Livestock auctions and markets subject animals to unfamiliar environments, handling, mixing with strangers, and transport — creating significant acute welfare stress.
Livestock markets are a welfare pressure point in the supply chain where multiple stressors combine. Animals arrive stressed from transport, encounter unfamiliar handlers and strange conspecifics, and may wait for many hours before sale and further transport. Best practice involves minimising lairage time, providing feed and water, using low-stress handling techniques, and separating unfamiliar groups. The alternative — direct farm-to-processor sales without market intermediaries — eliminates this stress entirely for animals involved. Welfare at markets is improving with regulatory attention but significant variation remains between facilities.