Loading facilities and transport vehicle design have major impacts on cattle welfare during transport. Evidence-based design improvements reduce injury, fear, and stress.
Cattle transport welfare has been one of the most successfully improved areas in farm animal welfare science, largely because the principles of low-stress handling are practical, evidence-based, and economically beneficial. Cattle that load quietly are faster to handle, less injured, and less likely to arrive at destination with welfare problems. The investment in curved raceways, non-slip flooring, and stockperson training pays welfare and productivity dividends simultaneously. The remaining challenge is translating these advances from leading operations to the majority of smaller facilities.