Live animal transport is one of the most significant sources of farm animal suffering, with millions of animals moved long distances under stressful conditions annually. Reform efforts focus on reducing journey times and improving conditions.
Farm animal transport causes a cascade of welfare insults: social disruption, loading stress, vibration, temperature extremes, unfamiliar animals, feed and water deprivation, and the physiological stress of movement. These accumulate across journeys to cause significant suffering. The welfare case for reducing journey times is clear — research consistently shows welfare indicators worsen with transport duration. The strongest welfare intervention is replacing live animal transport with carcass or meat transport, which faces commercial resistance but eliminates transport-related suffering entirely. Where live transport continues, strict journey time limits, mandatory water access, temperature controls, and stocking density regulations make a measurable difference.