Transporting dairy cattle to ensure they arrive fit and healthy

Proactively discuss cull cow health and welfare with your clients.

Promote the importance of selecting cows that are fit for transport.

Provide advice on:

• preparation for transport, including the importance of drying off lactating cows where possible
• feeding requirements
• recommendations on calcium and magnesium supplementation.

The New Zealand Veterinary Association

Cull cows must be well-prepared for travel, whatever the journey length.

Lactating cows are at increased risk of milk fever (low blood calcium) and going down during transport or at the processor. 

Tips to prevent milk fever or cows going down

• Only select animals that are fit for transport.
• Where possible, fully dry cows off before transporting to slaughter. Transporting in full milk is high risk. Milk any lactating cows as close to transport as possible.
• Cull cows should be transported for the shortest time possible and processed at the nearest facility. Discuss options with your stock agent. The risk of injury or going down increases with travel time and distance.
• Supplement with extra calcium and magnesium at the same rate you would give to colostrum cows to prevent milk fever. Seek advice from your vet on supplementation rates and administration options.
• Take cows off green feed (lush pasture) for 4 to 12 hours prior to pick-up time. Maximum 6 hours for lactating cows. Provide roughage and water until loading.
• A grazed-out paddock is recommended to give cows the opportunity to rest before the journey. Don't stand them on concrete.
• Cows may be held in yards overnight at the processing plant, so the total time off feed is longer than just the journey time.

Transporting stock – DairyNZ

Stock agents

• Ideally, confirm transport plans at least a week in advance.
• Communicate with farmers as early as possible (not the night before) about destination and processing time, so they know where their cows are going and have enough time to adequately prepare them for transport.
• Remind clients and farmers that cows must be well-prepared for travel, whatever the journey length.
• Communicate with transporters in a timely manner about pick up time.
• Travel time should be as short as possible, especially for lactating cows.

At the processing plant

• Assess animals on arrival and prioritise processing based on animal welfare risk (including for lactating cows).
• Ensure cows are not held for a long period before processing.
• Lactating cows need to be milked at least once every 24 hours.
• Provide timely feedback to farmers and transporters if animal welfare issues are identified on arrival.

• Plan transport as early as possible and confirm date, time, and destination with the farmer.
• Communicate with farmers at least 12 hours (ideally 24 hours or more) before the scheduled pick-up, so there is enough time to prepare animals for the journey.
• Only accept cows that are fit for transport. If an unfit animal is assessed by a veterinarian as ok to travel, they must have an accompanying veterinary certificate – you must comply with all the conditions on this.
• Make regular stops along the journey to check the animals’ condition and welfare. The first check should be within 30 minutes of departure and then at least every 2 hours. Lactating cows must not be without water for more than 12 hours, or without feed for more than 24 hours (measured from when last received on farm).
• Make sure you operate the vehicle in a way that doesn’t cause animals to fall or be injured during travel.
• Use vehicle covers when needed to protect cows from adverse weather conditions, while allowing adequate ventilation.

You should ensure that:

• cows are not held at sale yards for long periods.
• water and shade or shelter is provided.