Millions of pigs are transported to slaughter annually under conditions that cause significant stress, injury, and death, yet transport welfare regulations remain weak in many countries.
Pig transport involves a cascade of stressors including unfamiliar environments, social disruption, vibration, temperature extremes, and food and water deprivation. Pigs that are already compromised by lameness or illness suffer additionally during transit. The 28-hour rule in the US is widely criticized as inadequate compared to the EU's stricter standards. Transport mortality, though economically costly to producers, is often treated as an acceptable loss rather than a welfare indicator demanding systemic change.