Land transport standards Australian standards & guidelines for the welfare of animals: Land transport of livestock – public consultation

The public consultation period has now closed.

For more information visit www.animalwelfarestandards.net.au 

To view RSPCA Australia’s final submission click here

The issue

Transport is stressful to farm animals because it involves social disruption, handling, water and food deprivation, and, sometimes, physical injury and exposure to extremes of temperature and humidity. Transported animals are mixed with unfamiliar animals, often in close confinement, and are confronted with novel situations.

The journeys undertaken by farm animals in Australia vary enormously in their length and number of stages. Some animals may travel thousands of kilometres over several days from the farm to another property, a saleyard, a feedlot, abattoir or an export port. Others will travel less than 50 km from the farm to their destination. Most farm animals are transported by road in purpose-built trucks, although there is still a commercial rail transport network for cattle in Queensland.

Standards and guidelines

Of concern to the RSPCA has always been the lack of any enforceable minimum standards for land transport practices. This concern is now being addressed in the development of national Standards for the land transport of livestock. The draft Australian Standards & Guidelines for the Welfare of Animals: Land Transport of Livestock (“Standards & Guidelines”) apply to the major commercial livestock industries in Australia, namely alpacas, buffalo, camels, cattle, deer, emu, goats, horses, ostrich, pigs, poultry (meat chickens, layers, turkeys, ducks, geese, pheasants, guinea fowl, partridge, quail and pigeons) and sheep.

The draft Standards & Guidelines cover all stages of the livestock transport process: mustering, assembling, handling and preparation of livestock, loading, transport and unloading. The Standards are meant to ensure that basic requirements for the welfare of the animals to be transported are met. This will be done by incorporating the Standards into nationally consistent legislation.

The development of the draft Standards & Guidelines was achieved through input from a group dominated by the major livestock industries, but also including government agencies, a research organisation, and two animal welfare organisations (including RSPCA Australia).

RSPCA Australia believes that the drafting of national Standards & Guidelines for the welfare of animals is a positive development, provided that they result in improved welfare outcomes for transported animals. Equally important, though, is that state and territory governments adopt the endorsed Standards into legislation without delay to ensure consistent regulation of animal welfare during transport.

Related links: Background information, Bobby calf transport, RSPCA policies

RSPCA Australia’s final submission

RSPCA Australia’s final submission highlights a number of significant issues that still need to be addressed.

The introduction of Standards provides a unique opportunity to improve the welfare of animals transported in Australia, but we believe they could go much further to prevent animal suffering, particularly for the more vulnerable classes of animal. The RSPCA believes greater improvements could be made to the manner in which animals are handled, the conditions on board the vehicle and the extent to which animals are watered and rested throughout the process.

The RSPCA wants each Standard to be auditable and verifiable so that there can be no room for interpretation. It is not sufficient that animals arrive at their destination and are able to walk off the truck, there needs be an assurance that animals are handled appropriately throughout their journey.

Once these Standards are legislated and adopted by State and Territory governments, the RSPCA would like to see the livestock and transport industries incorporate them into quality assurance programs. These programs should be independently audited to ensure compliance.

The RSPCA could be considered somewhat of a lone voice in this process, as one of only two animal welfare organisations involved in the development of the Standards. However, while there is still a way to go, we believe we have worked successfully to raise the bar and ensure that animal welfare is at the forefront of a process of continuous improvement in the livestock industries.

To view RSPCA Australia’s final submission click here.