Animal Welfare During Transit

Animal Health and Injury

The stress associated with transport can cause animals to become ill. Pregnant cows are particularly susceptible. Symptoms very similar to those associated with ilk fever are often precipitated. This is related to calcium metabolism and can be treated in the same way as milk fever. Prevention is achieved by restricting feed intake for two to three days before loading. Feeding hay, at maintenance level only, is recommended.

Transit fever is another disease encountered. This is a form of pneumonia caused by a Pasteurella species. A vaccine is available to treat animals that are due to travel.

Injury to animals is a major source of concern, not only because the public image of the meat industry is adversely affected by media reports of animal maltreatment, but also because the producer suffers major losses due to injury, and bruising. This subject is considered in greater detail in Natal Beef leaflet 6.4 (“Bruising of beef carcases”). Financial losses associated with the injury can be minimized through animal knowledge and improved truck design.

It is not advisable to transport cows during the last trimester of pregnancy. Should the need arise to transport cows and suckling calves, it is advisable, in order to prevent injuries, to transport them in separate trucks. However, with trips exceeding two days, cows and calves should be grouped together, since the consequences of excessive stress to the calf could exceed potential losses due to injury.

Click here to view a video that explains the transporting of calves.

Carcass Quality

The tenderness, flavour, and colour of meat are adversely affected by excessive exercise, or stress to the animal, prior to slaughter. Meat also loses its ability to retain fluids, making it unsuitable for sausage making.