Animal welfare
Version 2026-07-v1 · Last updated 04 August 2026
How the animals are treated matters to us, and it should matter to you. This page sets out the standard we hold ourselves and the partners we work with to, from the farmers whose animals we sell, through transport, to slaughter where you choose to add it.
The standard we hold ourselves to
We expect every animal handled in connection with a sale to be treated calmly, competently and without unnecessary stress or harm. That expectation runs through everything we arrange, and it is not set aside for convenience or cost. Where we engage a farmer, a transporter or a facility, that standard is part of what we vet them against before any work is routed to them.
Handling and transport
Animals are handled by people used to livestock, and are carried by transport suited to the species and the length of the journey, with proper regard for loading, ventilation, space and rest. We plan journeys so that animals reach you in good order, and we would rather delay a delivery than move animals in conditions we would not accept ourselves.
Slaughter, where you add it
Where you choose to add own-use slaughter, it takes place only at a registered, graded abattoir subject to statutory meat inspection, where humane handling and stunning are part of what the law requires and the inspection checks. We do not arrange, and the platform does not permit, on-farm slaughter of animals destined for meat.
The farmers whose animals we sell
Every farmer whose animals reach you through us is vetted before their animals are sold, and lawful ownership and honest, accurate information about each animal are conditions of selling with us. A farmer who falls short of the standards we set, in welfare or in honesty, does not continue to sell through The Cattle Exchange.
If you have a concern
If you ever have a concern about how an animal connected to your order has been treated, tell us on the contact page. We take welfare concerns seriously, we respond within one working day, and we act on what we find.