CCA: Good production practices for cow calf producers

Sick, Injured or Distressed Animals in Cow-Calf Operations

by Margaret Fisher, DVM

The production of a high quality product and ensuring that this product is produced humanely are important issues for both the cattle industry and consumers. This appendix attempts to provide members of the industry with guidelines to improve both beef quality and the welfare of animals.

While good husbandry practices will reduce the number, there will always be sick, injured or distressed animals in the livestock industry. However, producers can control what actions to take in dealing with these animals.

When a producer has a sick, injured or distressed animal, a number of decisions must be made. Issues such as quality, humane treatment, and economics must be considered when deciding whether an animal can be salvaged. It makes no sense to attempt to transport and market an animal that has a condemnable condition.

Another decision involves how and where to market a cull animal. If a sick or injured animal can be salvaged every attempt should be made by the producer to get the animal directly to the closest processing plant. Multiple rounds of transportation can cause some animals to become weak, go down, or even die.

Timely marketing of animals is also very important. It is both economically unwise and in some instances, inhumane, to delay appropriate salvage of these animals. The animal will only lose condition and be more prone to having problems with transportation as time goes by.

Cattle that are sick, injured or distressed have a decreased ability to handle the stresses of transportation. They are more likely to go down and can have problems getting to their feet even in non-crowded compartments. The producer and the transporter should make a mental checklist before transporting these animals:

1.	Is the animal fit for consumption? Consider condemnable conditions and drug withdrawal times.
2.	Can the animal be transported humanely? Animals cannot legally be transported if undue suffering will result.
3.	Is the animal going to an appropriate destination? Salvageable animals should go straight to slaughter rather than to auction markets.
4.	Is the animal separated from healthy animals? Sick animals should be separated from other groups of cattle. They should also be loaded in the rear compartment of cattle trailers so they can be accessible if there are any problems during the trip.
5.	Does the truck/trailer have adequate footing and bedding? Bedding is very important especially in the winter. Animals separated in cattle trucks during cold weather become hypothermic quickly unless given protection from the wind and ample bedding.
6.	Have the animals been rested, fed and watered before being transported? Any animals that will be in transit for more than 24 hours must receive rest, feed, and water within five hours of being loaded.

The transportation of animals moving into, out of, or within Canada is regulated by the Federal Health of Animals Regulations, Part X11. These regulations provide the "Musts" and "Must Nots" for individuals loading, unloading, and transporting animals to ensure that the animals are transported humanely. Anyone who loads (or causes to be loaded) and transports animals, including producers and transporters, is legally responsible for the animals being transported and is subject to these laws. A summary of these regulations is available in the form of a Livestock Transportation Code.

Any questions concerning whether a particular animal can be salvaged and transported can be directed to the veterinarians at your province’s Federal Cattle Slaughter Establishments.

Information on provincial slaughter plants and mobile butchers can be obtained from your provincial department of Agriculture.

Any questions/concerns regarding animal transportation and federal regulations can be directed to your nearest CFIA District Veterinarian.