Livestock markets and sale yards are high-risk welfare environments where animals experience transport stress, unfamiliar surroundings, and mixing with strangers.
Livestock markets concentrate multiple welfare stressors in a single environment. Animals arriving from different farms are mixed, triggering aggression among unfamiliar individuals at a moment of maximum stress. Inadequate lairage space, poor bedding, temperature extremes, and insufficient water compound the welfare burden. The journey to and from market adds additional stress, and animals may be held for extended periods before sale. Welfare improvements at markets — better lairage, pre-sale inspection, and elimination of markets for weak or injured animals — are achievable through regulatory and commercial pressure.