Farm Animal Transport to Slaughter

Transport to slaughter is the final welfare challenge for farm animals, with journey duration, vehicle conditions, and handling quality all significantly affecting welfare outcomes.

Key Facts

EU regulation limits most farm animal transport to 8 hours for most species
Long-distance transport of pigs, cattle, and sheep can involve journeys of 24+ hours with exemptions
Mixing of unfamiliar animals during transport increases aggression and injury
Temperature extremes during transport cause acute welfare problems including death
Loading and unloading are high-risk welfare moments requiring competent, calm handling

Welfare Considerations

Transport welfare encompasses every element of the journey from farm to slaughter. Each represents a welfare risk managed with varying effectiveness. The cumulative stress of transport includes motion sickness, social disruption, noise, temperature extremes, and the fear of novelty. Reducing transport duration is the single most effective welfare intervention available. Animal welfare organisations have long campaigned for maximum journey time limits of 8 hours for all species.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for maximum 8-hour journey time limits for farm animals
Choose meat from local supply chains with shorter transport distances
Advocate for welfare standards in trade agreements including journey time limits
Ask food retailers about the transport welfare standards in their supply chains