Livestock Transport Welfare: Duration and Conditions

Transport is one of the most significant welfare challenges for farmed animals. Long journeys cause exhaustion, dehydration, injury, and fear in millions of animals annually.

Key Facts

The EU previously allowed livestock transport journeys of up to 29 hours without mandatory rest — reforms enacted in 2023 reduced maximum journey times
Cattle transported for over 8 hours show measurably elevated cortisol, bruising rates, and weight loss
Poultry mortality during transport averages 0.1-0.4% in conventional systems — representing millions of birds annually
Space allowances during transport often fall below minimum welfare requirements, causing animals to be unable to lie down
Temperature extremes during transport — particularly summer heat — are a major cause of mortality and heat stress
Animals transported to non-EU countries face journeys with no EU welfare enforcement once outside the border

Welfare Considerations

Transport welfare sits at the intersection of economic pressure (farm-to-slaughter logistics) and animal suffering, and improving it requires both regulatory standards and market pressure. Journey length reduction is the single most impactful lever — shorter journeys reduce every transport-related welfare indicator. The shift toward slaughtering animals close to the point of production (on-farm slaughter, mobile slaughter units) eliminates transport stress entirely for a proportion of animals and represents an important welfare-positive innovation. Consumer awareness of transport welfare drives demand for locally slaughtered products.

What You Can Do

Choose products slaughtered close to the point of production where labeled
Support campaigns for mandatory maximum journey time reductions in your jurisdiction
Advocate for on-farm and mobile slaughter expansion as alternatives to long-distance transport
Ask retailers about maximum journey time commitments for their livestock supply chains