Why We Must End Livestock Transport in Europe

Millions of live farm animals from around the world are transported thousands of miles for slaughter, or to places where they will be fattened up for slaughter. This happens every year and is a worldwide phenomenon, especially in North and South America, Australia and Europe.

Long distance transport causes unimaginable suffering to livestock, including overcrowding, exhaustion, pain and stress. This suffering can often lead to animal’s developing diseases and in some cases, causes death.

Compassion in World Farming (CiWF) are seeking a change and are calling for the end of long distance live transport.

Changes to the livestock transport process

CiWF are calling for animals to be fattened and slaughtered as close as possible to their place of birth, and live transport of animal for slaughter to be replaced by trade in meat.

Technology can now provide us with efficient refrigerated transport that allows more produce to be shipped under safer conditions. The various cuts of meat from a slaughter house, whether it be cattle, pigs, calves, sheep or lambs, the boned chilled portioned meat is vacuum packed for storage and transport.

How to store chilled meat during transportation

Sending meat via a chilled transportation vehicle ensures the meat will not spoil and that it will have a longer shelf life. Stored chilled meat should be stored between -0.75 and -1.25°C will ensure a storage life of 1 -2 weeks.

The maximum temperature chilled meat should be stored at is between 0 – 2°C, giving the meat an 8-10 days shelf life.

CiWF pledge

With Compassion in World Farming’s new pledge, and ever-evolving refrigerated transport technology, we can hopefully see the end of livestock transportation in Europe and across the world.