Transporting pigs for slaughter or breeding is a significant welfare challenge — pigs are sensitive to heat, social disruption, and handling, and mortality during transport is a measurable problem.
Pig transport exposes animals to multiple simultaneous stressors: novel environments, social disruption, vehicle motion, temperature extremes, and feed and water withdrawal. Stress-susceptible breeds may collapse and die. Injuries from mixing and falls are common. The welfare case for slaughter at or near the farm of origin is strong — it eliminates transport stress entirely. Where transport is unavoidable, good loading design, trained handlers, and short journeys are the most impactful improvements.