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Lowering Stress In Transported
Goats
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Division: Agriculture and Rural
History: New
Written by: C. Richardson - Animal Care Specialist/OMAFRA
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Table of Contents
1. Handling and Loading
2. Travelling
3. Controlling Transport Environment
4. Handling Goats At The Abattoir
5. Summary
6. References
7. Loading Density Graphs |
Any stress goats experience in
transportation can adversely affect their immune system
and carcass quality. Everyone who handles goats, from
the time they are gathered for transportation until
they are settled at their final destination, has a
responsibility for the goats' well-being. You will
deliver a healthier animal or higher quality product
by reducing or eliminating causes of stress related
to transportation. Plan to handle goats with care,
provide safe transport and ensure appropriate conditions
during transportation and unloading.
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| Handling and Loading |
Ensure all animals are fit to be transported.
Do not transport sick, weak or extremely thin goats.
° Load goats carefully. When
lifting a goat into a vehicle, grasp it around the
body, being sure to support the chest and abdomen.
Never lift goats by the head, horns, ears, hair
or legs.
° To prevent injury and bruising separate larger
goats or other species of livestock on vehicles
from smaller goats. In close confinement, the aggressive
behaviour of dominant goats can increase, leading
to more attacks and possible injuries. Heavier goats
may more than double their attacks when placed with
lighter goats. Horn hooking and bunting are the
most frequently observed behaviours during clashes.
Bruising increases when horned goats are placed
in crowded conditions. Figure 1 demonstrates the
use of a rattle paddle handling device that is a
low stress, non-bruising tool for sorting and handling
of goats.
° Supply adequate bedding over a non-skid floor
in the vehicle (or spread sand over the floor before
putting in the bedding) to give the goats sure footing.
Being deprived of sure footing increases the potential
for injury.
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Figure 1. Plastic paddle handling device:
Low stress, non-bruising tool used for sorting and
handling of goats |
| Travelling |
The way the vehicle is driven
greatly affects a goat's stability and balance while
being transported. Goats become fearful when their
standing position is disturbed or if they have unstable
footing on the floor of a moving vehicle. |
° Use a loading dock that
allows vehicles to drive away from it with minimal
turns, stops and starts. A rough start causes hormones
and blood components to fluctuate and may increase
heart rates up to twice the normal rate.
° Drive cautiously when transporting goats to
reduce the chance goats will fall. Braking and cornering
cause 75% of falls; crossing bumps and accelerating
account for 25% of falls.
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° Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
° Plan your braking and slow down gradually.
° Drive slowly when going around corners or
crossing bumps.
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The noise level in livestock trailers is often
high and varies little with speed or type of road
travelled. Noise has a greater effect on releasing
stress-related hormones in goats than motion does.
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° Tighten loose metal fittings
and flooring in the trailer to reduce rattling noise.
° Wrap rubber (e.g., rubber hose) around portable
loading chutes and partitions to reduce banging
noise.
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It is important to use a safe vehicle with no
known physical features that could cause injury to
an animal.
° Put padding over hinges,
latches and other supports to prevent bruising if
a goat accidentally falls against projections. Forceful
contact with the vehicle causes bruising.
° Prevent engine exhaust from entering the area
occupied by the goats.
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| Controlling Transport Environment |
Goats become susceptible to respiratory
infections after prolonged trips under adverse weather
conditions. Physical stress responses generally begin
decreasing within 3 hours after the end of transportation.
However, transportation stress could have a long-term
affect on the immune system of goats. |
| Overcrowding |
Overcrowding in any weather condition,
or on long trips, can harm goats. Signs of overcrowding
and animal discomfort during transportation include:
° moving around and not settling
in one place for the trip
° scrambling for footing
° continuing noise from animals for a prolonged
time
° lying down involuntarily and, possibly, being
unable to get up.
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Use Figure 2 and Figure 3 graphs
to determine the best stocking density for your vehicle.
For trips longer than 24 hours reduce the loading
density by 15% of the maximum to allow room for goats
to lie down. |
| Cool Weather |
Goats, kids in particular, are
susceptible to loss of body heat and frostbite. Avoid
cold stress during transportation in cool wet weather,
as well as in cold weather. Check for signs of animal
discomfort (cold stress) during transportation (e.g.,
wet goats, eating of available bedding or fluids frozen
to the face or nostrils).
In cool and cold conditions:
° keep goats dry
° increase bedding
° cover openings in the vehicle to protect goats
from cold winds and freezing rain. (Wind chill lowers
the environmental temperature.) Adjustable weather
panels on the outside of a vehicle allows adjustments
without unloading the goats
° avoid overcrowding. Goats packed too tightly
are predisposed to frostbite because individual
animals cannot change position in the vehicle and
move away from the wind
° stop and check on the goats after the first
hour of the trip and every 2-3 hours after.
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| Hot Weather |
It is critical to have good ventilation available
at all times when goats are in the vehicle. In hot
and, particularly humid weather, take extra precautions
to avoid heat stress in goats.
In hot conditions:
° Ensure there is no restriction
on airflow through the vehicle.
° Avoid using internal barriers that will restrict
air movement.
Avoid overcrowding that can cause a severe heat
build-up. Reduce the loading density by 15% from
normal on hot/humid days (see Figures 2 and Figure
3).
° Schedule transportation for night or early
morning when temperatures are cooler.
