Live sheep transport by sea — particularly long-distance voyages from Australia and New Zealand to the Middle East — has been associated with catastrophic mortality events and severe welfare conditions that have prompted regulatory reform.
Long-distance live sheep transport by sea represents one of the most severe systemic welfare failures in commercial animal agriculture. Sheep spend weeks in densely crowded, poorly ventilated, thermally extreme conditions with limited access to appropriate feed and water. The mortality events that have periodically emerged into public view — sometimes involving thousands of animals dying from heat stroke or respiratory disease — represent visible manifestations of chronic suffering that affects every animal on every voyage. The inability to adequately inspect or treat sick animals at sea means that welfare problems escalate unchecked. The decision by Australia and New Zealand to restrict or end these exports reflects a recognition that the welfare problems are inherent to the practice, not fixable through improved management alone.