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To run a successful cattle business, you will have to select a cattle market where the cattle trader will purchase the cattle to be delivered whenever the customers need them, however, there are so many problems in the distribution of cattle to various markets. Hence, the objective of this paper was to evaluate the transportation problem models on cattle business in Niger state, Nigeria at a minimum cost using Russell’s Approximation Method by selecting seven cattle markets (Bangi, Beji, Ibeto, Kawon-Kontagora, Kuta, Mariga and Tungar-Malam) in Niger state for distribution to some selected locations in Akure, Ibadan, Ilorin, Ijebu-Ode, Lagos and Oshogbo in the South Western part of Nigeria at a minimum cost. The Russell’s Approximation method is used to find the Initial Basic Feasible Solution (N36, 703, 723.98). The optimality method is tested via Stepping Stone Method and found it to be not optimal. Furthermore, the optimal solution is found using MS Excel solver. The minimum cost of transportation is found to be N36, 159,785.13.

To run a successful cattle business, you will have to select a cattle market where the cattle trader will purchase the cattle to be delivered whenever the customers need them, however, there are so many problems in the distribution of cattle to various markets. Hence, the objective of this paper was to evaluate the transportation problem models on cattle business in Niger state, Nigeria at a minimum cost using Russell's Approximation Method by selecting seven cattle markets (Bangi, Beji, Ibeto, Kawon-Kontagora, Kuta, Mariga and Tungar-Malam) in Niger state for distribution to some selected locations in Akure, Ibadan, Ilorin, Ijebu-Ode, Lagos and Oshogbo in the South Western part of Nigeria at a minimum cost. The Russell's Approximation method is used to find the Initial Basic Feasible Solution (N36, 703, 723.98). The optimality method is tested via Stepping Stone Method and found it to be not optimal. Furthermore, the optimal solution is found using MS Excel solver. The minimum cost of transportation is found to be N36, 159,785.13. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the welfare and performance of Bali cattle transported by Camara Nusantara vessel. We observed five-day transporting of 30 Bali cattle (1-2 years old, 100-200kg body weight) from cattle loading at Tenau Port, Kupang and cattle handling during sea transportation to cattle unloading at Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta. The measured parameters were cattle’s physiological responses, including body surface temperature, foaming (excessive foam around their mouth), respiration (respiration rate during transportation), and panting (any panting behavior during the transport). The behavioral responses measured in this study were feeding behavior (do cattle eat normally during transportation process), lying (can cattle lie normally), agonistic interaction (mounting, head fighting, etc.), freeze during the loading/ unloading process (stop walking during loading and unloading process), coercion (cattle was hit during loading and unloading process), and slip/fall (cattle slipped or fell during loading and unloading process). The welfare evaluation was carried out by scoring system on the observed parameters. The result showed that the cattle showed a normal physiological response, except their body surface temperature was slightly above normal, i.e., 32-35oC. The cattle also showed normal behavior responses except for coercion. The average score gets from this study was 2.5, indicative of slightly poor physiology and behavior when cattle being transported.

Removal of cows from dairy cattle production is a routine and unavoidable practice of the dairy industry and is often referred to as culling. The objectives of this study were to use a survey to describe current on-farm cull cow management, farmers' perception of cull cows' journeys to slaughter, and the adoption of current recommendations and regulations by Ontario dairy farmers. All Ontario dairy farmers were invited to complete a cull cow management survey between December 2020 and March 2021 that included 44 questions covering farmer demographic information, farm characteristics, and cull cow management. The survey response rate was 7.4% (n = 248); a total of 226 of the responses were included in this study for analysis. Most respondents indicated they have a written standard operating procedure (SOP) for cull cows (62%), and 48, 13, and 15% of those identified they use their cull cow SOP “always,” “sometimes,” and “never,” respectively. The more confident respondents were that cull cows arrived at slaughter in the condition they left the farm the less likely they were to have a cull cow SOP [odds ratio (OR) 0.83]. The most important sources of information for the management of cull cows were the herd veterinarian (64%) and members of the marketing/regulatory organization the Dairy Farmers of Ontario (44%). Drug withdrawal time was the only factor most respondents (73%) considered “very important” for the assessment of cull cows prior to transport. Most farmers believe cull cows journey from the farm to slaughter is three or less days (55%), and the confidence of farmers that cull cows arrive at slaughter in the condition they left their farm was generally high. Lastly, most farmers (66%) identified they were familiar with recent regulatory changes around the fitness, duration of transport, and lactation status for cull cows. These results highlight farmers' perceptions of the impacts and durations of the journey of cull cows differs from reality, and there are misunderstandings of the requirements for cull cow management. Further research should investigate how different strategies for training farmers may lead to improved cull cow welfare and regulatory compliance.

There have never been specific research or study about cattle health during shipment using a Camara Nusantara ship as a mode of transportation. The objective of this study was to investigate the ship environment and physiological responses of cattle during transport from Tenau Port (Kupang) to Tanjung Priok Port (Jakarta) using Camara Nusantara 3 ship. The sample of 12 Bali cattle was determined using the purposive sampling total of 250 Bali cattle during transportation. Physiological parameters (including rectal temperature, respiratory rate, pulse rate) were used to evaluate the welfare status and stress level of animals, during the respective transport journeys. Transient changes in physiological parameters were found in the transported animals from day 2 to 4 relative to baseline levels, and the values were within the mild stress level of physiological range for the age of animals involved. There were significant differences (P

Ghana is a significant cattle producer in Africa with an estimated cattle population of 3 million in 2020 [1]. The role of transporters in linking farms to markets and slaughterhouses is crucial in the livestock value chain. However, cattle transportation subjects the animals to high levels of stress, compromising their welfare, and transporters face challenges such as long working hours and harsh conditions. The objective of this study was to explore current practices, indigenous knowledge, and operational risks pertaining to animal welfare among transporters. The study was conducted in five regions connected by the N16, N10, and N6 Highway, the primary route for cattle transportation from the Ghana-Burkina Faso border to the coastal capital of Accra. A total of 78 transporters participated in the study. Out of the 78 participants in this study, the majority of transporters were young adults (56.5%) with secondary school education (45.9%) and 0-5 years of experience (37.2%). The average distance and time for transporting cattle was 528 km and 18 h, respectively. The transporters highlighted significant challenges encountered during cattle transport, including feed and water shortage, particularly prominent during the dry season (32.1%), as well as the occurrence of diseases and mortality, particularly high during the rainy season (41%). Furthermore, vehicular breakdowns were a common issue reported by transporters, with a substantial majority (88.5%) experiencing breakdowns during their last 10 trips. The results showed that most transporters (84.7%) had limited knowledge of animal welfare and had not received any formal education on livestock transportation. Instead, they gained experience as assistants on other trucks before becoming drivers. The findings of this study highlight the need for improved welfare standards for cattle during transportation and formal training programs for transporters in animal welfare and livestock transportation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

