Transportation of animals for slaughter can occur via various modes including on foot, by road, railway, or ship. For road transport, journeys should not exceed 500km or 12-15 hours, with animals unloaded and provided feed and water for longer journeys. Vehicles must be of durable construction and include proper partitions, non-slippery floors, and tie points if needed. Animals of different classes must be separated, such as cows from bulls or sows from boars. The vehicle interior and fittings must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between transports. An attendant must accompany the animals to provide care during loading, unloading, and the journey.
3. MODE OF TRANSPORTATION
• On foot or Driving on Hoof
– Animals should be allowed a maximum of 8 hrs walk/
day.
– The time can be adjusted in early morning during
summer and later morning during winter season
– A veterinary certificate stating that animals are fit to
travel on foot shall accompany each animal.
– Foot travel is illegal for diseased, blind, emaciated and
in advance stage of pregnancy.
• Road Transport
• Railway transport
• By Ship or Boat
4. Road Transport
• Up to 500 Kms or 12-15 hours journey
• If more that 12 hrs, the animals should be
unloaded and offered sufficient feed and water.
• Normally six cattle (30 for sheep/ goats) can be
transported in a truck
5. Prerequisites
• Proper loading and unloading
– Loading and unloading are often the most stressful parts of
the transport process, for both animals and handlers.
• For pigs, very steep ramps are undesirable because they
distress the pigs and may lead to injuries through falling.
• Floors and ramps should be made anti-slippery. A ramp
sloped/ angled at 20-24° with cleats of 10-40 mm,
spaced at a distance of 50-100 mm, is desirable.
• For cattle, Cleats on wooden or concrete floors should be
50 mm wide, 50 mm high and 300 mm apart.
• A maximum slope of 20° is again recommended.
• The ramp should be at least 1.5 m in width for cattle
(0.75 m for sheep and goat) with a raised side at least
0.75 m high
6. Vehicle design and facilities
• Vehicles must be of durable construction and
provided with fittings, fitted in such a way as to
prevent injury to the animals.
• Proper partition provided to separate unequal
animals and which should be at least 1.27 m high
in case of cattle and 76 cm in case of sheep/pigs.
• Floors of trucks should be non-slippery.
• Tying points should be provided to secure
animals, if necessary.
• Vehicle interior surfaces including wheel arches
must have no projections liable to cause injuries.
7. Separation of animals during road
transport
• Cow with suckling calves and a bull over 10m
of age
• Sow with piglets and a boar over 6m of age
• Secured and unsecured animals
• Cattle and swine
• Horned & polled animals
8. Cleaning & disinfection
• The floors, sides and roof of the interior of the
vehicle and all other parts, fitting and
accessories with which an animal or its
dropping, discharges/excretions have come into
contact must be swept or otherwise cleaned, all
parts washed and scrubbed with water. Then an
approved disinfectant should be applied
9. Care of animals during road transport
• An attendant responsible for the care of the animals
should accompany.
• Loading and unloading must be carried out safely
• Animals should not suffer exposure to weather,
inadequate ventilation
• Animals may be transported during night or early
morning based on weather condition
• Adequate feed and water must be offered to animals at
least every 12 hours during journey.
