B.AWW.0017 - Scoping and Systematic Review of Animal Welfare and livestock transport
Feed and water deprivation has the greatest effect on body weight loss for cattle and sheep throughout transport.
| Project start date: | 30 September 2024 |
| Project end date: | 30 November 2025 |
| Publication date: | 19 February 2026 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grain-fed Cattle, Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep |
| Relevant regions: | National |
Summary
Transportation can be a stressful experience for livestock, as movements between farms, saleyards, feedlots and abattoirs may involve long journeys that include extended time without food and water. Feed and water deprivation has the greatest effect on body weight loss for cattle and sheep throughout a journey. Body weight loss from a journey is financially important to cattle and sheep producers but also contributes to sensations of hunger and thirst in cattle and sheep undergoing transport, creating a negative wellbeing experience. In preparing cattle and sheep for their intended journey it has been hypothesised that yarding cattle and sheep and feeding hay for 48 hours prior to the start of the journey, minimises total body weight loss during transportation (Pethick 2006). Cattle and sheep on hay diets have greater digesta weights and slower rate of digesta passage compared to cattle and sheep on grain-based diets. Dry Matter Digestibility (DMD) of the diet has an effect on the weight of the digesta within the gastrointestinal tract such that hay diets of 60% DMD provide cattle with greater digesta weight when compared to concentrate diets of 70% DMD at body weights from 100–500kg (Bailey 1986).
Objectives
- Undertake a scoping review of the literature related to indicators of welfare for sheep and cattle at loading, during transit and unloading to identify knowledge gaps related to 'fitness for their intended journey'.
- Undertake a systematic review of knowledge areas, where there is a sufficient depth of literature related to sheep and cattle welfare before, during, and after road transport. If appropriate use meta-analysis to statistically combine the results of the studies included in the systematic review.
- Consult relevant stakeholders to identify what they think are the metrics of animal welfare that should be recorded before and during transport and at unloading. Combine the results of the stakeholder consultations with the results of the scoping and systematic reviews to prioritise metrics of animal welfare to be measured before and during transport and at unloading.
Key findings
Feed and water deprivation has the greatest effect on body weight loss for cattle and sheep throughout transport.
Benefits to industry
The outcome of this future work will be a recommendation for the quantity and quality (DMD) of hay when consumed by cattle and sheep that minimises body weight loss during a period of feed and water deprivation similar to that experienced by transportation.
MLA action
MLA to invest in projects that test the hypothesis that body weight loss is minimised when hay is fed to cattle and sheep prior to transport.
Future research
Need to invest in projects that test the hypothesis that body weight loss is minimised when hay is fed to cattle and sheep prior to transport.
More information
| Project manager: | Sharon Dundon |
| Contact email: | Reports@mla.com.au |
| Primary researcher: | EMP Vetepi Pty Ltd |
