The transport of live animals is one of the most significant welfare challenges in agricultural systems. Long journeys cause exhaustion, injury, dehydration, and thermal stress to millions of animals annually.
Livestock transport causes welfare harm through multiple mechanisms: noise, vibration, unfamiliar environments, social disruption, temperature extremes, overcrowding, food and water deprivation, and injury. The cumulative stress of long journeys can be severe. While EU regulations set maximum journey times and minimum space allowances, these are frequently violated and the standards themselves may be insufficient. The most impactful reform would be a shift from live animal trade to trade in meat and carcasses, which achieves the same economic outcomes without the welfare costs of transport.