Animal welfare - on-farm

PROGRAM OBJECTIVE	KPIs	OUTCOMES	BENEFITS	FUTURE
Improve livestock well-being and address issues of community concern	Develop three best practice resources Identify welfare outcomes from livestock transport Determine impact of variable shade on heat load and incorporate into risk assessment software	Best practice castration, branding and dehorning guide developed with input from RSPCA, state governments and industry Studies confirmed that transport up to 48 hours does not compromise welfare for healthy, well prepared adult cattle and sheep Updated risk assessment software now available to all feedlots	Proactive approach to welfare standards and support of best practice on-farm Current industry best practice supported with rigorous science Most effective and economic level of shade provision for reducing heat load risk identified	Develop further resources and distribute widely Conduct further research to establish appropriate welfare standards Repeat research to validate findings

The most effective and economic level of shade in feedlots to reduce heat load risk was identified

Supporting welfare on-farm

Industry’s commitment and proactive approach to improved animal welfare standards is ongoing.

Testament to this is the development of a new guide on branding, castration and dehorning that outlines best practice techniques and alternatives for each procedure, including equipment maintenance, OH&S considerations and animal after-care.

We undertook extensive consultation with RSPCA, agricultural colleges, veterinary schools and industry to develop the guide, and 1,903 copies were delivered within the first week of its release to the broader industry. Over 80 education providers will also receive free copies of the guide to assist teaching new entrants to the industry.

Trustworthy transport

We have continued to support the industry with research to identify welfare outcomes from the transport of sheep and cattle.

The research, conducted by CSIRO, comprises four stages, including investigating the effects of transport time on the welfare of sheep and cattle. Research results support current industry best practice which allows adult animals to be transported for up to 48 hours (as long as the animals are in good health, have not been curfewed prior to transport and are transported using best practice) with no compromise to their welfare.

This research has been used to inform the development of the drafted Australian transport standards and guidelines for the welfare of animals. Additional research has catalogued improvements that allow industry to establish their long-term commitment to improving the welfare outcomes for animals transported in Australia.

Is it fit to load? – a national transport guide developed this year – provided industry with a simple reference book on what to look out for when transporting livestock. Over 53,700 copies have been distributed across the country. The guide has been strongly supported by industry, including agents and transporters as well as state agricultural departments. It demonstrates the industry’s commitment to supporting transport best practice.

Heat load amelioration

It might seem obvious that shade is an effective way of reducing heat stress in feedlot cattle, but this year we identified the specific impacts of varying levels of shade on animal welfare.

We have incorporated these research results into the Risk Analysis Program software, which was developed as a result of six years of research, to ensure clear guidelines are available to all operators on the most effective and economic level of shade coverage necessary to prevent excessive heat load.

In addition, the Feedlot Industry Accreditation Committee made the decision to incorporate excessive heat load guidelines into the National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme. This means from October 2007, all 650 accredited feedlots will be required to undertake a risk assessment and develop a summer management plan that outlines the range of measures they will implement to reduce their heat load risk.

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