Standard

SB4.1 Time off water must not exceed the time periods given below:

We know of no scientific data to suggest that cattle can travel for 48 hours without water and be physically and psychologically healthy.

Standard

SB4.2 If cattle over 6 months old have been off water for 48 hours, they must be spelled for 36 hours before starting another journey. If cows known to be more than 6 months pregnant excluding the last 4 weeks, lactating cows with calves at foot or calves 1-6 months old have been off water for 24 hours, they must be spelled for 12 hours before starting another journey.

The term ‘known to be’ lets the driver off the hook. Either they are or they are not and as these people should be experienced in the handling of such animals they should know one way or another. Additionally this standard expects the person to know if there are in the last 4 weeks but not if they are in the first 6 months?

Replace with:
SB4.2 If cattle over 6 months old have been off water for a maximum of 38 hours, they must be spelled for 30 hours before starting another journey.
If cows more than 6 months pregnant excluding the last 4 weeks, lactating cows with calves at foot or calves 1-6 months old have been off water for 18 hours, they must be spelled for 12 hours before starting another journey.

Standard

SB4.3 Cattle known to be in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy must be transported under veterinary advice unless the journey is less than 4 hours duration.

The term ‘known to be’ lets the driver off the hook. Either they are or they are not and as these people should be experienced in the handling of such animals they should know one way or another. Also the word ‘advice’ does not stipulate the need for vet to actually physically see the animals. We believe it is not best practice to transport animals in the last month of pregnancy.

Replace with:
SB4.3 Cattle in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy must not be transported.
The navel must be healed on calves before transport.

Standard

SB4.4 Calves less than 5 days old travelling without mothers must only be transported directly to a calf-rearing facility and must:
i) be fed colostrum on the property of origin
ii) be fed a liquid feed within 6 hours before loading
iii) be provided with thick bedding and room to lie down
iv) be protected from cold and heat
v) not be consigned through saleyards
vi) not be transported for longer than 6 hours

Why transport newborns? The dairy industry doesn’t want male calves as they are deemed 'waste'; therefore, in order to save on feed costs, and turn the calves into cash, they want to take the babies to slaughter as soon as possible after they are born. This Standard allows calves 60 seconds old to be separated from their mothers and transported.

There is no way for anyone other than the consignor of knowing if the calves are less than 5 days old. In the previous CoP the calves’ umbilical cord should have been shrivelled before transport was allowed. This was at least someway of determining that they were barely old enough to transport- at least a few days old. However the EU rules state the navel must be healed.

Replace with:
SB4.4 The navel must be fully healed before the animals can be transported. Very young calves travelling without mothers must only be transported directly to a calf-rearing facility and must:
i) be fed colostrum on the property of origin
ii) be fed a liquid feed within 3 hours before loading
iii) be provided with thick bedding and room to lie down
iv) be protected from cold and heat- temps less than 10 degrees and heat more than 30 degrees.
v) not be consigned through saleyards
vi) not be transported for longer than 3 hours

Standard

SB4.5 Calves between 5 and 30 days old travelling without mothers must:
i) be protected from cold and heat
ii) be prepared and transported to ensure not more than 18 hours since last feed
iii) have an auditable and accessible record that identifies the date and time that the
calves were last fed, unless the journey is between rearing properties and is less
than 6 hours duration.

Calves should only be transported after their navel has completely healed. Although in itself it is not an indication of fitness it provides a visual rule whereas there is no way of measuring 5 days.

Cold and heat must be defined.

Replace with:
SB4.5 Only calves with dried umbilical cords shall be permitted to be transported. When transported without mothers they must:
i) be protected from cold and heat – temps less than 10 degrees and heat more than 30 degrees.
ii) be prepared and transported to ensure not more than 10 hours since last feed
iii) have an auditable and accessible record that identifies the date and time that the calves were last fed, unless the journey is between rearing properties and is less than 6 hours duration.

Standard

SB4.6 Calves less than 30 days old travelling without mothers must not be consigned across Bass Strait.

Standard

SB4.7 Dogs must not be used to move bobby calves less than 30 days old.

Replace with:
SB4.7 Dogs must not be used to move any calves under 6 months.

Standard

SB4.8 Approved methods of humane destruction for:
i) adult cattle are firearms (including the temporal position) captive bolt or lethal injection
ii) calves are firearms, captive bolt, lethal injection or blunt trauma; blunt trauma must only be used when there is no other approved option for humane destruction, and only on calves that are less than 24 hours old.

There are serious issues with the use of blunt trauma such as: the ability to restrain the animal, the accuracy and repeatability of the smashing of the head There is no way of ensuring ‘destruction’ is ‘humane’ (if this is at all possible,) if the person is not trained, accredited and competent to carry out the task.

Replace with:
SB4.8 Approved methods of humane destruction for:
i) adult cattle are firearms (including the temporal position) captive bolt or lethal injection
ii) calves are firearms, captive bolt, lethal injection or blunt trauma; blunt trauma must only be used when there is no other approved option for humane destruction, and only on calves that are less than 24 hours old.

Destruction must only be carried out by trained, accredited and competent persons