Welfare science and regulation of livestock transport across international borders, examining journey duration limits, conditions standards, loading density requirements, and enforcement gaps.
International livestock transport represents one of the most serious and preventable animal welfare problems in the global food system. When animals are transported alive across continents for economic rather than welfare reasons, the result is often journeys of extreme duration under suboptimal conditions that cause measurable suffering. The welfare science is unambiguous: long journeys cause stress, injury, disease transmission, and mortality at rates far exceeding what would be acceptable in any domestic context. The policy solution is straightforward — transitioning from live animal trade to slaughter closer to origin with trade in meat rather than live animals. Political resistance from receiving country abattoir operators has slowed this transition, making consumer pressure and regulatory reform essential.