MAF Standard for the Transport of Cattle by Sea from New Zealand
30 July 2004
Table of Contents
- Preface
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Assembly Phase
- 3. Preparation for Export
- 4. Shipping Phase
- Appendix I: Point of aim for destroying cattle
- Appendix II: Reporting Form
Preface
The purpose of this Standard is to optimise the management of sea transport of cattle and to ensure that acceptable welfare standards are maintained.
1. Introduction
Animal welfare considerations are becoming increasingly important for the farming of animals, and for transporting them both within New Zealand and internationally. Practices that may have once been deemed acceptable are now being reassessed and modified according to new knowledge and changing attitudes. High standards of welfare are not only important for the animal’s well-being, but they are required by legislation and have direct economic benefits that lead to continued success in the international market. It is recommended that this Standard is incorporated into exporter’s quality assurance programmes.
The five basic requirements of animals have been considered in developing this Standard:
- ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour
- the provision of appropriate comfort and shelter
- the prevention, or rapid diagnosis and treatment of injury, disease or infestation with parasites
- freedom from distress
- the ability to display normal patterns of behaviour.
The Standard also provides interested parties in New Zealand and overseas with evidence of the level animal welfare expected in this country and demonstrates the commitment of the industry to continued improvement of these standards.
While it is recognised that current animal welfare standards within the cattle export trade are satisfactory, it is important that they are clearly identified with the objectives of:
- establishing a benchmark for the welfare of cattle during sea transport, and
- providing a guide for new exporters in the trade
This standard has been produced following consultation with livestock exporters, shippers, AgriQuality and the New Zealand Veterinary Association.
2. Assembly Phase
2.1 Only cattle that are fit and healthy will be eligible for shipment.
2.2 Young cattle must have been weaned for at least 2 months prior to assembly for export.
2.3 Lactating cattle will not be eligible for export by sea.
2.4 Shipment of Pregnant Cattle
Where pregnant, heifers must be less than 6 months pregnant at the scheduled date of shipment, and multiparous cows (i.e. cows that have had more than one calf) must be less than 4 months pregnant. It is strongly recommended that all animals are shipped as early in gestation as possible.
Pregnancy status will be verified by the use of an owner’s declaration stating the first date of mating. It is advisable that confirmation of the stage of pregnancy should be determined as early as possible in the pregnancy.
2.5 Exporters must be able to provide evidence to the certifying veterinarian of weights taken at the end of the pre-export/assembly phase, in order to establish loading densities.
2.6 It is strongly recommended that cattle with horns are not shipped. Where dehorning occurs prior to export, dehorning wounds should have at least 3 weeks healing time before export. If cattle with horns are to be exported the ends of the horns should be removed so that the stub is no more than 7.5cm in length.
2.7 Cattle must be a minimum body condition score of 3.5. (For Body Condition Scoring information go to www.dexcel.co.nz)
2.8 All cattle transported to the assembly farm/feedlot, and from that area to the point of loading of the ship, should be moved in accordance with the Code of Recommendations and Minimum Standards for the Welfare of Animals Transported within New Zealand (available at: www.biosecurity.govt.nz/animal-welfare/codes/transport/index.htm 
).
3. Preparation for Export
3.1 Aim
During the export preparation phase, cattle must undergo a preconditioning period to ensure that they will adapt to the sea voyage with respect to feeding and watering. Cattle must be socially compatible with pen cohorts.
3.2. Feeding during the preparation phase
Preparation phase feeding management must be designed to ensure adaptation of the rumen to the shipboard diet.
A combination of meadow or legume hay and high fibre concentrate pellets is recommended with increasing amounts of hay and pellets fed over at least a 7 day period during the preparation phase, finishing with full ship board rations for at least 72 hours before export. However, there may be instances where pellets are not fed until the animals are on board ship, but provided that the animals have been fed hay this approach is satisfactory.
Note: As most cattle are fed hay on a regular basis, and hay is a large proportion of the ship board diet, shy feeding in export cattle is generally not a problem.
3.3 Water
Clean and palatable drinking water must be provided at all times, on an ad libitum basis for all cattle.
