Treat all cattle with care, respect

A comfortable and safe journey for cattle reduces effluent on public roads and ensures animals arrive at their destination fit and healthy.

DairyNZ recommends a checklist for transporting cows - for farmers and transporters. This checklist covers: transport planning, days of transport, checking to see if the animals good to go and how to take care of sick animals.

It says farmers must ensure body condition score (BCS) targets will be met as per contract on takeover date.

"If BCS, pasture cover targets or supplements on hand are not going to be met, have a proactive conversation with the other party as to what arrangement can be made to compensate," it says.

Planning for the movement of cattle must commence in the weeks and months prior to transport.

DairyNZ recommends completing Body Condition Scoring (BCS) of all animals for transport and making plans to ensure all stock will reach target BCS by moving day.

"Do a final check over for any cull cows that have been missed - arrange for removal from farm. Where possible, ensure they will go to the nearest processing plant. If processing plants are full then make a Plan B.

"Dry off as many animals as possible and do this with sufficient time to ensure that they are properly dried off on the day of transport and confirm the exact number of cattle you need to transport.

"Ensure all animals that are going to be transported are NAIT compliant (i.e. have NAIT tags in their ear and are registered with NAIT)."

Day Prior To Transporting

• Confirm stock are all 'good to go' with BCS of 3 or higher, fit and healthy and not likely to give birth during the journey
• Stand stock off green feed for at least four hours, but continue feeding silage, hay or straw during stand-off
• Ensure all stock have access to water prior to loading. Many farmers have plumbed in a basic water trough at the yards that can be filled while the yards are in use.
• Give extra calcium and magnesium to any lactating cows and consider any other minerals or trace elements (e.g. extra Phosphorus for cows being fed Fodder beet). Make arrangements to ensure that these cows are milked immediately prior to loading.
• Confirm with the transporter times and address details and your expectations for the move.
• Make sure you have enough people to help with the loading and unloading for a smooth and efficient process.
• Confirm that agreed food and water will be available to animals along the journey if necessary, and upon arrival.

Day of Transporting

• Inspect each animal prior to loading to ensure they are fit and healthy for transport.
• Milk any lactating cows.
• Confirm with transport operator that effluent tanks are empty on trucks prior to loading stock.
• Complete ASD and NAIT documentation.
• Move to appropriate feed and water access as soon as possible after arrival.
• Two hours following unloading cattle must be checked for signs of injury or illness.