Document type: scientific review published in Journal of Animal Science
Authors: Lily Edwards-Callaway, Davida Rimm-Kaufman, Huey Yi Loh
Abstract in French (translation): A systematic review of studies on cattle welfare during road transport (2015–2025)
This systematic review, conducted in the form of a mapping exercise, aimed to characterize research trends, synthesize existing data, and highlight knowledge gaps in studies evaluating the impact of road transport-related factors on cattle welfare. Four databases (Agricola, CAB Abstracts, Medline, Web of Science) were searched, and 125 peer-reviewed studies were included in the final analysis following a rigorous selection process. Data were extracted and synthesized using software designed for systematic reviews, then visualized using data gap maps. The review revealed that studies had been conducted in all regions of the world, although Africa and Oceania were underrepresented (n = 8, or 6.4%, and n = 6, or 4.8%, respectively). Transport duration or distance was the most frequently studied transport factor in the literature, being considered in 46.4% (n = 58) of the studies. Other factors commonly associated with transport stress, such as the external environment during transport and loading density in the trailer, were underrepresented in the data (n = 15, or 12.0%, and n = 16, or 12.8%, respectively). The studies covered a wide range of cattle types, including various production stages (calves vs. adults), sex categories (steers vs. bulls vs. cows), and breed types (dairy vs. beef). The research examined several types of outcomes, with physiological parameters measured in more than half of the studies (n = 70, 56.0%). The characterization of transport research across different regions highlights global differences in cattle production systems, infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks. This systematic mapping serves as a valuable resource for researchers and stakeholders; it identifies key areas for future research and contributes to efforts to identify best practices in transport management to improve cattle welfare.
Preview: This systematic mapping review aimed to characterize research trends, aggregate existing evidence, and highlight knowledge gaps in studies evaluating the impact of road transportation-related factors on cattle welfare outcomes. Four databases (Agricola, CAB Abstracts, Medline, Web of Science) were searched, and 125 peer-reviewed studies were included in the final analysis after a rigorous screening process. Data were extracted and synthesized using systematic review software and visualized using evidence gap maps. The review revealed studies were conducted across all regions of the globe, although Africa and Oceania had minimal representation (n = 8, 6.4% and n = 6, 4.8%, respectively). Transport duration or distance was the most studied transportation factor across the literature, included in 46.4% (n = 58) of the studies. Other factors commonly associated with transport stress, such as the external environment during transportation and the trailer stocking density, were minimally represented in the data (n = 15, 12.0% and n = 16, 12.8%, respectively). Studies included a wide range of cattle types, including a variety of stages of production (calf vs adult), sex classes (steer vs bull vs cow), and breed types (dairy vs beef). Research included multiple types of outcomes with physiological parameters measured in over half of the studies (n = 70, 56.0%). The characterization of transportation research across regions highlights the global differences in cattle production systems, infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks. This systematic map provides a valuable resource for researchers and stakeholders, identifying key areas for future research, and contributing to efforts to identify best management practices for transportation to improve cattle welfare.