The goal of this review is to present a concise and critical assessment of the literature related to physiologic responses in cattle that are subjected to transportation. Over two-thirds of US cattle are transported. Understanding trends in circulating physiologic parameters is an important part of mitigating the negative effects of transportation. For the producer, linking these effects after transportation to morbidity outcomes within the first 45 days on feed (i.e. especially development of bovine respiratory disease) is critical. Physiologic parameters in circulation are of primary importance and may have value for prediction of bovine respiratory disease on arrival and for the understanding of disease pathogenesis. The results of our literature survey indicated that post-transportation immune function, increased acute phase proteins, glucocorticoids, and inflammation are a pivotal starting point for understanding disease. These potential biomarkers may have utility in identifying disease for targeted therapeutics so that traditional protocols that rely heavily on metaphylaxis can be avoided. Additional research is needed to develop strategies for physiological marker identification, treatment methods, or predictive behaviors to prevent respiratory disease before and after transport. This review examines the significant deleterious effects of transportation handling and stress, and current immune system translation and non-antimicrobial mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Mexico is the 7th largest producer of beef in the world. The livestock transport is a vital component of today's world agrifood economy that directly impacts on the development of animal production, animal welfare, public policies, labor regulations, food safety, markets and consumers. In this study two aims were established; the first aim was to identify the attitudes and perceptions of commercial hauliers towards animal welfare and their influence on the accident risks. The second aim was to characterize the current practices of the commercial cattle transport in Mexico and to detect the risk factors for animal welfare and hauliers' wellbeing. The interviews were conducted individually at the hauliers' rest points, sanitary inspection points localized along the Federal Highway 57 or at the companies' offices of cattle transportation. We used univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistics based on a hierarchical cluster analysis. The results showed that cattle transport in Mexico is characterized for long travel distances because the cattle departed from farms in the southern states of Mexico to the feedlots located in central and northern regions of the country. The journeys of short and middle distances departed from the feedlots to the slaughterhouses. The hauliers' characteristics were: age from 29 to 48 years-old, elementary or secondary studies completed, 65% of hauliers mentioned six years of experience in cattle transport, they learned about cattle transportation by means of a family member who was already engaged in this activity. The cluster analysis identified four hauliers' groups: groups 1 and 3 were related to animal welfare and groups 2 and 4 less related to animal welfare. This study showed that empathy towards cattle was a key element in identifying hauliers at risk of road accidents during cattle transportation. Years of experience in cattle transport played an important role in emphasizing closer perceptions towards welfare. Considering current trends towards increased transport times and logistics stops, there is a need to develop systems of welfare assessment and decision-making that provide tools and protocols that can minimize the biological cost to animals and hauliers, which may have been underestimated in the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dairy cows are culled from the herd for a variety of reasons, the most common being fertility problems, low milk production, or udder problems. Disease and injury can contribute to the decision to cull either directly, or indirectly, by causing fertility or production problems, leading to culling. Disease or injury may also affect the cow's ability to handle the stress of transportation and may increase the risk for reduced welfare. The purpose of this study was to determine the general condition of culled dairy cows sold at Ontario auction markets, to quantify the frequency of culled cows in poor condition sold at these auctions, and to determine how this relates to the sale price of the cow. Data were collected on 4,460 culled dairy cows, sold at 3 Ontario auction markets, over a continuous 16-wk study period. Observers assessed the general condition of dairy cows entering the sales ring by recording each individual cow's hock injury score, body condition score (BCS), gait score, and tail score, in accordance with 2017 Canadian proAction Animal Care guidelines. Each cow's body weight, breed, and sale price were also recorded. Results showed that 27.2% of culled cows scored had unacceptable hock injuries, 40.5% had a BCS =2, 72.7% had an abnormal gait, and 12.5% had docked tails. Culled cows with a BCS =2 sold for $0.20 less/kg compared with those with a BCS >2, which equated to an overall average loss of $117 per cow. Cows with an abnormal gait sold for $0.05 less/kg compared with culled cows with a normal gait, which equated to an overall average loss of $32.45 per cow. There was no difference in the sale price depending on hock injury score or the presence or absence of a full tail. The main issues identified in this study were the high prevalence of low body condition and abnormal gait, indicating that the welfare of these cows may be at risk. Additionally, cows with low BCS or abnormal gait sold for a lower price compared with cows that were in good condition, leading to reduced potential profit for the producer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) is a dsDNA virus belonging to the Poxviridae family and the Capripoxvirus genus. Lumpy skin diseases (LSD) is a highly contagious transboundary disease in cattle producing major economic losses. In 2014, the disease was first reported in the European Union (in Cyprus); it was then reported in 2015 (in Greece) and has spread through different Balkan countries in 2016. Indirect vector transmission is predominant at small distances, but transmission between distant herds and between countries usually occurs through movements of infected cattle or through vectors found mainly in animal trucks. Methods and principal findings: In order to estimate the threat for France due to the introduction of vectors found in animal trucks (cattle or horses) from at-risk countries (Balkans and neighbours), a quantitative import risk analysis (QIRA) model was developed according to the international standard. Using stochastic QIRA modelling and combining experimental/field data and expert opinion, the yearly risk of LSDV being introduced by stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans), that travel in trucks transporting animals was between 6 x 10−5 and 5.93 x 10−3 with a median value of 89.9 x 10−5; it was mainly due to the risk related to insects entering farms in France from vehicles transporting cattle from the at-risk area. The risk related to the transport of cattle going to slaughterhouses or the transport of horses was much lower (between 2 x 10−7 and 3.73 x 10−5 and between 5 x 10−10 and 3.95 x 10−8 for cattle and horses, respectively). The disinsectisation of trucks transporting live animals was important to reduce this risk. Conclusion and significance: The development of a stochastic QIRA made it possible to quantify the risk of LSD being introduced in France through the import of vectors that travel in trucks transporting animals. This tool is of prime importance because the LSD situation in the Balkans is continuously changing. Indeed, this model can be updated to process new information on vectors and the changing health situation, in addition to new data from the TRAde Control and Expert System (TRACES, EU database). This model is easy to adapt to different countries and to other vectors and diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of meloxicam on movement, feeding, and drinking behaviors of transported and nontransported cattle. ANIMALS 100 crossbred beef steers. PROCEDURES During experiment I of a 2-experiment study, calves from a livestock auction received meloxicam (1 mg/kg, PO; n = 50) or a lactose placebo (I capsule/calf; 50; control), then calves were transported approximately 1,000 km overnight to a feedlot, where they were instrumented with a real-time location-monitoring ear tag, placed in randomly assigned pens (n = 5 pens/treatment), and monitored for 21 days. During experiment 2, calves in pens were administered the treatment opposite that of experiment I, returned to their pens without undergoing transportation, and monitored for another 21 days. For each experiment, mean daily distance traveled and percentage time spent near feed (PNF) and water (PNW) were calculated on a pen basis and compared between treatments. RESULTS During experiment I, mean daily distance traveled, PNF, and PNW did not differ significantly between meloxicam-treated and control calves; however, all 3 behaviors varied significantly by day. During experiment 2, although mean distance traveled was significantly associated with the interaction between day and treatment, it did not differ significantly between meloxicam-treated and control calves within any specific day. Mean PNF and PNW were significantly associated with day only, although no pattern in that effect was evident. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that a single dose of meloxicam prior to transportation did not significantly affect the behaviors of transported and nontransported calves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effects of road transportation on metabolic and immunological responses in dairy heifers. Twenty Holstein heifers in early pregnancy were divided into non-transported (NT; n = 7) and transported (T; n = 13) groups. Blood was collected before transportation (BT), immediately after transportation for 100 km (T1) and 200 km (T2), and 24 h after transportation (AT). The T heifers had higher ( P < 0.05) blood cortisol and non-esterified fatty acid concentrations after T1 and T2 than did NT heifers. By contrast, the T heifers had lower ( P < 0.05) serum triglyceride concentrations after T1 and T2 than had the NT heifers. The serum cortisol and triglyceride concentrations returned (P > 0.05) to the BT concentrations at 24 h AT in the T heifers. The granulocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio and the percentage of monocytes were higher ( P < 0.05) after T2 in the T heifers than in the NT heifers, suggesting that transportation stress increased the numbers of innate immune cells. T heifers had higher ( P < 0.01) plasma haptoglobin concentrations than NT heifers 24 h AT. In conclusion, transportation increased cortisol secretion and was correlated with increased metabolic responses and up-regulation of peripheral innate immune cells in dairy heifers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of abstracts are presented for articles pertaining to the marketing of specific goods and services. They include "How To Command More of the Physician's Time," "Losses of Livestock in Transit in Midwestern and Western States," and "New Developments on the Frozen Food Industry--A Study of Capital Requirements."

