MANAGEMENT COMPONENTS

SECTION 7. CARE AND HANDLING OF ANIMALS DESTINED FOR SALE OR SLAUGHTER

Approximately one third of all lactating dairy cattle are culled from the herd each year. Animals may be culled due to low milk production, infertility, disease, temperament, lameness, or injury. Most culled animals are destined for slaughter, but some are purchased at auctions and relocated to other farms. Animals that die on the farm are transported to a rendering facility. Some local ordinances require that carcasses destined for rendering be at least 100 feet from the roadside while awaiting pick-up. It is advisable to use "blinds," hay bales, or other barriers to keep carcasses from public view.

Transportation is inherently stressful. Regardless of whether culled animals are sold for meat or dairy purposes, every effort should be taken to minimize stress during handling and transportation. Efforts to reduce handling and transport time will reduce stress. Rough handling and animal abuse during transportation are not acceptable. Interim holding facilities, such as sale yards, should provide adequate feed, water, and shelter for the animals.

Any animals destined for slaughter, that were recently medicated, must conform to the legal meat and milk withdrawal times specified on the product label or by the veterinarian's prescription. The use of animal medications by dairy producers in a manner inconsistent with the manufacturer's or veterinarian's prescription is prohibited by law. Violative levels of any residue in the meat or other tissues of slaughter animals will result in condemnation of the carcass and penalties for the livestock owner.

Dairy cattle are generally docile. However, bulls are extremely strong and can be aggressive. Handling bulls and cows in a manner that excites or provokes them can result in serious harm to the animal and/or personnel. Cows with newborn calves may be aggressive and should be handled with caution.

Cattle have panoramic vision, except for small area directly behind them. Therefore, the animal should be approached from a direction other than the rear. If there is no alternative, a low, quiet voice will indicate to the animal that someone is approaching and will help prevent startling.

Moving animals to and from holding pens and loading ramps should be done calmly with a minimum of excitement and noise. Animals should not be forced to move faster than a walk. Whips, slappers, and other aids should be only used if absolutely necessary, and then only by trained personnel. Devices that can cause injury should be avoided. Abusive handling only tends to make the animal more excited and prone to harming itself or others. Extremely excited animals can have elevated levels of stress hormones, such as catecholamines and cortisol, which may reduce the quality of the meat or increase susceptibility to disease. Properly designed facilities provide for ease of movement, safety for personnel, and minimum stress to the animal.

Bull calves are often sold and removed from the dairy within one day of age to be raised elsewhere for veal or beef purposes. These calves should be dry, have iodine or other approved disinfectant applied to the navel, and should have received sufficient colostrum before leaving the dairy. Humane care in handling and transport is critical to these calves since they have limited ability for self-care.

Owners or their agents have the responsibility to select and present for transportation only healthy and fit animals. Personnel involved in loading, transporting, and unloading cattle should be trained in techniques that avoid stress and trauma to the animals. Animal handling, the duration of transport, climatic conditions, and the vehicle design may all be sources of stress for cattle. Trips should be planned to minimize transport time, and avoid extreme temperatures. Both proper ventilation in hot weather and the avoidance of wind chill during cold weather are essential. In summer, trucks must be kept moving to prevent heat from building up inside the trailer. Precautions, such as shade, ventilation, and availability of water should be considered when handling and transporting animals on hot days. Animals in late gestation should be transported with extreme care to protect both the cow and fetus. Truck drivers should avoid sudden starts and stops, erratic speed, and direction changes to prevent animals from colliding and falling. Vehicles should be equipped with mirrors or inspection ports for load observation. Exhaust fumes should not enter the trailers.

The transport container should be designed for animals and be free of obstacles that could injure an animal. Doors, gates, and passageways should be designed to allow ease of passage and maintained to avoid hazards. Truck floor space should be allotted so that all animals can stand in a normal position. During long trips, the animals should be checked for signs of distress within the first 20 miles and periodically thereafter. Long trips should be planned to allow for ample consumption of feed and water. Lactating cows should be milked at 12-hour intervals.

A non-ambulatory animal is one which is incapable of standing or walking without assistance. These animals are often referred to as "downer cows" or "disabled" animals. Some non-ambulatory animals regain mobility with appropriate care. Others will not respond to treatment and will require euthanasia or special handling to move them to a processing facility. Some local ordinances prohibit movement of non-ambulatory animals. California Penal Code Section 599f prohibits non-federally inspected processing plants, stockyards, and auctions from buying, selling, or receiving non-ambulatory animals. It requires that non-federally inspected processing plants, stockyards, and auctions take immediate action to humanely euthanize or remove the non-ambulatory animal from the premises and prohibits the dragging or pushing of the animals.

Every dairy will occasionally have to handle animals that are acutely diseased or injured and unable to walk. Handling sick and non-ambulatory animals must be done with a minimum of force and trauma. Non-ambulatory animals should be protected from direct sunlight, rain, and extreme temperatures. Feeding, watering, and milking the animal are necessary.

Handling non-ambulatory animals requires special equipment to assure the animal is not harmed while being moved. Equipment, such as sleds and pallets, are available to safely lift and carry non-ambulatory animals to another location on the farm or to a truck for transport. If the use of chains or ropes becomes absolutely necessary to move an animal on the farm, it should be for the shortest possible distance, and padding used where a chain or rope passes over the animal's body. Without these precautions, major trauma may result.

If the proper equipment is not available, the animal should not be moved. Then either the proper equipment should be obtained, or the animal should be euthanized. Diseased or non-ambulatory animals destined for a rendering plant, must be euthanized prior to pickup. (For more detailed information see Livestock Conservation Institute, 1992.)

Sale yards and slaughterhouses are an essential part of the dairy business. Many animals in a sale yard are destined for slaughter; others are sold alone or in groups for transport to other dairies. The sale yard serves as a gathering place for the marketing of animals. These facilities should be designed and maintained so they do not cause injury to animals during loading, unloading, or handling. There should be no sharp edges or projections, and walkways should have non-slip surfaces. Animals should be penned according to size, age, and physical characteristics (e.g. horns). Over crowding must not occur. Solid sides on loading ramps, alleyways and in crowd pens will facilitate animal movement.

Cattle destined for sale or slaughter should not be treated any differently than animals at the dairy. Proper care of animals destined for sale or slaughter is vital to insure the animals' future productivity or meat quality at the final destination. Abusive handling is costly for the producer. Bruises from abuse or dragging a non-ambulatory animal can reduce the carcass value up to 50 percent. Educating cattle handlers in proper animal handling practices is essential. Knowledge of basic cattle behavior including the animal's senses of sight, hearing, and smell will facilitate proper handling.

As a general rule, animals should not be without feed or water for more than 24 hours including the time spent traveling and yarding. For immature animals, the intervals should be shorter. Watering intervals should also be shorter during hot weather. Sick and diseased animals should be segregated and must not be placed in dead animal holding areas. Any terminally ill or injured animals should be euthanized without delay.

Vehicles designed for transporting young calves minimize injuries and stress from environmental extremes.