Reminder of the Land Transport Standards (LTS)

The Land Transport Standards were introduced to ensure appropriate welfare is provided for livestock during transport, to provide guidance for people responsible for livestock during transport and to provide one set of standards which are implemented and regulated across Australia.

The LTS apply to all people responsible for the management of livestock at all stages in the livestock transport process. This includes the consignor who is responsible for livestock:

• during mustering and assembling in yards
• preparation of livestock and selection as ‘fit for the intended journey’
• feed and water provisions prior to transport and holding periods before loading.

The transporter is responsible for livestock:

• during final inspection as ‘fit for the intended journey’
• loading and loading density
• inspections during transport
• spelling periods during the journey
• unloading at the destination.

The receiver has the responsibility for management of livestock after unloading.

Animals that are deemed not ‘fit for the intended journey’ include:

• unable to walk on its own by bearing weight on all legs
• severely emaciated (thin and weak)
• visibly dehydrated
• showing visible signs of severe injury or distress
• suffering from conditions that are likely to cause increased pain or distress during transport
• blind in both eyes
• horned cattle that have in growing horns, or visible wounds due to horn damage
• cattle known to be, or visually assessed to be in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy must not be loaded unless the journey is less than 4 hours duration to another property. Cattle in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy can only be transported under veterinary advice.

Cattle must be assessed and determined fit to load, at every loading by the person in charge. Cattle that are not fit for the intended journey must not be loaded, nor permitted to be loaded, and should than be appropriately cared, treated or humanely destroyed at the first reasonable opportunity. If cattle can be cared and treated for, reassess if they are fit to load once recovered.

It is the responsibility of the consignor to ensure they only supply livestock that are assessed as ‘fit for the intended journey’. The transport driver has a joint responsibility in ensuring only animals that have been assessed as ‘fit for the intended journey’ are loaded.

Meat and Livestock Australia have put together a pocket guide, Is it fit to load? which outlines some of the conditions that make an animal unfit to load. This guide provides illustrations of examples of animals that are unfit to load. This guide can be found by double clicking the below ‘Is the animal fit to load?’ icon:

A full list of the Land Transport Standards for each different species, and the responsibilities specific to each person, can be found at the NT Government website