Farmed Pig Transport Welfare: Loading, Duration, and Unloading

Transport is one of the most stressful experiences in the life of a farmed pig, and improving loading, transport duration, and unloading practices significantly reduces individual pig suffering.

Key Facts

Pigs typically experience transport to slaughter as their first and only journey off the farm
Loading into trucks exposes pigs to novel environments, sounds, and social mixing
Mixing unfamiliar pigs causes aggression, resulting in injuries and elevated cortisol
Temperature management during transport is critical to prevent hyperthermia and hypothermia
Lairage time at abattoirs before slaughter adds additional stress and welfare risk
Electric goads are commonly used in loading but cause significant pain and should be minimized

Welfare Considerations

Pig transport to slaughter concentrates multiple welfare stressors into a brief, unavoidable period. Social mixing with unfamiliar pigs triggers aggression. Novel environments and sounds cause fear. Physical exertion during loading raises body temperature. Transport conditions including vehicle design, duration, temperature, and space allowance all influence welfare outcomes. Best practice includes pre-transport feed withdrawal limited to the minimum necessary, transport in familiar social groups, appropriate temperature management, and trained handlers who minimize electric goad use. Slaughter close to the farm of origin eliminates long-distance transport welfare costs.

What You Can Do

Support slaughterhouse siting near production areas to minimize transport duration
Advocate for restrictions on electric goad use in pig loading and unloading
Choose pork from producers certified to minimum transport duration and welfare standards
Support welfare standards requiring transport in familiar social groups to minimize aggression