Sheep Welfare During Long Distance Transport

Long-distance sheep transport is associated with significant welfare harms including bruising, dehydration, and hyperthermia.

Key Facts

Sheep are transported long distances in the EU for fattening and slaughter, with journeys often exceeding 24 hours
EU welfare regulations limit journey duration to 14 hours for unweaned lambs and 28 hours for other sheep
Bruise rates in sheep arriving at slaughter after long transport average 5 to 10% per animal
Crowding during hot weather causes hyperthermia, which can be fatal during summer transport
Replacing live transport with chilled meat trade eliminates most transport welfare harms while maintaining trade value

Welfare Considerations

Sheep transported for days experience a cascade of welfare harms: crowding, temperature extremes, feed and water deprivation, and unfamiliar social groupings. These harms are not incidental — they are structurally embedded in the live sheep trade. Regulatory improvement and trade structure reform are both needed, with chilled meat trade offering the most comprehensive welfare solution.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns to replace EU live sheep export with chilled meat trade
Advocate for strong enforcement of existing EU transport welfare regulations
Choose lamb products from locally raised and locally slaughtered animals where information is available