In Kenya, the distance between the livestock production areas and terminal markets is vast, making livestock movement a necessity. The condition of vehicles transporting livestock is, therefore, an important factor for animal welfare and meat quality. These two parameters are particularly compromised over long durations of transportation. Consequently, economic losses along the livestock value chain may result. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to describe the design of trucks currently used to transport cattle in Kenya and quantify losses during trucking. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in six purposively sampled livestock markets; Moyale, Marsabit, Isiolo, Maralal, Narok and Kajiado. The markets are located along some of the major livestock routes in the pastoral areas. Direct interviews with truck drivers (N=75) and observations were made. Five key design features were assessed; floor design, ventilation system (air vents and roofs), specialized compartments and interior walls. Modified floor was frequent in 95.76% of the trucks. About 80.00% of the trucks had smooth interior walls while 77.12% and 94.26% of the trucks had side vents along the chassis and open roofs, respectively. None of the trucks was divided into compartments. The Kruskal Wallis Ranking score showed that presence of vents, floor design and smooth finish of the interior wall were the design features which significantly differed (P<0.05) with livestock market. A cattle mortality rate of 6.16% was reported. However, none of the design features significantly caused the deaths. The major cause was injuries from other animals due to poor animal handling. It was concluded that there are no dedicated trucks for long distance transportation of cattle. Instead, features that are either temporary or not recommended are used to transform locally available trucks into livestock hauliers. Improvement of animal welfare and reduction of economic losses along Kenya's livestock transport routes will be achieved through policies that address training needs of truck drivers and development of a standard design for trucks for livestock transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

State level cattle fairs of Rajasthan play an important role in the socio-economic matrix of the state. In spite of the importance of these cattle fairs, number of both assembled and transacted animals has been decreasing over the years due to several constraints. The present study was conducted during 2011 to identify the constraints faced by different marketing functionaries in the state level cattle fairs. According to sellers, lack of infrastructure, inadequate feeds and fodder availability at fair, unremunerative margin, difficulty in transportation, lack of sanitation, lack of market information, harassment at check points, lack of security at night and difficulty to convince buyers were major constraints. Buyers on the other hand reported lack of infrastructure, inadequate feed and fodder availability, delay in "Rawana" (departure date), high market price of animals, malpractices, difficulty in transportation, lack of sanitation, lack of market information, harassment at check points and lack of security at night as some important constraints in the state level cattle fairs of Rajasthan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As veterinary efforts reduced outbreaks of rinderpest in the Gambia, the colonial government sought to capitalize on an increased rural cattle population. One idea was to build a boat--the Jarga--to ship cattle downriver to the capital. This article recounts that venture. Whereas attaining knowledge of livestock disease ecology in the region was rather conducive to British expertise, livestock marketing proved otherwise. Farmers 'practices may have, at times, informed colonial agricultural practice in Africa, but this repositioning of authority did not extend to matters of local economics. Ultimately, a refusal to defer to local relations of exchange spoiled the colonial effort at livestock development in the Gambia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Ensuring appropriate animal welfare is a high priority for the beef industry, and poorly defined abnormalities in the mobility of cattle at abattoirs have gained considerable attention recently. During the summer of 2013, abattoirs throughout the United States reported concerns about nonambulatory or slow and difficult to move cattle and cattle that sloughed hoof walls. This report describes various cattle that developed these mobility problems soon after arrival at an abattoir. Affected cattle had various clinical signs including tachypnea with an abdominal component to breathing, lameness, and reluctance to move. Some cattle sloughed 1 or more hoof walls while in lairage pens and were euthanized. Other cattle recovered after being rested overnight. Affected cattle had serum lactate concentration and creatine kinase activity increased from reference ranges. Histologic findings included diffuse necrosis of the epidermal laminae with degenerate collagen and perivascular infiltration of neutrophils in the underlying deep dermis, and were similar for digits that had and had not sloughed the hoof wall. With the exception of the sloughed hoof walls, the clinical signs and serum biochemical abnormalities observed in affected cattle were similar to those observed in pigs with fatigued pig syndrome, and we propose that fatigued cattle syndrome be used to describe such cattle. Although anecdotal evidence generated concern that cattle fed the (Tadrenergic receptor agonist zilpaterol hydrochloride were at greater risk of developing mobility problems, compared with cattle not fed zilpaterol, this condition is likely multifactorial. Strategies to prevent this condition are needed to protect the welfare of cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theileriosis or East Coast Fever (ECF) is an important livestock disease widespread in Zambia except for some provinces such as Luapula. This freedom status has been achieved due to strict livestock movement regulations that only authorise cattle imports from commercial farms implementing strict ECF control regimens. Recent increases in both the demand and price of beef in Zambia are stimulating a policy change towards a more inclusive inter-provincial trade in live cattle. This may also encourage the introduction of breeding cattle from high production pastoral sectors such as Central Province to stimulate the beef industry in disease free low production areas such as the Luapula Province. To estimate and compare the risks linked with those potential introductions of cattle from the traditional or commercial production sectors of the Central Province, a quantitative risk assessment model was developed. This risk comparison was necessary because the traditional livestock production sector accounts for over 79% of breeding cattle trade in Central Province but is characterised by minimalistic tick-borne disease control and a higher prevalence of ECF. We estimate that should the importation of breeding cattle from Central into Luapula Province be permitted, we could expect to import ECF by the introduction of infected animals at a median rate (5th and 95th percentiles) of every 0.44 years (0.12, 2.60), from the traditional sector compared to every 3.57 years (0.37, 103.6) from the commercial sector. Infected ticks would be expected to enter every 3.46 (0.66, 43.8) years via traditional cattle imports. These risks are strongly influenced by the prevalence of infection, performance of pre-transport screening tests, and the effectiveness of pre-transport tick cleansing. This assessment is expected to provide a model for tick borne disease risk assessments in similar settings, as well as inform ECF control, cattle trade, and stock movement policies in Zambia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring animal-level conditions during transit provides information regarding the true risk of environmental challenges to cattle welfare during transportation. However, due to constraints on placing loggers at the animal level, there is a need to identify appropriate proxy locations. The objective was to evaluate 8 distributions of ceiling-level loggers in the deck and belly compartments of pot-belly trailers for assessing animal-level temperature and humidity during 5 to 18 h commercial transportation of feeder cattle. Ambient conditions during transportation ranged from 3.6 to 45.2°C (20.3 ± 7.61°C, mean ± SD). When considering the entire journey, average différences between ceiling and animal-level temperatures were similar among logger layouts (P > 0.05). The uncertainty in the difference in temperature and humidity between locations was high relative to the magnitude of the difference between animal- and ceiling-level conditions. Single-logger layouts required larger adjustments to predict animal-level conditions within either compartment, during either the entire journey or when the trailer was stationary (P < 0.05). Within certain logger layouts, there were small but significant differences in the ability of regression equations to predict animal-level conditions that were associated with cattle weight and available space relative to body size. Furthermore, evaluation of logger layouts based solely on the entire journey without consideration of stationary periods did not adequately capture variability in layout performance. In conclusion, to adequately monitor animal-level temperature and humidity, 10 loggers distributed throughout the compartment was recommended over single-logger layouts within both the deck and belly compartments of pot-belly trailers transporting feeder cattle in wann weather. