Risks Behind the Wheels 

Every year, billions of cows, pigs, chickens, and other animals are loaded onto trucks, ships, and planes and sent across countries - and sometimes whole continents - for breeding, fattening, or slaughter. For many of them, these journeys stretch on for hours or even days. During that time, these animals can face overcrowded conditions, extreme heat or cold, long periods without enough food or water, and the stress of being forced into close contact with unfamiliar animals.

It’s no surprise that these gruelling journeys take a toll. Just like us, animals become more vulnerable to illness when they’re stressed or exhausted. Their bodies struggle to fight off disease, and when they’re packed tightly together, often in less‑than‑clean environments, any sickness can spread with frightening speed.

One well-known example of this is “shipping fever,” a respiratory disease that often strikes calves during or soon after transport. Without prompt treatment, it can lead to pneumonia, lasting lung damage, and in the worst cases, death.

In recent years, experts have raised growing concerns about what happens to antimicrobial‑resistant bacteria (those that no longer respond to antibiotics) when animals are transported. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) highlighted this in 2022, warning that long journeys don’t just affect animals’ welfare; they can also help dangerous bacteria spread.¹

When animals are stressed, crowded together, or moved from place to place, resistant bacteria can easily pass between them through manure, urine, or even tiny water droplets from breathing and coughing. If the vehicles, crates, or loading areas aren’t properly cleaned and disinfected between trips, they can carry these bacteria from one group of animals to the next, spreading them from farm to farm or into slaughterhouses.

EFSA’s experts pointed to several key reasons why transport can make the problem worse, including:

• Animals already carrying resistant bacteria before the journey begins
• Dirty or poorly maintained transport vehicles and equipment
• Animals from different farms being mixed together
• Stress causing animals to shed more bacteria than usual
• Long journeys or repeated stopovers, which give bacteria even more opportunities to spread

And this isn’t just about animal health. Some of these resistant bacteria can reach humans too: through direct contact, through the environment, or along the food chain. 

That means the way animals are transported doesn’t only affect their wellbeing - it also has real consequences for public health.

Every time animals are moved through control posts or assembly centres, they’re brought into close contact with others from different farms and sometimes even different countries. These places can quickly become hotspots for infection, especially when already‑sick or carrier animals are involved and are repeatedly loaded and unloaded.

Germs don’t stay neatly contained. They can cling to floors, walls, and equipment, stick to the clothing of humans involved in the transport chain, or even hitch rides on insects or rodents caught travelling with the animals. If just one infected animal enters the system, it can easily pass its disease to others during the journey. And once those animals reach a new farm or region - particularly areas where animals are kept close together - a single case can trigger a fast‑moving outbreak.

We’ve seen this happen before. In 2001, calves carrying Foot and Mouth Disease were transported from Ireland to the Netherlands. That single journey sparked a nationwide crisis. The outbreak led to the heartbreaking culling of more than one percent of all farm animals in the Netherlands and caused an estimated €1.27 billion in economic damage.

Reducing disease transmission during live animal transport is not only about improving animal health and welfare. As emphasised by EFSA, it is also central to the "One Health" approach: the recognition of the interconnection between animals, humans, and the environment.² Preventing the emergence and spread of animal diseases is one of the most effective strategies for protecting global public health.

When infectious diseases like African Swine Fever, Classical Swine Fever, or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza strike, the impact goes far beyond the heartbreaking loss of animal lives. Entire farming communities can be thrown into crisis. Countries facing outbreaks often lose their “disease‑free” status under international animal health guidelines, which means global markets quickly shut their doors to their animals and animal products. For farmers and local economies, this can be devastating.

When illnesses that can jump from animals to humans (such as Q‑fever or certain strains of avian flu) spill over into the wider population, the consequences for public health systems can be enormous. Outbreaks put pressure on hospitals, disrupt daily life, and come with significant financial costs.

While strong monitoring systems, quick communication between authorities, and rapid response plans are all vital for stopping animal diseases in their tracks, there’s another crucial piece of the puzzle: reducing how far and how long animals spend being transported. Fewer long‑distance and cross‑border journeys mean fewer opportunities for diseases to spread - and fewer economic, social, and public health consequences when they do.

That’s why, as the EU reviews its rules on how animals are treated during transport, we're urging lawmakers to set strict, science‑based limits on journey times. These limits would help protect animals’ wellbeing and reduce the risks that come with lengthy travel.

We're calling for maximum journey times of:

• Eight hours for cattle, pigs, and sheep - including those moved for breeding or fattening
• Four hours for poultry, rabbits, and animals at the end of their production lives
• Six hours for animals transported in containers, no matter what type of transport is used

These times should be counted from the moment the first animal steps onto the vehicle until the last one is unloaded, across all transport modes, including by sea.

And there’s another powerful step the EU can take: shifting away from transporting live animals for slaughter and moving meat or carcasses instead. This simple change would dramatically reduce disease risks and spare countless animals from long, stressful journeys.

Transporting live animals doesn’t just raise serious welfare concerns, it also creates risks that ripple far beyond the farm. Long, stressful journeys weaken animals’ immune systems, making it easier for diseases to spread. When hygiene standards aren’t properly enforced, or when transport rules are ignored, those risks multiply, putting animals, people, and even the global economy in harm’s way.

To truly reduce these dangers, we need stronger protections. Setting strict, species‑specific limits on how long animals can be transported would make a huge difference, helping to prevent suffering and cutting down the chances of disease outbreaks.

But the biggest shift - and the one with the most potential to protect everyone - is moving away from transporting live animals altogether. By transporting meat and carcasses instead, we can dramatically lower the risk of pathogens spreading across borders. This approach fits squarely within the “One Health” vision, which recognises that the wellbeing of animals, humans, and the environment is deeply interconnected.

Prioritising these changes is essential if we want a safer, more sustainable food system. These animals don’t have a choice about getting on the road, but we can choose to speak up for them. By pushing for kinder, more responsible transport standards, we can help safeguard global health as well as sparing those animals from needless suffering.