Transportation is one of the highest-risk periods for cattle welfare. Understanding the science of transport stress enables better regulations, management and monitoring.
Transport represents a welfare challenge across the livestock sector because it combines multiple stressors simultaneously: unfamiliar environment, motion, social mixing, noise, temperature changes and feed and water disruption. Cattle are particularly vulnerable because their large body mass makes thermoregulation during transport difficult. Research on cattle transport welfare has refined understanding of optimal space allowances, journey duration limits and rest period requirements. Implementation and enforcement of existing welfare standards during transport is often inadequate, with loading inspections catching a fraction of violations. GPS tracking technology now enables real-time monitoring of journey duration and could enable more effective enforcement. The most welfare-positive approach minimises transport through local abattoir networks and short supply chains.