Transport is one of the highest-risk welfare events for cattle, combining multiple stressors that cause significant suffering and mortality.
Cattle transport welfare is affected by the compounding of multiple stressors in a single event. Social disruption from mixing unfamiliar animals causes aggression and fear. Unfamiliar motion and sounds in vehicles cause fear responses. Temperature extremes cause physiological stress. Loading and unloading injuries from falls or compression in crowded spaces cause acute pain. Reducing any of these stressors improves welfare, but the most transformative change is reducing journey duration. Short supply chains with abattoirs serving nearby catchments eliminate many transport welfare problems at their source.