The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) said there had been “a very significant increase” in Farmed Animals arriving at UK abattoirs dead or suffering from heat stress in the 2026 summer.
The finding appears in a new FSA report published on 14th September 2026, offering some of the clearest official evidence so far of the welfare toll the summer heat took on animals entering the slaughter chain. Separate FSA papers raised heat-stress concerns involving Farmed Birds and pigs during transport to abattoirs, though the regulator has not published a numerical breakdown of how many individuals were affected.
Between May and August, the FSA activated its Extreme Weather Protocol during all eight amber or red heat alerts and has since strengthened reporting and intervention procedures alongside Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). The FSA enforces animal welfare requirements inside abattoirs, while enforcement on farms and during transport falls to other authorities, including APHA and local councils. Its presence at abattoirs means official veterinarians and other staff can identify animals arriving with welfare problems and raise concerns where necessary.
Following the summer’s incidents, the FSA said it had extended reporting during amber heat alerts, prioritised all heat-stress cases and strengthened guidance for official veterinarians. It is also seeking earlier intervention with transporters where concerns are identified and working to improve industry awareness of measures intended to reduce heat-related welfare risks.
High temperatures can raise welfare risks during transport, particularly where animals are confined for long periods, or ventilation is limited, with pigs and Farmed Birds said to be especially vulnerable to heat stress.
The regulator has not published enough data to establish how many animals died or suffered heat stress, which species accounted for most cases, or whether regions were disproportionately affected, but it has confirmed that extreme heat created measurable welfare concerns within the Farmed Animal supply chain.
