Transport is one of the most welfare-challenging events in a commercial pig's life. The combination of mixing with unfamiliar pigs, loss of familiar environment, novel stimuli, and physical handling creates cumulative stress that peaks during transit and lairage.
Mixing unfamiliar pigs for transport is a major welfare problem — mixing causes immediate aggression as pigs establish new hierarchies. Best practice: transport pigs in their original pen groups wherever possible. When mixing is unavoidable, mixing should occur several hours before loading to allow initial hierarchy establishment in a familiar environment, or transport should begin immediately after mixing with early arrival at destination. Anti-pheromone sprays reduce but do not eliminate mixing aggression.
Feed withdrawal before transport is standard practice (typically 12 hours) to reduce vomiting and gastric ulceration risk during transit and improve meat quality. Welfare implications: hunger is aversive, and withdrawal beyond 24 hours causes significant welfare compromise. Water withdrawal should be minimised — dehydration during transport is a welfare concern particularly in warm weather.
Loading is a critical welfare moment. Pigs are naturally neophobic and will not willingly enter darkened lorries. Best loading conditions: calm stockpeople, solid loading ramps with non-slip surfaces, appropriate angles (maximum 20°), even lighting, and minimal use of driving aids. Boards are preferred over sticks; electric goads should be used only when essential and never on the head, genitals, or facial area. The five-point freedoms principle applies to loading — preventing injury, fear, and pain during this procedure significantly reduces both welfare costs and transport losses.
EU Regulation 1/2005 sets maximum journey times for pigs: 8 hours for standard journeys; up to 24 hours for long journeys in approved vehicles with water, bedding, and additional space. UK legislation following Brexit mirrors these provisions. Key journey welfare parameters: temperature management (pigs are susceptible to heat stress above 20–25°C; hypothermia in piglets below 15°C), ventilation (adequate air exchange without draught), stocking density (overcrowding increases heat stress, fighting, and injury), and journey duration (prolonged transport increases cortisol, immune suppression, and meat quality issues).
Lairage — holding at the abattoir before slaughter — presents further welfare challenges: unfamiliar environment, novel sounds and smells, and further mixing opportunities. Lairage time should be minimised; research indicates that pigs slaughtered within 2 hours of arrival have better welfare outcomes than those held for extended periods. Feeding in lairage is not standard practice for short holds. Water provision in lairage is important for welfare and meat quality.
Transport-related deaths (dead on arrival and downers) are measurable welfare indicators and Key Performance Indicators for transport operators. DOA rates above 0.1% indicate welfare problems in the transport chain requiring investigation. Deaths from cardiac stress (porcine stress syndrome), fighting, crushing, and heat stroke can all be reduced through improved pre-transport preparation, handling, and journey management.
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