Temperature during livestock transport is a critical welfare determinant. Both heat stress and cold stress cause significant suffering in cattle, pigs, and sheep during journeys.
Livestock transport in extreme temperatures causes acute suffering. Pigs in hot weather with inadequate ventilation develop heat stroke with distress, collapse, and death. Pigs that die during transport represent the most severe welfare failure, but all animals exposed to heat stress during transport experience significant suffering before any mortality. Cold stress in lambs and young animals causes hypothermia and death. Temperature monitoring during transport is technically feasible but not universally required. Journey cancellations during extreme weather are rare despite the welfare case for them.