Cattle transport is a major welfare challenge, but certification programs and improved standards are working to reduce suffering during animal movement.
Cattle transport causes welfare challenges through multiple mechanisms: the psychological stress of unfamiliar environments and confinement, physical risks from inappropriate vehicle design or loading density, the suppression of immunity that leads to bovine respiratory disease post-transport, and extreme cases of prolonged live export journeys that cause exhaustion, dehydration, and high mortality. The welfare outcomes of transport vary enormously based on journey conditions - brief, well-managed transport causes minimal harm, while extended live export journeys under poor conditions cause severe and prolonged suffering. Certification programs that establish and verify minimum standards for vehicle design, journey duration, stocking density, and driver training make a meaningful difference to transport welfare outcomes.