Heat stress during livestock transport is a major welfare concern, causing suffering and death in cattle, pigs, and poultry. Improving transport standards for hot conditions can dramatically reduce this avoidable harm.
Heat stress during transport causes acute suffering and death that is largely preventable. Pigs are physiologically vulnerable to heat, and poorly ventilated trucks in hot weather create conditions that cause distress within minutes. The combination of exercise (loading), crowding, unfamiliar smells, and temperature creates compounding stressors. Long-distance live export in summer months creates extreme welfare risks that have been well-documented in footage and mortality data. Regulations exist in many jurisdictions but enforcement is inconsistent. Journey time limits, mandatory rest periods with water access, and temperature-based transport bans all reduce welfare harms.