The journey from farm to slaughter involves multiple welfare risk points for cattle, and good management throughout this journey requires attention at every stage.
Cattle transported in poorly designed vehicles, handled roughly during loading, mixed with unfamiliar animals, and kept in poor lairage conditions experience cumulative welfare harm before slaughter. Each element of the transport journey contributes to or mitigates the overall welfare cost. Good transport welfare requires attention from farm handling facilities through vehicle design, journey management, and lairage conditions. Local slaughter reduces transport distance and associated welfare risks.