.
Slaughter at or near origin followed by chilled meat transport eliminates the primary welfare risks of live animal transport. Economic barriers include: market preferences for fresh slaughter, processing capacity at origin, and trade politics. Welfare organizations advocate for meat trade replacing live trade as a global policy objective.