The long-distance export of live livestock has been one of the most contested animal welfare issues in UK and EU policy, with major reforms under consideration following Brexit.
Long-distance live animal transport causes cumulative welfare harm including dehydration, exhaustion, injury, and disease transmission. Animals confined in transport vehicles for 40+ hours experience physiological stress that compounds with each hour of travel. Rest stops may provide inadequate space, food, and water. Non-EU export routes are particularly concerning as animals enter jurisdictions with little welfare enforcement. The welfare argument for replacing live export with chilled carcass trade is strong - the equivalent economic value can be transferred without the welfare cost. Political resistance has historically come from livestock exporting countries who value the live trade for cultural or economic reasons.