consequence the impact of this outcome once it does occur. An overall assessment of risk is generally obtained using a risk matrix which considers both probability and outcome, and can be
considered either acceptable or not. Unacceptable risk requires some form of intervention or risk management.
3.2.3 Risk factors
There are a wide range of risk factors that can impact on animals during live export. These factors increase or decrease the risk that is, probability andor consequence of an adverse outcome, but
are not outcomes themselves. For example, each of the following has been identified as risk factors during live export:
• the breed, sex, age and innate fitness of the animal; • characteristics of the property-of-origin, including length of curfew, standard of property
management; and • factors relating to feedlotting, including weather and feeding regimes
A broad range or web of risk factors that influence health and welfare during live export is presented in
Figure 7.
Risk factors have several important characteristics: • Adverse outcomes generally develop following the influence of a number of risk factors. For
example, a web of risk factors contribute to the development of the PSI complex, including animal factors age, condition score and factors related to the property-of-origin pasture, location;
• The web of risk factors for one particular outcome is generally different to the web of risk factors for another outcome. As examples, risk factors for injury during transport include length and type
of curfew, length of trucking and standard of care by the transport operator. In contrast, risk factors for feedlot-related salmonellosis include a range of factors affecting host resistance and
salmonella challenge; and
• Although risk factors may only occur at a specific stage of the export process such as the animal, the farm-of-origin, during transport, the feedlot etc, it is critical to note that their influence
may occur at this or later stages of export. For example, although the PSI complex mainly occurs on-ship, key risk factors for this condition mainly relate to the animal and the property-of-origin.
3.2.4 Risk management
Risk management is a defined and well-planned process to identify and manage those risks that are considered unacceptable. The desired outcome of a risk management program is a reduction in risk
to levels considered acceptable. It involves a number of steps, as follows: • identifying options for managing risk;
• assessing those options; and • preparing and implementing appropriate risk management plans Standards Australia, 1999.
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Truck factors
Curfew duration type
Care during drafting
General organisation Consignment factors
Management factors Loading density
Duration distance General standard
of management
FARM
FEEDLOT
Feedlot factors Throughput
General facilities Location
Climate long-term
Sheep quality Consignment factors
Feed water Quality
Quantity
Transport loading
Weather short-term
Ship factors
SHI P
Management factors Age
Level of maintenance
General design General hygiene
measures
Consignment factors Feed water
Quantity Quality
Quality of veterinary care
Voyage details Farm factors
Management Shearing history
Handfeeding history Disease control
strategies Culling strategy
General standard of management
Pasture and climatic factors
Pasture conditions
Geographic location
Climate Commitment to QA and
continuous improvement
Animal factors
Management factors General
hygiene measures Quality of
veterinary care
Single double tiers Pen design
Ventilation design and capacity
Duration Weather
General standard of management
General standard of management
Relevant experience of captain and crew
General organisation
Quality of stockmanship
Loading strategy Stocking density
Presence percentage of Awassi sheep
Loading unloading factors
No. and location of unloading ports
No. and location of loading ports
Cold stress Feedlot-related
salmonellosis General inappetence
Miscellaneous conditions Cold stress
Transport injury Feedlot-related
salmonellosis
Heat stress Bovine respiratory disease
See previous
Transport
Transport injury Cold stress
Level of maintenance General design
Age Commitment to QA and
continuous improvement
Transport loading injury
Recent feedlot disease history
Shelter provisions Condition score
Class age Sex
Acclimatisation
Persistent inappetence- salmonellosis- inanition
Feed water access Open closed decks
Commitment to QA and continuous
improvement Commitment to QA and
continuous improvement
Antibiotic usage
Figure 7. Causal Web of Risk Factors - A diagrammatic representation of the live export process, including the causal web of risk factors on the left leading to adverse health and welfare outcomes
to the right during live sheep export.
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3.2.5 Risk management
