Transport is one of the most stressful events in a farm animal's life, involving noise, motion, temperature extremes, crowding, and social disruption that cause significant suffering.
Transport welfare is a critical gap in farm animal protection. Animals that have spent their entire lives in one environment are suddenly subjected to loading, motion, noise, temperature extremes, and unfamiliar animals — often for many hours. Each stage — loading, transport, unloading, lairage, and slaughter — introduces new welfare challenges. The most effective reform is reducing journey times and investing in local slaughter capacity. Consumer preference for locally produced meat and political advocacy for shorter journey limits can drive both of these changes.