How journey distance and duration affects cattle welfare during commercial transport.
The welfare case for reducing cattle transport duration is strong and evidence-based. Stress, injury, dehydration, and disease risk all increase with journey length, and the current regulatory maximum journey times in many jurisdictions substantially exceed what can be considered welfare-compatible for sensitive animals like cattle. The most impactful welfare intervention is reducing journey length through local slaughter infrastructure development, which removes animals from long-distance transport chains entirely. Where transport is unavoidable, monitoring technology, appropriate feed and water access, and minimum density standards can mitigate but not eliminate the welfare burden of long journeys.