Transport is one of the most stressful experiences in a farmed pig's life, causing injury, illness, and psychological distress.
The transport experience involves multiple stressors simultaneously: novel environments, loss of group familiarity, temperature extremes, food and water deprivation, noise, vibration, and handling by strangers. Research shows that even well-managed transport causes measurable immune suppression and psychological distress. Shorter journey times, improved vehicle design, and careful loading and unloading significantly reduce but do not eliminate transport suffering.