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Department of Primary Industries - Ag News

By Department of Primary Industries - 2nd November 2006 - Back to News

IS IT FIT TO LOAD?

By Dr David Champness, District Veterinary Officer, DPI, Hamilton

Producers today must ask themselves this important question before sending livestock to saleyards, abattoirs, or any other destination.

To assist the livestock producers in complying with welfare codes for transportation of stock, the MLA has published a national guide to the selection of animals fit to transport. This guide was developed in consultation with the livestock industry to help you decide if an animal is fit to be loaded for transport to saleyards, abattoirs, or any other destination.

Each state and territory has its own animal welfare Act and accompanying regulations that affect people who own or work with animals including farmers, livestock transporters, livestock exporters, saleyard personnel and processors.

An animal is fit to travel if it:

•  Is strong enough to undertake the journey.
• Can walk normally, bearing weight on all four legs.
• Is not suffering from any visible disease or injury that could cause it harm during transport.
• Can keep up with the mob both at loading and unloading.
• Is suitable to transport according to the relevant code.
• Is NOT in late pregnancy.

Good preparation of all livestock is essential to prevent suffering during transport.

Pre-transport preparation

Preparing stock for transport will help minimise stress before, during and after transit. It begins with good planning of the journey to use the most appropriate route, quiet handling, provision of feed, water and rest as required and selecting only stock that are fit to travel. The following checklist provides general information but relevant codes and Export Standards should always be referred to.

Before yarding:

• Ensure your stockyards and loading ramp are adequate for the job.
• Plan the journey, including inspections and rest stops.
• Ensure vehicles are safe and of a design that will not cause harm to livestock.
• Avoid weather extremes, where practicable.

At Yarding:

• Use low stress handling for mustering, yarding and loading.
• Ensure animals are adequately rested prior to loading.
• Provide or withhold food and water as required (see Codes or Export Standards).
• Segregate livestock appropriately (eg separate horned animals, mothers with young etc).

Examples of stock unfit to transport:

• Lameness - one or more legs cannot bear weight, eg injury, arthritis or deformity.
• Visible disease or injury - a visible condition likely to cause further pain or suffering during transport, eg Cancer, swollen testicles, open wounds.
• Weakness - inability to keep up with the mob both at loading and unloading eg deformity, mastitis, emaciation, malnutrition or exhaustion.
• Complete blindness - unable to see at all, eg pinkeye or cancer.
• Late pregnancy - Ewes more than four months pregnant and cows more than eight months pregnant should not be transported.

Copies of the pocket size colour guide "Is it fit to load?" are available from the Department of Primary Industries, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) and Livestock Agents.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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