Long-distance transport of cattle within and between countries causes significant welfare problems. Understanding the evidence helps advocate for meaningful transport reforms.
Long-distance cattle transport imposes a predictable welfare burden: fatigue from sustained standing and bracing against vehicle movement, social disruption from mixing unfamiliar animals, dehydration when water supply is inadequate, and the cumulative stress of noise, vibration and temperature variation. These harms increase with journey duration. The policy solution - limiting journey time and replacing live transport with chilled meat trade where possible - is technically and economically straightforward. The barrier is political and commercial. Consumer and advocacy pressure for shorter journeys and live export replacement has driven real policy progress but much more remains to be achieved.