3.4 Preparation phase management
3.4.1 Cattle should be grouped according to bodyweight (± 10%) and sex. The cattle should be managed in the same groups so that they will be with the same cohorts when penned on the ship. This will help to ensure compatibility between the animals.
3.4.2 Cattle must be checked by an experienced cattle stockperson at least once per day and appropriate action taken to correct any situation causing distress to the animals.
3.4.3 Handling and holding facilities must be designed to handle the required number of animals without injury and with minimum stress.
4. Shipping Phase
4.1 Only those animals which are fit and healthy may be exported. Fitness to travel includes absence of lameness and any open wounds.
4.2 Loading facilities must be constructed so as to prevent injuries and allow for easy loading. All right angled corners or sharp objects on or next to the feeding and watering troughs must be covered or smoothed.
4.3 Shipboard pens
There are two basic types of pen systems in which cattle are transported by sea:
- where cattle are usually walked on and off the ship and are housed in individual stalls or penned enclosures, and
- a general cargo ship where crates or boxes are constructed ashore and lifted on board by crane.
4.3.1 All pens, containers and fittings must be designed for easy operation and be strong enough to contain the animals’ weight, to prevent the animals escaping or falling out, and to allow ready access to food and water. .
4.4. Space requirements
Consideration must be given to the animal’s access to food and water, age, sex, breed, and pregnancy status; to the length of voyage, ventilation and likely environmental temperatures and humidity. Space allowance must be increased if necessary to ensure appropriate conditions for the animal(s). The following table shows the minimum space required:
| Minimum pen area per head for cattle exported by sea | |
| Liveweight [kg] | Pen area (sq.m) |
|---|---|
| 100 | 0.77 |
| 150 | 0.84 |
| 200 | 0.90 |
| 250 | 1.04 |
| 300 | 1.18 |
| 350 | 1.31 |
| 400 | 1.45 |
| 450 | 1.62 |
| 500 | 1.79 |
| 550 | 1.90 |
| 600 | 2 |
| [Intermediate values could be extrapolated in a linear manner] | |
Note:
- There should be enough space for all of the animals to lie down at any one time and be able to lie down and rise unaided without risk of injury or crushing.
- Animals in excess of 600kg, such as mature breeding bulls, may need extra space in individual pens or stalls, and also bedding, such as rubber mats or straw.
- Accessible trough spaces should be evaluated on a per head basis before finalising the number of animals that can be housed in each pen.
- There must be available space for a hospital pen on each level of the ship.
4.4.3 Pen floors must have a non-slip surface.
4.4.4 Bedding, such as straw, shavings or sawdust must be provided and should be spread before the cattle are loaded.
4.4.5 It is recommended that the pens are not cleaned until after the first week out of New Zealand to allow a pad to form, which will prevent abrasions especially if the weather is rough. Care must be taken to ensure the pad does not heat up due to composting.
4.5 Ventilation
4.5.1 The ship’s ventilation system must be capable of allowing normal animal behaviour during heat and ventilation stress periods in the tropics. Cattle are sensitive to heat stress and there must be management practices in place to deal with the effects of high temperatures such as increasing air flow, increasing the concentrate content of the diet, increasing water consumption, spraying etc.
4.5.2 There must be sufficient free air space above the heads of the cattle for the movement of heated ‘foul’ air towards the exhausting exits. Ammonia levels should not exceed 25ppm. As a guide, a level of 10-15 ppm of ammonia in the air can be detected by smell and an ammonia level over 25 ppm will cause eye and nasal irritation in people.
4.6 Feeding during the voyage
4.6.1 Cattle must be fed at least once per day.
4.6.2 Feed should be made available to the cattle within 24 hours of leaving the assembly farm.
4.6.3 Cattle must be fed no less than maintenance rations. (Two percent of the body weight of good quality hay, or its equivalent, will usually achieve this). Where concentrates are fed, they should be included at an approximate rate of 1:4 with the roughage.
4.6.4 Sufficient feed must be loaded on the ship to meet maintenance requirements for the duration of the voyage, plus an extra 2 days for voyages up to and including 20 days, and an extra 3 days for voyages between 21 and 30 days.
