Animals experience significant physiological stress during transport and require appropriate recovery conditions including rest, water, and feed to restore normal welfare before further handling.
Post-transport recovery welfare addresses the period after animals arrive at their destination — lairage at slaughterhouses, receiving facilities at new farms, or auction yards. Immediate handling of animals fresh from transport before recovery compounds stress and welfare harm. Provision of clean water is the highest priority, as dehydration during transport causes significant discomfort. Rest in appropriate conditions — correct temperature, adequate space, compatible social groups — enables physiological recovery. The welfare and meat quality benefits of pre-slaughter rest are well-documented, providing an economic as well as welfare case for adequate recovery facilities.