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To achieve this objective, proper preparation of the animals prior to transport, appropriate loading and
trucking facilities, in-transit care, special considerations for extreme weather, and suitable recovery practices
at the destination must all be addressed to minimise the negative impact of transportation on cattle. This
also extends to obtaining and presenting any and all approvals for travel, health certiicates, and transportation
documents associated with moving the cattle.
4.3.2. Preventing Injury
Common causes of stress or injury to cattle during truck transportation include;
• Poor design and construction of loading and unloading ramps that cause injury to the animals, or
encourage them to attempt escape • Holes in the loor of the truck that cause injury as a
result of the cattle stumbling or falling, or a slippery loor surface that can cause cattle to fall over
• Solid and sharp projections inside the truck that cause physical injury
• Low sides on the truck can allow agitated cattle to attempt to climb or jump over the sides
• Inappropriate ventilation that results in cattle sufering temperature extremes or receive poor
quality breathing air • Doors or gates coming open and cattle jumping or
falling out • Excessive speed on uneven roads, causing cattle to
fall over • Too many or too few cattle in a pen, also making it
diicult for them to remain on their feet • Already-sick, injured or frail cattle falling down and
being trampled • Cattle of diferent sizes being transported together
in the same pen, resulting in trampling of the smaller animals
• Very long journeys without access to rest, food or water.
4.3.3. Features of Suitable Cattle Transport
Trucks and trailers are the primary means of moving cattle between locations, and if prepared and used
correctly, ofer safe and efective means of transport. Essential features of suitable cattle transport vehicles
include; • Roadworthy and mechanically reliable vehicle
• Pen constructed from materials suitable to keep cattle safely conined material strength and pen
height • A solid, non-slip loor surface
• No protruding structures in the holding pen that may cause bruising or injury to the animals
• Adequate ventilation • Adequate protection against temperature extremes.
Ideally, cattle being transported by trucks will stand for the duration of the journey, hence the surface of the
loor of the pen on the truck must be of good quality and constructed so that it is non-slipping. When loaded at
optimum loading densities in pens, cattle in the standing position are supported by others that surround them and
are able to remain on their feet throughout the journey. A variety of materials can be used to provide a non-slip
surface on the pen loor. For example, Fig. 4.11 shows a 30cm by 30cm welded heavy cleat loor that is ideal for
trucks transporting cattle. By contrast light steel mesh does not withstand the impact of cattle if the truck is
used frequently for animal transport Fig. 4.12. Pens on trucks must be high enough to prevent cattle
from attempting to climb or jump over the pen walls, and thus contain the cattle that will be transported.
Trucks with pen sides that are lower than the height of the cattle are unsuitable for transporting cattle not used
to close human contact as the low rail height would encourage nervous cattle to attempt jumping out Fig.
4.13. This would certainly apply to beef breeding cattle imported from Australia. For cattle trucks with two decks,
the space between decks should be suicient for the cattle to stand in a natural position without contacting
overhead structures.
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Figure 4.11. Welded pipe cleats provide good footing and reduces slipping, injuries, and deaths. Source: LiveCorp Meat Livestock Australia.
Figure 4.12. Reinforcing mesh is too light for use as truck looring and can break and cause injuries. Source: LiveCorp and Meat Livestock Australia.
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Figure 4.13. Sides of this truck are too low, and there is not a suicient visual barrier to discourage animals from trying to escape. Source: Anon.
Figure 4.14. A purpose-built live cattle transport trailer providing both ventilation and, with side boards itted to close of external vents in winter, protection against extreme temperatures. Source: International Agriculture
for Development.
Whilst purpose-built cattle trailers provide an optimum transport solution, particularly those designed for
moving cattle in cold climates Fig. 4.14, good quality transport solutions can be implemented using retro-
engineered shipping containers Fig. 4.15 where purpose-built trailers are unavailable, provided that the
essential components of pen design are incorporated during re-engineering.
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Figure 4.15. Live cattle transport trailers converted from shipping containers. Source: ExpoTrade.
4.3.4. Preparing Animals for Transport