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methods for determining stress syndrome in beef cattle is of great importance to identify the physiological state of young cattle before slaughter in order for such animals to be properly treated and restored to a normal physiological state. As a consequence of the state of stress prior to slaughter, meat is obtained which is different from normal. These are non-typical post-mortem changes in meat: "PSE" (pale, soft, exudative) and "DFD" (dark, firm, dry) meat, "watery" meat, usually pork, and "dark" mostly meat of young bulls. Tests were performed on bulls originating from a farm located 50 km from the slaughterhouse and another farm located 150 km from the slaughterhouse. Young bulls were kept in a free system and loading and unloading was done on unloading ramps and animals taken to the boxes using the lane corridor. Also, attention was paid to avoid mixing with unfamiliar animals during transport. The study included 20 males. The same vehicle was used to transport cattle from the farm to the slaughterhouse. The rectal temperature was taken from 20 young bulls, at the time of loading of cattle into a vehicle during transport and immediately before slaughter. The results of measurements of rectal temperature of investigated bulls suggest that prolonging of transport increases the rectal temperature which can serve as an indicator of stress syndrome in bulls. In addition to measuring of rectal temperature as an indicator of bulls' stress syndrome, other methods are still used, such as the measurement of cortisol in saliva and blood, or the latest methods of measuring cortisol in hair. This is the latest method of the 21st century, which can even determine the time of occurrence of stress. This method is the future that will determine whether the stress occured few days, weeks or even months ago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation caused stress and had impact on the body weight loss of Bali cattle after arriving at the destination. Body weight loss due to the stress of transport can be suppressed and reduced by administration of ascorbic acid. The purpose of this study was to determine the dose of ascorbic acid how best to give effect to body weight loss of Bali cattle during transportation. The experiment used randomized block design (RBD) consisted of 4 treatment dose levels of ascorbic acid (0 mg/kg body weight, 50 mg/kg body weight, 100 mg/kg body weight and 150 mg/kg body weight) were repeated 6 times, it took 24 head of Bali cattle. The difference between the treatment effect was tested using the Dunnett test. The results showed ascorbic acid significantly (P<0.05) reduced body weight of Bali cattle loss during transportation. Treatment with ascorbic acid dose of 100 mg/kg body weight gave the lowest loss of 4.083 kg (2.431%) at the time of transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In Chile, prolonged transport of cattle is an important issue due to geographical conditions. This study describes the variation of body weight and some blood constituents related to stress response during one long distance transport (63h) of recently weaned calves for fattening in the Chilean Patagonia. Results concerning blood variables related to stress showed that the whole process of rounding up, weaning and transport was stressful for the calves and that animal welfare was impaired. Cortisol values were significantly lower after unloading (1.0±0.4μg/dl), as compared to before loading (1.5±0.4μg/dl). The significant body weight loss from before loading (240±26.9kg) to after unloading (210±24.2kg), and the long recovery time, adds economic losses to the producers at destiny. As transport period cannot be shortened due to the typical Chilean geography in the Patagonian region and the scarcity of proper routes, it is recommended that conditions of transported calves should be improved by using specialized livestock vehicles that can provide more comfort, as well as access to water and food during the journey. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Legislation requiring the pre- and post-movement testing of cattle imported to Scotland from regions with high bovine tuberculosis (bTB) incidence was phased in between September 2005 and May 2006 as part of efforts to maintain Officially Tuberculosis Free (OTF) status. In this analysis, we used centralized cattle movement records to investigate the influence of the legislative change on import movement patterns and the movement-based risk factors associated with new bTB herd breakdowns identified through routine testing or slaughter surveillance. The immediate reduction in the number of import movements from high incidence regions of England and Wales into Scotland suggests that pre- and post-movement testing legislation has had a strong deterrent effect on cattle import trade. Combined with the direct benefits of a more stringent testing regime, this likely explains the observed decrease in the odds of imported cattle subsequently being identified as reactors in herd breakdowns detected through routine surveillance compared to Scottish cattle. However, at the farm-level, herds that recently imported cattle from high incidence regions were still at increased risk of experiencing bTB breakdowns, which highlights the delay between the introduction of disease control measures and detectable changes in incidence. With the relative infrequency of routine herd tests and the insidious nature of clinical signs, past import movements were likely still important in determining the present farm-level risk for bTB breakdown. However, the possibility of low-level transmission between Scottish cattle herds cannot be ruled out given the known issues with test sensitivity, changes in import animal demographics, and the potential for on-farm transmission. Findings from this analysis emphasize the importance of considering how farmer behavioural change in response to policy interventions may influence disease transmission dynamics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study examined whether observers could distinguish between cattle that were exposed to various road transport conditions: Experiment 1 compared a manipulated flooring treatment (non-grip flooring, NG) with a control transport event (grip flooring, G) and Experiment 2 compared a manipulated driving style (stop-start driving, SS) with a control transport event of smooth, continuous (C) driving. The behavioural expression of cattle was assessed through the process of Qualitative Behavioural Assessment (QBA), and these assessments were tested for correlation with various physiological parameters. Fourteen Angus steers were assessed. Blood samples were collected immediately before and after transport, and heart rate and core body temperature were measured continuously throughout each transport event. Continuous video footage recorded during each transport event was edited to isolate short clips of individual animals which were randomly ordered and shown to observers for QBA and analysis by Generalised Procrustes Analysis (GPA) which identifies common dimensions of behavioural expression. There was significant consensus amongst 39 observers in their assessment of behavioural expression of the cattle (P <0.001). In Experiment 1, observers scored cattle exposed to NG flooring during road transport relatively higher (on visual analogue scales) for terms such as ‘agitated’, ‘restless’ and ‘anxious’ compared with cattle exposed to G flooring, which were scored higher for ‘calm’, ‘comfortable’ and ‘relaxed’ (GPA dimension 1, P <0.001). In Experiment 2, cattle exposed to SS driving received higher average GPA dimension 1 scores (P <0.01) and higher GPA dimension 2 scores (P <0.05). These cattle were therefore scored relatively higher for terms such as ‘restless’, ‘agitated’ and ‘scared’ (GPA dimension 1) or ‘curious’, ‘interested’ and ‘inquisitive’ (GPA dimension 2) compared with cattle exposed to C driving, which were scored higher for ‘calm’, ‘relaxed’ and ‘comfortable’ (GPA dimension 1), or ‘stressed’, ‘tense’ and ‘alert’ (GPA dimension 2). There were some significant correlations between physiological responses and behavioural expression of animals for both experiments, with informative correlations between the different dimensions of behavioural expression and white blood cell counts, red blood cell parameters and heart rate. For example, the neutrophil: lymphocyte ratio, a typical marker of stress in ruminants, was elevated in cattle that were described as more ‘agitated’, ‘restless’ and ‘anxious’ (G-NG flooring: GPA dimension 1) or ‘stressed’, ‘tense’ and ‘alert’ (C-SS driving: GPA dimension 2). These results suggest that the QBA process captured behavioural manifestations of stress in cattle. We conclude that QBA is a valuable method of assessing cattle welfare under the conditions tested since there was significant