Cataloguing Land Transport Science and Practices in Australia

Summary

A review was undertaken to catalogue livestock land transport science and practices in Australia. The aim of the report was to review advances in science, in comparison with developments in transport practices. The development of how the livestock transport industry operates (practices), and the standards to which it is deemed to operate (codes and QA) have not occurred as a simple linear process following scientific research and discovery. In most cases, the practices have arisen through experience, and the codes and the science have either followed in time, or provided support to what is done. Nevertheless, in many areas, there was good alignment between current scientific knowledge and the ways in which land transport of livestock was undertaken. The conclusions of this review are that there are no substantive contradictions between the science of land transport of livestock under Australian conditions, and the current practices. There are however areas where the science is incomplete, where the knowledge of what occurs in Australia is incomplete, and gaps between what is known as good practice and what may occur in practice. It is recommended that these gaps are addressed through targeted research, industry benchmarking and QA standards. An index is provided at the end of this report to be able to quickly match practices with the science.