Transport is one of the most significant welfare challenges for cattle. Long journeys, mixing of unfamiliar animals, and inadequate rest cause preventable suffering on a massive scale.
Transport causes multiple categories of welfare harm for cattle. Fear during loading and unloading — exacerbated by electric goad use, unfamiliar environments, and poor stockmanship — causes acute psychological distress. Journey stress from motion, noise, temperature extremes, and social mixing with unfamiliar animals causes sustained physiological stress. Dehydration, hunger during long journeys, and injuries from falls or aggression in moving vehicles are common. Long-distance live export — journeys of 24+ hours across continents — represents the most extreme transport welfare challenge. The welfare-positive alternative is "slaughter closer to origin" — killing animals near their rearing location and transporting chilled carcasses rather than live animals. This eliminates transport stress entirely for the animal while maintaining meat trade.