Live export of sheep and cattle involves some of the most severe and sustained welfare harms in modern animal agriculture. The trade is under growing pressure for reform or abolition in exporting countries.
Live export represents an extreme concentration of welfare harms: prolonged voyages in crowded, hot, disease-prone conditions, followed by arrival in jurisdictions with weaker welfare protections. The suffering is documented, quantified, and widely acknowledged — yet has persisted for decades driven by trade and economic interests. The welfare case for ending live export and substituting chilled meat trade is compelling and has been endorsed by major veterinary and animal welfare bodies.