Pig Transportation Mortality and Welfare Standards

Dead-on-arrival (DOA) and transport-related mortality in pigs is a measurable welfare outcome that reflects the overall quality of pre-loading selection, loading, transport conditions, and journey management.

Key Facts

UK pig transport DOA rates are tracked as a welfare outcome indicator — industry target is below 0.1 percent
Pigs classified as non-ambulatory, sick, or stressed are higher risk during transport and should not be loaded
Loading and unloading are the highest-risk phases — rough handling, slipping, and sudden temperature changes occur most frequently
Stress-susceptible breeds (some modern commercial genotypes) have higher transport mortality risk from porcine stress syndrome
Vehicle temperature, ventilation, journey duration, and loading density all independently affect transport mortality
Fit-to-load decisions require veterinary input for borderline animals — non-ambulatory animals should never be transported

Welfare Considerations

Transport mortality represents the ultimate welfare failure — animals die from the cumulative stress of loading, journey conditions, and the novel environment of transport. For every dead-on-arrival pig, many more will have experienced severe stress, injury, or thermal discomfort during the journey. Pre-loading selection that ensures only fit animals are loaded, proper handling training for stockpeople, appropriate vehicle temperature management, and sufficient space allowances all reduce both mortality and the wider welfare harm experienced by surviving animals. Audit of transport welfare outcomes — including DOA rates, animal handling observations, and vehicle inspection — provides the data infrastructure needed to drive improvement.

What You Can Do

Support transport welfare monitoring systems that track and publicly report DOA rates at abattoirs as accountability mechanisms
Advocate for stockperson training requirements that include fit-to-load assessment and low-stress handling techniques
Choose pork from producers committed to welfare outcome monitoring including transport mortality rates
Support development of on-vehicle monitoring systems that track temperature and space allowance compliance in real time