The transport of pigs to slaughter is a high-welfare-risk phase that concentrates multiple stressors including loading, novel environments, mixing and temperature extremes.
Pig transport to slaughter concentrates the welfare harms of the pig production system into a final intense period. The cumulative stress of unfamiliar handling, loading, vehicle motion, mixing with unknown animals and temperature extremes occurs in a compressed timeframe with no opportunity for recovery before slaughter. Minimising journey times, avoiding mixing, maintaining appropriate temperatures and using low-stress loading techniques each address specific components of this welfare challenge. The ideal welfare outcome — slaughter close to the farm of origin — eliminates most of these stressors entirely.