How long-distance livestock transport causes welfare harm and what regulatory and practical changes can reduce suffering for transported animals.
Long-distance livestock transport remains one of the most significant unresolved welfare issues in European and global animal agriculture. The combination of stressors — prolonged confinement, social disruption, unpredictable motion, noise, temperature extremes, and deprivation — causes measurable physiological and behavioural harm that accumulates with journey time. Regulatory journey time limits that currently allow many hours of transport without adequate provision do not adequately protect animal welfare. The trade-based justification for long journeys — that live animals must travel rather than chilled carcasses — is increasingly challenged by the cold chain infrastructure that already transports high-value food products globally.