Livestock Transport Welfare Standards

Transport is one of the highest-risk welfare events for livestock, requiring careful management of loading, journey conditions, and unloading.

Key Facts

EU regulations limit journey times for livestock but enforcement is inconsistent across member states
Long-distance transport causes dehydration, exhaustion, injury, and extreme stress
Pre-transport food and water withdrawal, commonly practiced, increases transport stress
Slaughter near origin where possible is the single most effective transport welfare improvement

Welfare Considerations

Livestock transport imposes multiple simultaneous welfare challenges: the physical stress of loading and unloading, motion sickness, noise, unfamiliar animals, temperature extremes, and prolonged denial of food, water, and rest. Long-distance transport for slaughter or further fattening represents the most significant welfare concern, with journeys of 8-72 hours documented across Europe. Animals that arrive at slaughter fatigued, injured, or severely stressed have poor welfare in their final hours. Campaigns for shorter journeys, improved vehicle standards, and preferential slaughter near origin address these welfare concerns most effectively.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for maximum 8-hour journey limits for livestock transport to slaughter
Choose local or national products where slaughter near origin is more likely
Advocate for mandatory journey logging and independent monitoring of livestock transport
Support investments in mobile slaughter units and local abattoir infrastructure