consensus in the ability of human observers to interpret behavioural expression of cattle during these experimental conditions (i.e. QBA is repeatable), observers could distinguish between transport treatments on the basis of the animals’ QBA scores, and these scores were correlated with meaningful physiological measures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Removal of cows from dairy cattle production is a routine and unavoidable practice of the dairy industry and is often referred to as culling. The objectives of this study were to use a survey to describe current on-farm cull cow management, farmers' perception of cull cows' journeys to slaughter, and the adoption of current recommendations and regulations by Ontario dairy farmers. All Ontario dairy farmers were invited to complete a cull cow management survey between December 2020 and March 2021 that included 44 questions covering farmer demographic information, farm characteristics, and cull cow management. The survey response rate was 7.4% ( n = 248); a total of 226 of the responses were included in this study for analysis. Most respondents indicated they have a written standard operating procedure (SOP) for cull cows (62%), and 48, 13, and 15% of those identified they use their cull cow SOP "always," "sometimes," and "never," respectively. The more confident respondents were that cull cows arrived at slaughter in the condition they left the farm the less likely they were to have a cull cow SOP [odds ratio (OR) 0.83]. The most important sources of information for the management of cull cows were the herd veterinarian (64%) and members of the marketing/regulatory organization the Dairy Farmers of Ontario (44%). Drug withdrawal time was the only factor most respondents (73%) considered "very important" for the assessment of cull cows prior to transport. Most farmers believe cull cows journey from the farm to slaughter is three or less days (55%), and the confidence of farmers that cull cows arrive at slaughter in the condition they left their farm was generally high. Lastly, most farmers (66%) identified they were familiar with recent regulatory changes around the fitness, duration of transport, and lactation status for cull cows. These results highlight farmers' perceptions of the impacts and durations of the journey of cull cows differs from reality, and there are misunderstandings of the requirements for cull cow management. Further research should investigate how different strategies for training farmers may lead to improved cull cow welfare and regulatory compliance., Competing Interests: Author SR was employed by ACER Consulting Ltd. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Marshall, Haley, Levison, Kelton, Miltenburg, Roche and Duffield.)

The objective of the present study was to identify and quantify several factors affecting shrink in cattle during commercial long-haul transport (>400 km; n = 6,152 journeys). Surveys were designed and delivered to transport carriers to collect relevant information regarding the characteristics of animals, time of loading, origin and destination, and loaded weight before and after transport. In contrast to fat cattle, feeder cattle exhibited greater shrink (4.9 vs. 7.9 ± 0.2% of BW, respectively; P < 0.01), and experienced longer total transport durations (12.4 vs. 14.9 ± 0.99, respectively; P < 0.01) due to border crossing protocols which require mandatory animal inspection. Shrink was greater (P < 0.001) for feeder cattle loaded at ranches/farms and feed yards compared with those loaded at auction markets. Cattle loaded during the afternoon and evening shrank more than those loaded during the night and morning (P < 0.05). Shrinkage was less in cattle transported by truck drivers having 6 or more years of experience hauling livestock compared with those with 5 yr or less (P < 0.05). Shrink increased with both midpoint ambient temperature (% of BW/°C; P < 0.001) and time on tmck (% of BW/h; P < 0.001). Temperature and time on truck had a multiplicative effect on each other because shrink increased most rapidly in cattle transported for both longer durations and at higher ambient temperatures (P < 0.001). The rate of shrink over time (% of BW/h) was greatest in cull cattle, intermediate in calves and feeder cattle, and slowest in fat cattle (P < 0.05) but such differences disappeared when the effects of place of origin, loading time, and experience of truck drivers were included in the model. Cull cattle, calves and feeder cattle appear to be more affected by transport compared with fat cattle going to slaughter because of greater shrink. Several factors should be considered when developing guidelines to reduce cattle transport stress and shrink including type of cattle, ambient temperature, transport duration, driving quality, and time and origin of loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to document the relationships between selected welfare outcomes and transport conditions during commercial long haul transport of cattle (≥400 km; 6,152 journeys; 290,866 animals). Surveys were delivered to transport carriers to collect information related to welfare outcomes including the number of dead, non-ambulatory (downer) and lame animals during each journey. Transport conditions surveyed included the length of time animals spent on truck, ambient temperature, animal density, shrinkage, loading time, cattle origin, season, experience of truck drivers, and vehicle characteristics. Overall 0.012% of assessed animals became lame, 0.022% non-ambulatory and 0.011% died onboard. Calves and cull cattle were more likely to die and become non-ambulatory during the journey, feeders intermediate, and fat cattle appeared to be the most able to cope with the stress of transport (P < 0.01). The likelihood of cattle becoming non-ambulatory, lame, or dead increased sharply after animals spent over 30 h on truck (P < 0.001). The likelihood of animal death increased sharply when the midpoint ambient temperature fell below -15°C (P = 0.01) while the likelihood of becoming non-ambulatory increased when temperatures rose above 30°C (P = 0.03). Animals that lost 10% of their BW during transport had a greater (P < 0.001) likelihood of dying and becoming non-ambulatory or lame. Animals were more likely to die at smaller space allowances (P < 0.05), particularly at allometric coefficients below 0.015 (P = 0.10), which occurred more frequently in the belly and deck compartments of the trailers, and also at high space allowances in the deck (allometric coefficients > 0.035). The proportion of total compromised animals decreased with more years of truck driving experience (P < 0.001). Mortality was greater in cattle loaded at auction markets compared with feed yards and ranches {P < 0.01). Cull cattle, calves and feeders appear to be more affected by transport based on the likelihood of becoming non-ambulatory and dying within a journey. Most important welfare concerns during long distance transport include the total journey duration, too low or high space allowances, too high or too low ambient temperature, and the experience of the truck drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present work was to study space allowance in cattle during commercial long haul transport (>400 km; n = 6,152 journeys). Surveys, delivered to livestock transport carriers, gathered information on the number, B W, and distribution of cattle by trailer compartment as well as the characteristics of the transport vehicles used. Space allowance (SA; m²/ animal), allometric coefficient (k = SA / BW06667), and the percentage of deviation from recommended SA (DRSA; %) in the Canadian Codes of Practice were calculated for each compartment of the trailers. All quad-axle (77%) and tri-axle (23%) cattle trailers were reported with 5 compartments (nose, deck, belly, back, and doghouse). Sixty percent of all animals were carried in the middle compartments (deck and belly), 30% in the rear (back and doghouse), and 10% in the front or nose. Approximately 30% of the journeys required that the cattle be redistributed at the Canada-USA border to comply with different axle weight regulations, and most journeys moved them between the deck and the doghouse. Total loaded weight increased and the number of animals decreased with increasing BW of the animals. Space allowance, lvalue, and DRSA were least for calves and feeders compared with fat and cull cattle (P < 0.01). Both total loaded weight and number of animals increased with the number of axles in the trailer, being greatest in quad-axle trailers pulled by push tractors, which were most frequently used. Space allowance (lvalue) was least in vehicles with greater number of axles and transporting the lightest cattle (i.e., quad-axles trailers transporting calves and feeders). Space allowance, A:-value, and variability among journeys were least in the middle compartments (belly and deck), followed by the back, then doghouse and nose compartments of the trailers showing the largest values (P < 0.05). Many factors contributed to the variability in SA such as body size (smaller animals are placed more densely), compartment of the trailer (greater density in belly and deck), and number of axles on the vehicle (greater density with more axles). The present study provides a framework to assess and