Take Care When Hauling Animals

Tips for livestock truckers to prevent accident and injury

Carrying livestock is one of the most difficult loads a trucker can deal with. Not only is it a challenge to keep the livestock healthy while in transit, but the load is constantly shifting without warning. Whether the stock belongs to you or you are simply contracted to transport the animals, safety is important.

Animal injury or death during travel is unfavourable for every party involved. Use these guidelines to ensure you and your load make it to the destination without harm or injury:

• Eliminate protruding nails, boards or anything else inside the truck that could potentially harm the livestock during transit.
• Use bedding to prevent the livestock from slipping on the trailer’s slick floors.
• Cover the trailer in unfavourable weather conditions to protect livestock from the harsh weather conditions.
• If you are loading the animals, use two people if possible and avoid leading them into the trailer – it is much safer to herd them into the truck.
• Make sure different classes of livestock are separated using partitions.
• Remove all equipment (such as halters) from animals before loading, and dehorn cattle for their safety and the safety of the other livestock.
• If you are driving a double-deck truck, make sure the weight is distributed evenly between levels.
• According to a recent study, fatigue is the leading cause of accidents among livestock truck drivers. Take every possible measure to ensure you are not tired during your drive, especially in the early morning hours when most crashes occur.
• Be especially alert and attentive to the road, as livestock are continually shifting in the trailer. This leaves significantly less room for driver error, which could result in jackknifing, tipping or loss of control.
• Follow industry guidelines indicating the number of livestock that can be safely loaded in a given-sized truck.

Did you know: trucks transporting yearlings and calves account for about 69 per cent of all livestock truck accidents.

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