Meat must be sourced from animals that have been transported for no longer than eight hours to slaughter. The transport time is how long it takes for a shipment to arrive from the point of departure to its destination, including loading and unloading.
If the transport time to the nearest slaughterhouse exceeds eight hours, the transport time may on isolated occasions be extended by a maximum of three hours if the vehicle meets at least the following conditions for long-distance transportation:
- It must be possible to access the animals for inspection.
- It must be possible to give the animals water on the transport.
- There must be satisfactory ventilation and temperature-regulation systems that can be adjusted according to the internal and external temperatures.
- There must be dividers for creating separate sections adapted to the needs of the animals.
- There must be sufficient litter to keep the animals comfortable.
