Investigating stocking densities in pre-export assembly premises and on livestock ships - a literature review

Summary

There is a paucity of scientific information on the impact of stocking density on livestock in preexport assembly and onboard ship. As a consequence of this lack of information, it was necessary to review the impacts of stocking density on livestock transported by road and livestock in intensive husbandry systems.
Based on this limited and not directly applicable literature we are unable, at the time of this report, to recommend specific changes to current stocking densities, although we did identify standards have been mostly established as a result of experience, rather than on scientific research and the biology of the animals. We suggest that it would benefit the industry, if it was able, to demonstrate that space allowances had some biological and scientific basis. This demonstration could be achieved by conducting research on space allowances that have a biological basis i.e. that accommodate animals according to their physical, dimensional and behavioural requirements.