Transport is a major welfare challenge for cattle. Advances in vehicle design, journey management, and driver training are improving outcomes.
Cattle in poorly managed transport experience dehydration, exhaustion, fighting injuries, and temperature stress. Journey fatigue accumulates over hours, with welfare deteriorating particularly after 8 hours without access to water. Mixing unfamiliar cattle causes dominance-related fighting that results in injuries throughout the journey. Lorry driver training in low-stress handling techniques has measurable positive effects on cattle welfare outcomes. Economic pressure to minimize journey costs drives many of the practices that compromise welfare. Journey time regulations exist in some jurisdictions but enforcement and compliance monitoring remain inconsistent.