understand factors affecting SA during commercial long distance transport of cattle. This information is vital in assessing the consequences of changing industry standards, guidelines, recommended values, laws and regulations on animal welfare, the industry, and economics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to document current commercial practices during long haul transport (>400 km) of cattle in Alberta through surveys delivered to truck drivers (6,152 journeys that transport-ed 290,362 animals). The live beef export industry to the United States (89% of all journeys) had a large influence on long haul transport. This was particularly true for fat cattle going to slaughter (82%) and backgrounded feed-ers going to feed yards (15%). Most drivers had either limited (31% with < 2 yr) or extensive (35% > 10 yr) experience hauling cattle. The type of tractors and trail-ers used most frequently were those with more number of axles (quad-axle trailers pulled with push tractors) because they can accommodate extra weight. Mean (± SD) distance travelled was 1,081 ± 343 km (maximum of 2,560 km) whereas time animals spent on truck averaged 15.9 ± 6.3 h with a maximum of 45 h. However, only 5% of all journeys were greater than 30 h. The most frequent cause of delay was at the Canada-United States border crossing due to paperwork and veterinary inspections. Border delays occurred on 77% of all journeys which had a mean of 1.3 ± 1.9 h and up to 15-h long. Driver rest stops and waiting to unload cattle at destination were the second most frequent and longest cause of delay. Ambient temperature across all journeys ranged from -42 to 45°C with a mean value of 18 ± 11.8°C while temperature variation within a journey was from 0 to 46°C with mean value of 15 ± 6.6°C. The proportion of dead, non-ambulatory, and lame cattle for all journeys was 0.011, 0.022, and 0.011%, respectively. The cattle transport industry showed compliance with federal regulations and to a lesser extent with recommendations. Findings showed extreme values and very large variability in transport conditions however further research is needed to assess their impact on animal welfare outcomes. Delays within the journey as a result of border crossing, weather conditions, time on truck, shrink and space allowance may play an important role in improving cattle welfare during long haul transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the space between the withers and the compartment ceiling on freedom of movement. The investigation was based on physical, biochemical and behavioural measurements during commercial transports. In total 7 transports were performed with cattle (adult dairy cattle, pregnant heifers and rosé veal calves) using a double deck vehicle with natural or forced ventilation for transportation to a slaughter house or assembly place for further shipment. The ceiling was set at 10, 15 or 20cm for adult dairy cattle and rosé veal calves and 40cm for pregnant heifers, above the withers. Adult dairy cattle and rosé veal calves head-butted the ceiling and pregnant heifers did not. Adult cattle move less (P<0.001) than rosé veal calves during transport. No cases of superficial skin bruising were observed after transport. Rectal temperature remained within the normal values of 38.6±0.5°C. Furthermore, heart beat rate increased during loading from approximately 80 to 110beats/min (bpm) in calves, from 80 to 140bpm in pregnant heifers and from 60 to 75bpm in adult cattle and this is normalised during transport. Most blood parameters changed only marginally. Blood Ht and Hb levels appeared to differ significantly due to treatment (P<0.05). However this was compounded due to a lower base level (on-farm) for the 15cm group. No significant effect was observed due to treatment. This once again was confounded by farm of origin (same as above). It is suggested that it might be possible with a clearance of more than 20cm above the withers to decrease the period of head-butting in cattle. Rectal temperature, heart rate and blood parameters were not affected by treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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Abstract: The objective of the study was to investigate the physiological, haematological and immunological responses of weanling heifers transported from Ireland to a feedlot in Spain, and of weanling bulls transported from Ireland to a feedlot in Italy. Physiological variables (including interferon-γ production, cortisol, protein, urea, white blood cell numbers and differentials, and acute phase proteins (haptoglobin and fibrinogen) were used to evaluate the welfare status of animals, before, during and after the respective transport journeys. Age-matched control animals were blood sampled for the same measurements at times corresponding to the transported animals that were retained in Ireland. Heifers transported to Spain lost 7.6% of their initial live weight during the sea crossing to France. However, by the time of their arrival in Spain they had regained 3.3% of their initial live weight and had fully recovered to their pre-transport live weight values within 6days of arriving in Spain. Weanling bulls lost 7.0% of their live weight during the sea crossing from Ireland to France. The live weight loss in control animals ranged from 1% to 2% during the same period. The percentage of time that bulls spent lying was 63.5% for the sea journey and 35.4% for the journey from the French lairage to the Italian feedlot. The average daily gain (kg) of transported animals was greater (P ⩽0.05) than control animals from day 11 to 38 (Spain) and day 11 to 40 (Italy), respectively. While transient changes in physiological, haematological and immunological variables were found in the transported and control animals relative to baseline levels, the values were within the normal physiological range for the age and weight of animals involved. Physiological measurements made after the road and sea journeys indicated that the 24h rest in the lairage, with hay and water freely available, allowed animals to recover substantially. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Many studies have focused on the transport of cattle to fattening farms or to slaughterhouses but there is little information concerning the transport of young bulls delivered to the genetic test stations for selection. Due to the high expected value of young AI candidate bulls, their transport conditions could be very different from those intended for other cattle categories. The objective of the present study was to examine the effect of transport on behavioural response and on some blood variables of 26 young Holstein bulls (mean weight kg 278±64) before, during and after short journeys (duration <8h) to a genetic test centre. Behavioural patterns such as agonistic and affiliative interactions, environmental and conspecific explorative behaviour were recorded by means of an instantaneous sampling method at the farms of origin, into the truck and at the genetic test station. Moreover, standing orientation and postures during transport were recorded. Blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture before transport (−4 days, T−4), immediately after transport (day 0, T0) and at 4 days (T+4) relative to time day 0. The space allowance during transport, ranging from 1.50m2 to 3.75m2 per head, enabled the animals to move quite freely and adopt comfortable positions. Young bulls did not show any preferences in their standing orientation during journeys and they were observed in a lying position for short time periods; they were also observed to ruminate, especially during the stationary periods of the journey. Mixing of animals during journeys did not affect their behaviour. The agonistic behaviour rate was higher during transport (P =0.049) and in the first two hours after unloading (P =0.003) than on the rearing farms. Four days after transport, agonistic behaviour decreased compared to the level observed during the first two hours after unloading (P =0.003), whereas affiliative behaviours increased (P =0.023); however, since the hourly rate of agonistic interactions remained higher than the rate observed on the farms of origin (P =0.001), we postulate that hierarchical relationships were not well established yet. After unloading, all animals spent more time interacting with others than exploring their new pen. Plasma glucose and non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations both increased significantly after transport. There were no changes in the activity of plasma creatine kinase (CK) after transport, suggesting that the journeys did not cause physical exertion. The results indicate that the transport conditions adopted for the AI candidate bulls only slightly affected the behavioural response and blood variables examined here and could be considered satisfactory for their welfare. