How the welfare of sheep during transport — one of the most stressful routine events in their lives — can be improved through better practice and regulation.
Transport welfare for sheep encompasses the entire journey from loading to destination, with multiple potential failure points. Sheep are prey animals with strong flocking instincts; separation, mixing with strangers, and exposure to novel sounds, smells, and movements cause acute stress. The physiology of transport stress — elevated cortisol, immune suppression, dehydration — has measurable consequences for health and welfare. Long-distance live export raises the most serious welfare concerns, with sheep experiencing prolonged confinement, heat stress, and disease during sea voyages. Even domestic journeys cause significant welfare compromise when facilities are poor or handling is rough. Welfare improvements require investment in low-stress handling facilities, stockperson training, and genuinely enforced journey time limits.