The transport of livestock is a major source of welfare harm, affecting hundreds of millions of animals annually with stress, injury, exhaustion, and death in transit.
Livestock transport welfare is a systemic problem embedded in the structure of global food systems. Animals are transported long distances because slaughterhouse consolidation has reduced local options, because live animal trade commands premium prices in some markets, and because regulatory costs are borne by industry while welfare costs are borne by animals. Reducing transport welfare harm requires a combination of approaches: shorter journey time limits with genuine enforcement, investment in local slaughter capacity, incentives for producers to use closer facilities, and — for long-distance live export — a transition to chilled meat trade. None of these changes are technically difficult; they are politically and economically difficult, which is why welfare organisations focus significant effort on this issue.