Long-distance cattle transport causes significant welfare problems related to stress, injury, dehydration, and exhaustion, and reducing transport duration is one of the most impactful welfare interventions.
Cattle transport is a major and underappreciated welfare issue. Cattle are prey animals with strong fear responses to novel environments, unfamiliar animals, handling, and noise. Transport combines all of these stressors with physical demands on the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. Long-haul export by sea represents the most extreme end of transport welfare failure, with animals confined for days in crowded, stressful conditions. The most effective intervention is slaughter near the point of origin, replacing live animal export with carcass and chilled meat trade.