Transporting Cattle

Abstract

Abstract For cattle, the transition period from the place where they are raised to a new place, such as farm, an auction market or the slaughterhouse, is one of the most challenging moments in their lives from a welfare perspective. This is related to multiple stressors to which the animals are exposed during the different stages that make up the transport process, such as weaning, castration, dehorning, identification, new sound, visual and olfactory signals, social mixing, vibration, temperature variations, risk of injury, spatial restriction, fasting and limited access to water, in addition to other stressors to which they are exposed after their arrival. Regardless of whether the journey is short (less than 4 h), medium (between 4 and 8 h) or long (greater than 8 h), there must be a planning process for the logistics of the trip, which includes preventive maintenance of vehicles, up to the schedule and climate conditions on the day of the transport. This planning will avoid failures that compromise cattle welfare and will allow them to be in better conditions to recover from transport and prepare for the next stage. Information © The Author 2023