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a dynamic mathematical model developed to determine the optimum location for new export-oriented slaughterhouses (EOSs) in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. The optimal locations are identified by minimising the costs of cattle transportation, EOS installation, and distribution from the EOS to export ports and from these ports to foreign destinations. The spatial arrangement is subject to a series of physical and behavioural constraints such as supply of raw materials, demand for beef, and EOS production capacity. Results show that the installation of three EOSs located in Mato Grosso regions closest to export ports would meet current foreign market demand for Mato Grosso beef and minimise logistical costs in the state's export beef supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Registration of cattle and pig movements is mandatory in Sweden and all registered movements between farms in the years 2006–2008 were investigated using network analysis. The networks were analysed as monthly and yearly networks, separately per species and with the two species together. Measures that have been previously discussed in relation to outbreaks and disease control were calculated; moreover a measure of the ingoing infection chain was constructed. The ingoing infection chain captures ingoing contacts through other holdings, taking the temporal aspect and sequence of the movements into account. The distribution of the contacts among the holdings was skewed. Many farms had few or no contacts, while others had many, a pattern which has also been described from other countries. The cattle network and the combined network showed a recurring seasonal pattern, while this was not seen in the pig network. The in-degree was not equivalent to the ingoing infection chain; there were holdings with limited direct contacts, but a large number of indirect contacts. The ingoing infection chain could be a useful measure when setting up strategies for disease control and for risk based surveillance as it identifies holdings with many contacts through live animal movements and thus at potentially higher risk for introduction of contagious diseases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We used the movements of adult milking cows among farms enrolled in the Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) program in Ontario to explore the size of an epidemic that might result from farm-to-farm movements of cows in the Province if a reportable long-incubation infection like tuberculosis (TB) were introduced and not detected for 1–3 years after introduction. A directed network was created for each year (2004–2006) using all pairs of individual shipments, defined as the movement of one or more cows on a single day, from a single source DHI farm to a single recipient DHI farm. A 3-year network was also developed that included all cow shipments that took place during these 3 years. The lower and upper bounds of potential maximal epidemic size were estimated using four network-analysis measures: (1) the farm out-degree, (2) the size of the largest strong and weak components, (3) the bow-tie approach, classifying farms into six different areas of a directed network and (4) the infection chain of a farm. All four of the DHI movement networks were found to be small-world, indicating that infection could spread over considerable distances by shipments that linked potentially distant clusters of farms. The networks were also scale-free, indicating most farms had relatively few connections to other farms, while there were a few highly connected farms. Characterization of the yearly networks showed that 41–47% of DHI farms were not involved in any cow shipments and were therefore not at risk of infection from this movement network; furthermore, if infection were introduced into a DHI farm that shipped animals that year, the infection would have stopped at that farm (or at least, not been passed on by shipment of adult milking cows) >50% of the time, and 75% of the time only one more DHI farm would have become infected through animal movements. Compared to the infection chain, which accounted for both the direction and the time sequence of shipments in the movement network, the other network-analysis measures provided biased estimates of potential epidemic size. The bow-tie approach provided a schematic representation of the level of risk of each farm in the network in spreading an infection, but overestimated the lower- and upper-bound measures of potential epidemic size because it did not account for the time sequence of shipments. Our infection-chain results suggest that introducing a long-incubation disease into the network of farms enrolled in the DHI program in Ontario that was not identified until 12 months after the incursion would, in a worst-case scenario, have resulted in 168 farms (representing 5% of all Ontario DHI herds) being infected as a consequence of adult cow movements among DHI farms. This estimate increased to 850 farms (26% of all DHI herds) if the infection were not identified for 36 months. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article focuses on the history of the operation of the livestock and meat processing industries in the U.S. during the 19th century. It says that the transportation of the meat and livestock products began with the opening of the American West after the Civil War, in which cattle were loaded into railcars and transported to Eastern markets. It states that the demand for beef grew, wherein people in the Europe also wanted American beef which led to the overseas shipment of live cattle and salted beef. It also mentions that refrigerated freight cars were made to ship processed meat across the U.S., in which processing meat products before the shipment reduces the weight and cost of shipment.

The objective was to investigate the effect of transport on inflammatory, adrenocortical, metabolic and behavioural responses of weanling heifers transported from Ireland to Spain. Background: At the end of the grazing season, 60 Charolais × beef heifers (mean live weight 245, s.e. 4.3 kg and mean weaning age 219, s.e. 4.9 days) were abruptly weaned from their dams on day 0. The animals were assigned by live weight to two treatments, transport (T) (n = 40) (mean 246, s.e. 5.4 kg) and control (C) (n = 20) (mean 247, s.e. 7.2 kg) on day 0. The T animals were transported from Ireland to France on a roll-on roll-off ferry at a stocking density of 0.93 m²/animal and then by road for 9 h to a French lairage while C animals remained in Ireland and were not transported. On arrival at the French lairage (d 2), 20 T animals were unloaded (ULT) and rested for 12 h in the French lairage and 20 animals rested (RT) on the transporter. All animals had access to hay and water. After the rest period, the ULT animals were re-loaded. The subsequent journey by road from France to Spain was 9 h travel, 7 h rest (on the transporter) and a further 7 h travel by road. All T animals were blood sampled prior to transport (day (d) 0; baseline), on arrival in the French lairage (d 2), after 12 h rest in the French lairage (d 2), on arrival at the feedlot in Spain (d 4) and on d 6, d 8, d 10 and d 34. Control animals were blood sampled at the same times as T animals. Results: ULT and RT animals had lower (P < 0.05) live weight than C animals on d 6. WBC number was lower (P < 0.05) in control animals on d 10 and greater on d 34 compared with baseline values. RT and ULT animals had greater (P < 0.05) WBC number than baseline on d 2 (arrival in France) to d 34. Neutrophil % was unchanged in RT, ULT and control animals compared with baseline. Control, RT and ULT animals had lower haematocrit % (P < 0.05) throughout the study compared with d 0. There was no difference (P > 0.05) in plasma protein concentration between RT and ULT animals from day 2 to d 34. Plasma concentrations of urea were higher (P < 0.05) in RT animals from d 2 to d 34 compared with C animals. RT and ULT animals had lower (P < 0.05) non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) and βeta-hydroxy-butyrate (βHB) concentrations on d 10 and d 34 compared with d 0. Conclusion: It is concluded that, within the conditions of the present study, the performance of the animals that remained on the transporter during the 12 h lairage period in France was not different post-transport from the transported animals that were unloaded and lairaged in France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective-To estimate contact rates and movement variables for shipments of beef cattle to and from producer premises in California. Design-Cross-sectional survey. Sample Population-583 beef producers in California. Procedures-Questionnaires were developed and distributed to beef cattle producers in California.The study period was from April 20, 2005, through September 7, 2006. Data from completed questionnaires were entered manually into an electronic format. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed. Results-Median number of interstate animal movements (movement of cattle into or out of California) was 0.17/mo; on the basis of this median, beef cattle were moved interstate > 2 times/y. Respondents kept beef cattle at up to 5 locations throughout the year. More than 40% of the movements from the respondents premises were to a sale yard or auction facility. