Reduce stress in livestock with these transportation tips
Livestock transportation is an essential aspect of the agricultural industry. It’s important to adhere to the appropriate regulations for the safe and ethical transportation of animals because the wrong methods can cause unnecessary stress and harm. You can find a trailer to transport your livestock on AgriMag.
Monitor the length of the trips
When it comes to the transportation of livestock, it’s important to ensure that the animals have adequate food and water supplies. With this in mind, it’s not permissible to transport cattle and sheep for more than 18 hours. After 18 hours, you’ll need to make a stop of a minimum of two days for the animal to recover. Pigs need to be provided with fresh water every 50 km. These rest stops prevent dehydration, which could cause the animals to suffer during the trip. Once the animals have arrived at their end destination, they must be allowed to rest and have access to water and food. When it comes to weaners, each stop has an average duration of two weeks. The weaners are typically vaccinated during this break.
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Build proper loading facilities
Inadequate loading facilities increase the stress levels that the animals experience. A lack of proper facilities makes loading take longer and it also increases the risk of injury. It’s advisable to invest in a spacious loading facility that provides enough room for the animals and equipment. If you don’t have your own loading pens, you can rent portable handling facilities. Check the height of the handling facilities to assess whether they meet your animals’ requirements or not.
Avoid overloading
Make sure that you calculate how many animals you can safely and comfortably transport. Animals from different species should not be transported together. Likewise, animals of different ages should have separate transportation. Use specially designed partitions to ensure that the weight is evenly distributed. While you may not be exceeding the maximum weight, if there is uneven distribution, an axle may still become overloaded.
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Consider individual transportation
If you’re transporting individual animals, make sure that the trailer is big enough for them to turn around in. Place bedding in the trailer to ensure that the animal doesn’t slip. Avoid transporting livestock on the back of a bakkie as this increases the risk of them being injured.
Ensure that your driver is properly trained
A good driver with a Code 14 licence is not sufficient for the transportation of livestock. The driver also has to have respect for animals as well as knowledge of the impact that his or her driving will have on the animals. They should understand how to ensure the well-being of the animals during the trip. Their knowledge should include how weather conditions and driving speed affects the livestock.
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Hire professionals
When you’re transporting livestock, you’ll have the option to do it yourself or to hire a professional company. When you make your decision, keep your budget in mind. Transportation requires a range of equipment, including trucks and trailers, and investing in this equipment requires capital. Not only will you need to consider your budget, your decision will also depend on whether you have staff who are properly trained.
Transporting animals is risky and it requires specialised knowledge. If you choose to use the services of a well-known company, you can benefit from their quality equipment, specialised knowledge, and advanced technology. Make sure that the staff who work at the company have respect for animals. Now that you know more about transporting livestock, you can find the equipment you’ll need on AgriMag.
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