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Targeting mitigation measures to those groups that have higher risk offers a cost effective means of reducing morbidity and mortality but requires clear justification for differential
management and monitoring to document efficacy.
Advances in technology and leveraging of health monitoring at the individual animal level in association with NLIS animal identification data offer an unparalleled opportunity for industry
to collect data efficiently to allow monitoring of performance and assessment of efficacy of various management or treatment factors. See Section 12.10 for more detail.
12.6 Other causes of death
Musculoskeletal and injury-related conditions was the second major cause of mortality, accounting for 15 of the 215 deaths studied. A number of these mortalities were
associated with conditions that did not respond effectively to treatment or management during the voyage and where the animals were euthanased at or before the destination port,
because of welfare concerns.
The proportion of deaths in this category 15 was lower than the 23
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and 25
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, reported previously in studies on Australian export cattle. This is likely to be due to a
combination of study methodology and factors that may modify risk such as vessel design, animal selection and animal management.
The mortalities described in this report for musculoskeletal and injury-related conditions are likely to under-represent the impact of these conditions on animal health and welfare.
Morbidity due to musculoskeletal and injury-related conditions is relatively common and can be very difficult to manage and treat effectively during the voyage, because of constraints in
animal handling and restraint and limitations in the supportive care options that can be implemented. Veterinarians with experience in routine non-export livestock work may not be
adequately prepared for managing some of these conditions and there appears to be a need for information on how best to manage these conditions on-board ship and how to approach
decision making, for example in determining whether a particular animal may respond to treatment or may require euthanasia. Efforts have been made to incorporate these topics in
to the Veterinary handbook for the live export industry and these comments reinforce the value in this resource.
The risk of serious and potentially life-threatening consequences from initial injuries or conditions on board a ship that may heal without problem in other routine land-based
environments, mean that it is important that all efforts be made to minimise injury risk and therefore prevent injury. Therefore careful attention should be paid to infrastructure design
pens, yards, races, gates and maintenance, both in the assembly depot and on board the ship. In addition, low-stress animal handling is also very important to reduce the risk of foot
and leg injuries that may result from crowding and hurried movement.
We recognise that Livecorp requires stockpersons to complete training that incorporates information and practical training in low stress cattle handling techniques. The importance of
simple messages about risk management extend across the chain from pre-export
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Hedlefs 1988
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Norris et al. 2003
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preparation and transport and handling of livestock, through to inspection and certification and management during the voyage and after arrival at the destination port.
During the voyage rough seas can lead to traumatic injury, however most cases of lameness develop secondary to injuries and abrasive floor surfaces, with a high risk of secondary
infection due to the presence of progressively contaminated bedding in shipboard pens.
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Lame or injured animals may then become reluctant to stand or move and risk being trampled or not eating or drinking. All of these events increase the risk of other diseases and
of eventual death or euthanasia. Lame or injured animals are reluctant to stand, which increases the risk of their being trampled by pen-mates, and can lead to inappetence and
dehydration.
The recent report by Banney et al
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provides useful advice on cattle selection and bedding management to reduce the incidence of lameness. Further work is required to identify and
implement risk mitigation strategies that may further reduce risk of injury and musculoskeletal conditions. For example, guidelines for optimal deck flooring materials and,
where a bituminised aggregate flooring material is used, optimal aggregate size; and further work on bedding, deck washing and general management of pen flooring for optimal foot
and leg health during the voyage.
12.7 Heat stress