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Frequency of animal movements in this statewide study differed from values in another study of monthly shipments of animals to and from beef operations in 3 counties of California.The survey reported here revealed more frequent movements of animals to and from beef operations of all sizes. In addition, there were more high-risk indirect contacts on beef operations than has been reported previously. However, the number of low-risk indirect contacts was similar for small beef operations but less for large beef operations than has been reported elsewhere. Epidemic simulation models for California based on data in earlier studies likely underpredicted disease transmission involving beef herds [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock mobility facilitates opportunistic grazing management strategies that pastoralists employ to counter environmental variability in rangelands. One such strategy is moving livestock to temporary camps that are closer to areas of underutilized forage during times of drought. In areas where pastoralists graze near large protected areas, movement into protected areas, where both forage quantity and quality are higher, is also a common strategy. The aim of this study is to test hypotheses of herd relocation and effects of seasonality and herd size on spatially explicit parameters of cattle mobility for Maasai pastoralists along the northern border of a protected area in Kenya. Modified Global Positioning System (GPS) collars were placed on cattle from ten Maasai households that recorded three parameters of mobility for hundreds of grazing orbits from August 2005 to August 2006. Data were grouped by two constraints—seasonality and herd size—and tested against the two types of enclosure locations (temporary camps and permanent settlements). Hypotheses were formed on the basis of the current knowledge within the literature and analyzed using a series of analyses of variance. Results suggest that household relocation reduces the stress faced by pastoralists and their cattle during the drought by (1) lowering the average total daily distance and time traveled by cattle, (2) directing cattle toward the protected area, and (3) concentrating cattle grazing in distinct areas within the protected area. Herd size was found to have no effect on duration of travel for pastoralists that choose not to relocate during the drought. The research demonstrates how the use of modified low-cost GPS collars can be an effective tool for capturing parameters of mobility and for inferring pastoralist-livestock-rangeland relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation of cattle to the slaughter plant could influence hide contamination with Salmonella enterica. Fecal and hide samples were obtained from 40 lots of cattle at the feedlot and again at the slaughter plant. Potential risk factors for hide contamination were evaluated. A multilevel Poisson regression model was used to determine whether transportation and lairage were associated with hide contamination by Salmonella. Cattle with hide samples positive for Salmonella at the feedlot had twice the risk of having positive slaughter hide samples compared with cattle without positive feedlot hide samples (relative risk [RR], 1.9). Cattle transported in trailers from which samples positive for Salmonella were collected had twice the risk of having positive slaughter hide samples compared with cattle transported in culture-negative trailers (RR, 2.3). Cattle transported for long distances had twice the risk of having positive hide samples at slaughter compared with cattle transported shorter distances (RR, 2.3). Cattle held in lairage pens contaminated with feces had twice the risk of having positive slaughter hide samples compared with cattle held in clean pens (RR, 1.8). Cattle held off feed longer than 18 h before loading had twice the risk of having positive slaughter hide samples compared with cattle held off feed for shorter times (RR, 1.7). Cattle that were agitated during loading had twice the risk of having positive slaughter hide samples compared with cattle that were calm (RR, 2.2). These findings suggest that variables associated with transportation and lairage can impact the presence of Salmonella on the hides of cattle at slaughter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation from the feedl0t and lairage at the processing plant have been identified as potential sources of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella hide contamination. The objective of this study was to perform a comprehensive tracking analysis of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella associated with beef cattle from the feedlot through processing. Cattle (n = 581) were sampled in a feedlot, then transported in multiple lots to three commercial, fed beef processing plants in the United States, where they were sampled again. Samples were collected from the tractor trailers prior to loading cattle and from the lairage environment spaces prior to entry of the study cattle. Pathogen prevalence on cattle hides increased on every lot of cattle between exiting the feedlot and beginning processing. Prior to loading cattle, E. coli O157:H7 was found in 9 (64%) of 14 tractor trailers. E. coli O157:H7 was detected in over 60% of the samples from each lairage environment area, while Salmonella was detected in over 70% of the samples from each lairage environment area. E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella isolates (n = 3,645) were analyzed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The results of the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis tracking indicate that the transfer of bacteria onto cattle hides that occurs in the lairage environments of U.S beef processing plants accounts for a larger proportion of the hide and carcass contamination than does the initial bacterial population found on the cattle exiting the feedlot. Finally, the results of this study indicate that hide wash cabinets are effective in removing contamination derived from the lairage environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate transportation conditions and behavioral and physiological responses of beef steers to long distance commercial transport throughout the year Japan. Japanese Black × Holstein steers (7.9 ± 0.6 months of age; 320.0 ± 19.0 kg) were transported by truck in spring ( n = 8), summer ( n = 5), autumn ( n = 8) and winter ( n = 5). Transport distances (time) were 1020.6 km (25 h including lairage periods): 615.4 km (6.4 h) on expressways, 163.2 km (3.7 h) on arterial roads and 242.0 km (10.5 h) by ferry. The space allowance of the truck was about 1.6 m2/head in all seasons. Internal temperatures of the truck were 14.7 ± 4.7°C in spring, 27.9 ± 2.6°C in summer, 24.4 ± 2.8°C in autumn and 9.2 ± 4.3°C in winter. Although internal noise and airflow velocity of the truck were louder and greater while moving on expressways (101.1 ± 8.3 dB and 1.50 ± 1.50 m/s) than on arterial roads (92.0 ± 15.2 dB and 1.32 ± 1.41 m/s) (both P < 0.05), more steers lay down while moving on expressways ( P < 0.001). Blood glucose, plasma cortisol, and serum triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations and ALT activity were higher in spring (all P < 0.05). This could be explained by that vibration acceleration (m/s2) of the truck in the longitudinal direction was greater in spring (−0.19 ± 0.43) than in the other seasons (−0.14 ± 0.09 in summer, −0.15 ± 0.20 in autumn and −0.15 ± 0.13 in winter) (all P < 0.05). Heart rate, serum concentrations of T3, total cholesterol, total protein, and AST and ALT activities were higher just after transport than 1 week after transport (all P < 0.05). However, transport stress should be not severe, since no difference between before and after transport was shown on concentrations of plasma cortisol, blood lactate and serum NEFA, serum triglyceride and serum pH and liveweight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation of cattle from the feedlot to the slaughter plant could influence hide contamination of Escherichia coli O157. A study was initiated to investigate the influence of transportation and lairage on shedding and hide contamination of E. coli O157. Fecal and hide samples were obtained from 40 pens of harvest-ready beef cattle at the feedlot prior to transport and again at the slaughter plant immediately after slaughter. Potential risk factors for hide contamination at the feedlot, during transport, and at slaughter were evaluated. A multilevel Poisson regression model was used to evaluate if transportation and lairage were associated with hide contamination by E. coli O157 in finished beef cattle. Lots of cattle held in E. coli 0157--positive lairage pens had eight times greater risk of having positive slaughter hide samples compared with cattle held in culture-negative pens (relative risk, 8.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.6 to 38.8). Lots of cattle that were held in lairage pens contaminated with feces had three times greater risk for positive slaughter hide samples compared with cattle held in clean pens (relative risk, 3.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.2 to 7.9). Lots of cattle that were transported for long distances (>160.9 km) had twice the risk of having positive hide samples at slaughter compared with cattle transported a shorter distance (relative risk, 2.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 5.1). These findings suggest that transportation and lairage should be considered in E. coli O157 control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]