Road transport of farm animals: effects of journey duration on animal welfare.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research article focuses on the implications of the duration of transportation on farm animal welfare. It emphasizes the need to address certain factors such as pre-transport health conditions, feeding and watering, rest, and thermal environment to ensure animal welfare, even during long-journey transport.
Examining Factors Affecting Farm Animal Transport
This research study investigated the welfare of farm animals during transportation, particularly focusing on the duration of the journey. The researchers conducted a review of various scientific studies that explore the effects of transport duration on the welfare of various farm animals such as cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, and poultry.
- The study primarily aims to distinguish between factors that would harm the animals’ welfare on any journey, such as loading problems, and those issues that could worsen over time during the journey.
Four Key Aspects Identified
The research identified four critical aspects of animal transport that could have progressively adverse effects on animal welfare as the duration of the transport increases.
- The physiological and clinical state of the animal before transport: A compromised health status can make an animal more susceptible to stress and illness during transportation.
- Feeding and watering during transport: Extended transport times potentially increase the risk of dehydration and hunger, negatively impacting the animals’ welfare.
- Rest during transport: Lack of adequate rest over long journeys can cause fatigue and widen any existing health issues.
- Thermal environment during transport: Extended journeys can expose animals to uncomfortable or harmful temperatures, depending upon the prevailing climatic conditions of the journey.
Implications and Suggestions
The article emphasizes that it isn’t the journey duration alone that affects the welfare of the transported animals but these associated negative aspects. The researchers suggest that, barring a few exceptions, long-duration transport of farm animals isn’t necessarily harmful to their welfare, provided the four mentioned issues are properly managed according to the species and age group of the animals being transported. This concept proposes a more nuanced approach to formulating legislation and protocols for animal transport, prioritising animal welfare.
Cite This Article
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Health and Bioscience, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Aarhus University, PO Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark.
Citations
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