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4.3. Transporting Cattle
Throughout the world, transportation by truck is a common and eicient means of moving cattle from one
location to another. However, this form of transportation is also commonly associated with an increased risk of
injury to the cattle involved. Much of this increased injury risk is due to inadequate loading and truck facilities, and
poor cattle handling practices.
This section describes the requirements of a suitable cattle transport vehicle and outlines the means of
ensuring that the health and welfare of the cattle is maintained during truck transportation, that production
losses after transport that result from injury, sickness or death are minimised, and carcase quality of animals
going for immediate slaughter is preserved.
4.3.1. Understanding the Animal Welfare Requirement
The overall objective when transporting cattle is to ensure the health and welfare of the stock whilst
transporting, and minimise production losses through injury, sickness or death, or reduced carcase quality if
animals are going for immediate slaughter. It is also imperative to understand that cattle must be in
a suitable condition to be transported, and those that are not or are in doubt must not be transported. An
animal is not it for the journey if it;
• Is not strong enough to undertake the journey • Cannot walk normally, or bear weight on all legs
• Is severely emaciated or visibly dehydrated • Is sufering from severe visible distress or injury
• Is in a condition that could cause it increased pain or distress during transport
• Is blind in both eyes • Is in late pregnancy.
Head Must appear dead, hang straight and loppy
Tongue Straight and limp
Back Hanging straight, no righting relex
Eyes No natural blinking. Wide open, blank stare, no response to touch
Limbs Uncoordinated kicking of hind legs acceptable. No righting relex present
Vocalisation None
Respiration Absence of rhythmic breathing ribs moving in and out at least twice.
Agonal gasping not acceptable Tail
Relaxes shortly after Response to Pain
A pinch or pinprick may be applied to nose only and NO response should be observed
Table 4.2. Indicators of successful euthanasia.
Source: T. Grandin, Colorado State University.
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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
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