Have you been entrusted to handle the transportation of livestock? Unsure how to properly move them in a safe, humane, and controlled manner? If so, you’re in the right place.
Handling livestock properly shouldn’t be considered an afterthought. It’s legally mandatory for livestock handlers to comply with local regulations and uphold proper practices when transporting live animals.
This not only ensures the successful transport of the animal but also helps avoid any complications that may arise during the transport. From transport injuries to unaddressed stress, a lot of things can go wrong when transporting livestock to the market.
And when too many things go wrong, you could end up losing out on some substantial monetary returns as your animals are unable to get sold.
To minimise these pre-sale complications, this guide will cover a few essential strategies to properly and efficiently transport animals for everyone’s benefit. Let’s jump straight into it!
Obtain Necessary Documentation
There are legal certificates and documentation that you and your business need to possess before you can legally carry out the transport of live animals.
In Australia, for instance, animal welfare standards and guidelines have been developed (under the term Land Transport Standards) by the coordinated effort of the local government and livestock industries to ensure the safety of livestock and other species.
These provisions cover most major commercial livestock species, including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and poultry. They also cover vehicles traversing through road and rail. If you’re planning to export livestock overseas, there are additional requirements by the Australian Standards that you have to fulfil to carry it out
All people involved in the transport process have obligations that must adhere to their respective codes of conduct. Breaching or infringing on these standards can lead to court penalties and fines for the involved persons and the company they’re representing.
Abiding by these rules not only keeps your company’s record clean, but it also ensures the safety of the animals. This is because the rules have been set up to ensure that the livestock is properly managed throughout all stages of the transport so ensure that you stick with these laws accordingly.
Ensure the Vehicle’s Operability and Security
Before you transport livestock, it’s essential to assess your vehicle and decide whether it’s secure and strong enough to handle the long road ahead. Firstly, follow a vehicle checklist and inspect and test the various functions of the vehicle such as the brake, gas, tyres, and lights.
Once you’re done with the initial inspection of the vehicle, you can then look into the secureness of the livestock’s main carriage.
Check whether there are sharp edges, loose components, or rusty nails that can injure and infect the animal during transit. It’s highly likely that the livestock will bump into each other during transit so refrain from crowding the space to fullness.
Ensure that predators can’t easily snag and reach your livestock as well, especially if you plan to drive through rural areas and make pit stops there.
If the vehicle has any signs of damage or has a risk hazard in any way, then either postpone the transport or replace the vehicle with an operational one.
One mishap during transit (such as a loose fence) can decrease the value of the hauled livestock quite drastically, so be sure to ensure that everything is in working order before you set out on your transport run.
Ensure Proper Ventilation and Temperature
Another essential consideration to make during transit is the vehicle’s ventilation. Unlike material cargo, livestock have special needs to be taken into consideration for a safe and smooth transit. Failing to uphold these considerations can adversely affect their safety and health, reducing the quality and saleability of the transported livestock.
One of the most important factors to consider is the holding space’s ventilation. Poor ventilation can be a major source of stress for the animal. This can be further compounded if the holding space is overly crowded and humid, which can cause heat-related health issues and respiratory problems.
One way to improve air circulation is by designing holding spaces with large enough openings to allow for proper air circulation. If you’re driving a livestock trailer, for instance, then instaling adjustable side vents and round-bar cages or using trucks that already have these features can help simulate airflow while keeping the animals protected.
If the weather is extremely hot or cold, insulate the vehicle beforehand. Provide thick bedding like straw to keep the animals warm inside. Furthermore, you may have to limit transport time or keep it at certain times of the day to maximise the animal’s comfort.
By keeping the animal holding area well-ventilated and comfortable, you’re helping assure the safety of the livestock. This can make transporting them more comfortable and smooth for everyone involved.
Don’t Lump All Types of Livestock Together
When transporting livestock, you should pay careful consideration to the way you segregate your animals.
Grouping all your animals in one tight space can lead to potential injuries and fatalities. This is because drastic size differences and temperaments may lead to some animals accidentally harming one another in this confined space.
It may also lead to increased stress and tension for smaller, younger, and sickly animals, which can increase the risk of injury. All it takes is one rogue and rowdy animal to cause chaos in the holding pen.
To mitigate the risk of fatalities, create distinct compartments or divisions when transporting your livestock. You can also consider transporting one batch of a distinct creature or age group at a time.
If you opt for the former strategy, you can use adjustable partitions to separate two different categories of animals. If you have a multi-level holding pen, you can put one classification above and another below. If a few animals have an aggressive temperament, consider caging them so they won’t disturb or harm the rest of the animals.
That said, there’s nothing wrong with transporting multiple different species, just be sure to contain them the right way. If you’re in the market for new livestock for your barn, search for cattle for sale with AuctionsPlus.
By separating the animal holding pens, there will be a smaller chance for potential tension among different animal species. This can make the transportation of these livestock smoother and accident-free.
Prepare Animals for Transport
Ensure animals are healthy before bringing them for transport. A sick animal not only has a smaller chance of completing the journey, but it can also endanger the entire horde if it has a viral illness.
Inspect the health of the livestock you intend to transport days before the journey. Look into their eating patterns and behaviours; if there are signs of weakness, lethargy, or any unusual behaviour, label these animals and consider putting them under quarantine for further assessments.
Limit a sick animal’s exposure to the horde as much as possible. For every other healthy animal, be gentle when loading and handling them. Don’t be overly aggressive as they can act out and make it harder for you to contain them. They may even potentially injure themselves or frighten the rest of the horde.
Before you load them, ensure that these animals are vaccinated, tagged, and acclimated to the outside temperatures. Avoid feeding them 12-24 hours before the journey so that they won’t get sick during transport, but ensure that they’re hydrated.
By monitoring your horde’s health, you can increase the odds of successful transportation. Don’t try to load sickly animals as they can devastate the health of your entire horde, thus reducing the value and profitability of the batch.
Clean and Disinfect Vehicle Thoroughly
It’s no secret that livestock can produce a mess, especially if they’re in the holding pen for more than a day or two.
It’s the responsibility of animal handlers to thoroughly sanitise and disinfect the transport vehicles to curb the spread of bacterial infections, diseases, and other undesirable health consequences.
Cleanup doesn’t only entail removing organic matter like manure and bedding. It also means washing surfaces clean and leaving no room for bacteria to grow and propagate.
Once you’re done with an initial wipedown, you should apply a livestock disinfectant to ensure that the vehicle is completely devoid of bacteria and harmful organic matter. By doing this, you’ll greatly reduce the transmission of animal diseases and keep the future batch of livestock safe and healthy.
We hope this article will help you in safely transporting your livestock. All the best!
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