Document type: scientific review published in Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice
Authors: Lily Edwards-Callaway, Genaro C. Miranda de la Lama, Daniela M. Meléndez, Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein
Preview: Despite efforts to reduce stress via best management practices, protocols, and training, transportation is still one of the most stressful events in an animal's life. Livestock can be exposed to many different stressors during transportation such as handling events, social mixing, exposure to new facilities, and the trailer environment. Although it is evident through various training programs and animal care guidelines created and followed by industry stakeholders that ensuring livestock welfare during this time is a critical component of livestock production, it is often difficult to control all associated variables. Numerous studies have demonstrated that many transportation factors (eg, trailer density, driver experience, and transport duration) and logistic operations can impact livestock welfare. Given the high volume of livestock transported throughout their life, from farms to feedlots, auction markets, and slaughter plants, the magnitude of impact that transportation has is substantial. Considering shipment to slaughter alone, in 2024, 31.8 million head of cattle and 2.21 million head of sheep and lambs were slaughtered at federally-inspected facilities in the United States representing many transport events. While transportation presents significant challenges to livestock welfare, the potential for marked positive impact through improved practices is equally impactful. This article will provide a brief overview of a selection of critical areas of transportation that are important for veterinarians to consider when working to maintain and improve good animal welfare for ruminants. There are several more in-depth reviews available examining the impact of transportation on ruminant welfare.
