Picture This: Welfare Challenges Beset Food Supply Chains

There is a lack of global regulations on animal welfare at sea as well as for vessels transporting them, with livestock carriers averaging 40 years in age, indicating heightened maintenance and insurance concerns. 

Crew welfare issues are also prevalent, with increased cases of crew abandonment and salary non-payment, reflecting inadequate oversight by flag states and operating companies.

The rejection of a shipment of cattle from Uruguay by Turkish port authorities highlights the animal rights challenges for food supply chains from long-haul, live-animal transit. The vessel suffered 50 adult cow deaths while only 50 of the 150 calves born during the transatlantic voyage were accounted for by Turkish authorities.

According to Market Intelligence data, Türkiye was the third-largest import market for bovine animals in 2025 up to September 2025, representing after Italy and the US. Türkiye has been growing its market share since 2021, when bovine imports until September that year made up 3%.

However, since April 2025, Turkish imports have been gradually decreasing, comparing April-June to the three months prior. Overall, bovine animals made up 43% of living animal imports by value this year up to September 2025, followed by swine, and poultry. For bovine animal trade, this represents a 3% increase of imports year over year, while imports of swine and poultry fell.

This article was published by S&P Global Market Intelligence and not by S&P Global Ratings, which is a separately managed division of S&P Global.