4.6.5 Feed requirements should be calculated on the basis of daily requirements of metabolisable energy (ME)
Table I: Recommended daily energy requirements for maintenance and growth
| Liveweight ( kg) | Liveweight gain (kg/day) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0.25 | 0.5 | ||
| 100 | ME | 19 | 24 | 32 |
| 200 | ME | 30 | 38 | 49 |
| 300 | ME | 40 | 50 | 64 |
| 400 | ME | 48 | 61 | 77 |
| 500 | ME | 57 | 70 | 89 |
(ME in megajoules of energy (MJ) expressed as the ME value per kilogram of dry matter (DM) for each feed type)
Note: (i) This table represents requirements for in-calf export heifers of breeds of medium mature size. For entire males - increase energy values by 15%. For lean cows (ie. body condition score <4*) - increase energy values by 14%.
Crude protein requirements should be 10% of the dry matter of the complete ration; this should be increased to 12% for young growing animals.
(ii) The ME values of various feeds vary e.g. the average ME value of;
lucerne hay = 8.5 MJ/kg DM
wheat straw = 6.1 MJ/kg DM
maize = 12.4 MJ/kg DM etc
Values can be obtained from cattle feed tables.
(iii) Table II provides guidelines for average DM intakes for maintenance and growth for cattle of differing live weights. Shipboard diets can be designed initially on DM intakes. This can then be checked to ensure it meets the ME requirements indicated in Table I.
Table II: Average daily DM requirements in kilograms of DM per day
| Liveweight (kg) | Liveweight gain kg/day | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| | 0 | 0.25 | 0.5 |
| 100 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 3.0 |
| 200 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 4.7 |
| 300 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 6.1 |
| 400 | 4.6 | 5.8 | 7.3 |
| 500 | 5.4 | 6.7 | 8.5 |
4.6.6. The ship must provide dry storage for fodder to prevent spoilage due to rain, sea spray, condensation etc.
4.6.7 Feeding management should ensure that all cattle in each pen have access to food at all times during feeding.
Note: Most cattle ships leaving New Zealand feed cattle meadow hay, with a supplement of concentrate feed in pellet form. General recommendations include feeding pellets to hay at about 1:4 on a dry matter basis, depending on pellet fibre content.
Where cattle are fed pellets only, extra care with regard to pellet composition is necessary.
4.6.8 Concentrate pellets should be at least 16% crude fibre and fed in such a way as to prevent grain overload.
4.7 Watering
4.7.1 Clean and palatable water should be available to cattle within 12 hours of leaving the assembly farm.
4.7.2 Adequate clean water should be available throughout the voyage.
4.7.3 The ship’s watering system must have sufficient storage and generation capacity to provide water for the duration of the voyage plus 10%, based on the following minimum cattle requirements:
Cattle up to 200 kg liveweight 20 litres/day each
Cattle 200 - 300 kg liveweight 25 litres/day each
Cattle 300 - 400 kg liveweight 30 litres/day each
Cattle above 400 kg liveweight 35 litres/day each
4.8 Ship Management
4.8.1 The ship must be adequately staffed to:
- ensure that adequate quantities of food and water is provided throughout the voyage and that the ventilation systems operate effectively to avoid the cattle being distressed.
- remove sick or injured cattle to hospital pens for treatment
- keep the pens and aisles clean
- maintain the pens in a state of good repair.
4.8.2 Where mechanical and/or automated systems are used for feeding, watering and ventilation, there must be back-up systems capable of providing these services in the case of breakdown.
4.8.3 An experienced cattle veterinarian should accompany the shipment.
4.8.4 When a veterinarian is not travelling with the shipment a contingency plan will be required to ensure that a nominated experienced cattle veterinarian can be contacted in New Zealand to provide veterinary advice. Evidence of the contingency plan will be required to be presented to the certifying veterinarian and before final certification is completed.
4.8.5 A competent stockperson experienced with New Zealand-raised cattle must accompany the shipment. Evidence of the stockperson’s experience will be required, as a requirement for the issue of an animal welfare export certificate. One experienced stockman will be required for every 1500 animals. If a veterinarian is accompanying the shipment he/she may also act as a stockperson.
