The welfare of cattle during transport begins before loading. Preparation — including handling training, pre-transport health checks and appropriate fasting — significantly affects outcomes.
Cattle that have never been handled calmly through races and loading facilities experience acute fear and struggle during loading — causing injury to themselves and handlers. Pre-transport preparation through low-stress handling training produces animals that load calmly and travel with lower cortisol. The welfare benefits of preparation are measurable in animal behaviour during loading and physiological stress indicators during transport.