Fitness for Transport

Livestock are transported for a number of reasons and in most cases this is an unfamiliar and threatening event in an animal’s life, which can lead to distress, injury or even death if not properly planned and executed. Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 specifies that no animal shall be transported unless it is fit for the intended journey, especially if the animal is injured or presents a physiological weakness or a pathological process. Currently no agreed scientific definition of the concept of fitness for transport exists but a number of welfare consequences have been identified as being highly relevant to the welfare during transport. In this Thematic factsheet, the biological needs, legal requirements and focus areas for inspection are described.