4.8.6 A veterinary kit, supplied by a veterinarian experienced in exporting cattle by sea, must be carried on board.
4.8.7 There must be sufficient medication on board to treat lame, injured or sick cattle and equipment carried to enable humane slaughter should this be necessary.
4.8.8 The exporter must ensure that humane destruction can be carried out when necessary. Humane destruction can carried out using a captive bolt pistol with penetrating bolt or firearm (see Appendix I with regard to site of use), or an overdose of anaesthetic administered by a veterinarian. Evidence of a means of humane destruction will be required to be presented to the certifying veterinarian and before final certification is completed.
4.8.9 In addition to the reporting requirements, the Director-General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry may require an audit to verify compliance by exporters with this standard. Where there is evidence that the welfare of the cattle on a previous shipment was not properly attended to, the Director-General may require an exporter to have a veterinarian accompany a consignment.
4.8.10 The exporter must ensure that, prior to departure of the ship, the Master is provided with clear, written instructions or standard operating procedures that cover:
- the quantity and type of feed to be provided and the frequency of feeding required for each class of cattle during the voyage
- if water is not supplied ad-libitum, the quantity of water to be provided and the frequency of watering required during the voyage
- pen cleaning requirements
- treatment of cattle during the voyage
- the authority to humanely destroy any animal that is seriously ill or injured
- procedures for contacting the exporter and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in the event of an animal health or welfare emergency. For this purpose, the exporter must provide the Master with phone numbers that will allow, throughout the voyage, 24 hour, seven (7) days a week contact with either the exporter or an authorised representative of the exporter; and
- reporting procedures during and on completion of the voyage.
4.9 Animal Welfare Export Certificate
All animals being exported from New Zealand (unless specifically exempted) must be exported under the authority, and in accordance with the conditions of an animal welfare export certificate.
Application forms for an animal welfare export certificate can be obtained from AgriQuality New Zealand, MAF veterinarians located at Auckland and Christchurch airports or from the MAF website: http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/regs/exports/animals
Applications must be made at least 20 working days before the date the animals are scheduled to be exported.
4.10 Reporting Requirements
A voyage report (see Appendix II) is required to be completed and signed by the stockperson at the completion of the journey and countersigned by the exporter. It is the exporter’s responsibility to provide the report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry within 10 working days of the completion of the journey. A report will also be sought from importing countries.
Appendix I: Point of aim for destroying cattle
“a” Position for temporal method (suitable for firearms only)
“b” Position for frontal method (firearms or captive bolt)
“c” Position for poll (firearms only)
Appendix II: Reporting Form
| Reporting Form | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exporter | ||
| Date of Shipment | ||
| Name of Vessel | ||
| Port of departure | ||
| Date of departure | ||
| Date of arrival | ||
| Voyage Veterinarian | ||
| Voyage Stockman | ||
| Total number of cattle | ||
| Classes and numbers: | Weight | |
| Voyage mortality (by class): | ||
| Total number: | ||
| Loading Densities (i.e space per animal)’: | ||
| Feed loaded: | ||
| No. bales of hay | ||
| Amount of pellets | ||
Please provide a full description under the following headings:
Feeding
Include
- number of times fed per day
- description of how carried out
- feed quality
- were there sufficient supplies?
Watering
Include
- description of how supplied
- any problems with supply
- total amount taken on board
- total amount produced during voyage
- amount remaining at completion of voyage
Drainage and the Manure Pad
Include
- nature of bedding
- description of pad condition throughout voyage
Ventilation
Include
- description of ventilation system
- adequacy of system e.g. airflow, ability to remove heat and gases
Temperature
Include
- record of daily minimum and maximum temperatures
- description of management techniques available and/or used throughout voyage
Weather Conditions
Include
- description of weather patterns throughout voyage
Autopsy Summary
Include
- numbers and dates of deaths, and class of animal
- cause of death
Arrival and Discharge
Include
- time and date of arrival
- any problems associated with disembarkation
Any other information that would be helpful with regard to the Standard.
Page last updated: 16 June 2008