° Avoid times and routes with intense traffic
congestion.
° Keep the frequency and length of stops to
a minimum to prevent rapid buildup of heat inside
the vehicle.
° Never park a loaded vehicle in direct sunlight.
The upper limit of heat tolerance for goats is 35°C-40°C
(95°F-104°F). Goats pant when overheated.
° Stop and check on the goats
after the first hour of the trip and every 2-3 hours
afterward.
° Watch for animals standing with their necks
extended and breathing with open mouths, as signs
of severe heat stress.
° Revive a severely overheated goat by gently
running cold water over the back of its head.
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| Handling Goats At The Abattoir |
Stress in goats just before processing
at the abattoir greatly affects muscle metabolism
and may reduce meat quality. All the benefits of low
stress loading and transport will be lost if goats
are exposed to stressors before being processed. Stress
burns up additional energy in muscles. Processing
when muscle energy is low or being replenished can
cause dark-cutting meat |
| Water and Feed |
Fasting does help reduce carcass
contamination by gut contents during processing; however,
depriving goats of feed and water can also increase
stress.
Give goats water up to the time
of loading for transport. They very rarely drink during
the holding period prior to processing.
Provide feed during the holding period. Extended fasting
due to prolonged holding of goats, especially during
hot weather, increases stress in goats and can produce
muscle damage that affects meat quality. |
| Grouping |
Unfamiliar surroundings and isolation
from other goats can make goats nervous. The new environment
at the abattoir may be a stronger stressor than feed
deprivation for goats. The longer they remain in isolation,
the greater the emotional stress they experience.
Allow goats to have constant visual
contact with the goat in front of them to make handling
easier and to reduce the animals' stress prior to
processing.
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| Summary |
Low-stress transportation can
improve the health and carcass quality of goats. Everyone
involved in transporting goats has a responsibility
to reduce or eliminate potential stress factors. Use
animal-friendly, low-stress loading and holding facilities.
Ensure driving habits provide goats with a safe ride.
Be sure vehicles are appropriate and comfortable for
transporting goats. In addition, to maintain meat
quality, provide goats with some water and feed and
keep them from being isolated before processing.
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| References |
Canadian Agri-Food Research Council
(2001). Recommended code of practice for the care
and handling of farm animals, Transportation
Canadian Agri-Food Research Council (2004). Recommended
codes of practice for the care and handling of goats
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Loading Density Graphs |
The minimum space needed for goats
in transit is based on their average individual body
weight. Figure 2, Loading densities for transporting
goats (metric measurements) and Figure 3, Loading
densities for transporting goats (imperial measurements),
on the next pages show two different ways to determine
how many goats a trailer can normally hold. The bottom
line in each graph shows the minimum floor area per
animal and corresponds with the right axis. The top
line in each graph shows the maximum trailer carrying
capacity and corresponds with the numbers on the left
axis.
In hot, humid weather or on trips
longer than 24 hours, the floor area and trailer capacity
should be 85% of normal.
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Figure 2. Loading densities for transporting goats
(metric measurements)
(Courtesy of the Canadian Agri-Food Research Council)
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1. Example using minimum
floor area per animal:
According to the bottom line and right axis of the
graph, a 45 kg goat needs a minimum floor area of
0.25 m2. A standard 2.61 m wide trailer (2.55 m internal
width) that is 6 m long has 15.3 m2 of floor area.
The maximum number of 45 kg goats for this trailer
would be 61. In hot, humid weather or on long trips,
the maximum number of goats for this trailer would
be 52.
Calculation:
2.55 m of trailer width x 6 m = 15.3 m2 of floor area
in the trailer.
15.3 m2 of floor area/0.25 m2 per 45 kg goat = 61.2
goats
15.3 m2 of floor area/0.25 m2 per 45 kg goat x 85%
= 52.0 goats
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2. Example using maximum
trailer carrying capacity:
According to the top line and the left axis of the
graph, the maximum trailer capacity for 45 kg goats
is 181.5 kg/m2. A standard 2.61 m wide trailer (2.55
m internal width) would carry 462.8 kg of these goats
per running metre of deck. A 6 m trailer would carry
a maximum of 2,777 kg of these goats, or 61 goats.
In hot, humid weather or on long trips the maximum
trailer capacity would be 52 goats.
Calculation:
2.55 m of trailer width x maximum trailer capacity
of 181.5 kg/m2 for 45 kg goats = 462.8 kg of goats
per running metre of trailer deck
6 m of deck x 462.8 kg of goats/m = 2,777 kg of goats
2,777 kg of goats/45 kg per goat = 61.7 goats
2,777 kg of goats/45 kg per goat x 85% = 52.5 goats
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Figure 3. Loading densities for transporting goats
(imperial measurements)
(Courtesy of the Canadian Agri-Food Research Council)
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1. Example using minimum
floor area per animal:
According to the bottom line and right axis of the
graph, a 90 lb. goat needs a minimum floor area of
2.5 ft.2. A standard 102 in. wide trailer (8.3 ft.
internal width) that is 20 ft. long has 166 ft2 of
floor area. The maximum number of 90 lb. goats for
this trailer would be 66. In hot, humid weather or
on long trips, the maximum number of goats for this
trailer would be 56.
Calculation:
8.3 ft. of trailer width x 20 ft. = 166 ft2 of floor
area in the trailer
166ft2 of floor area/2.5 ft2 per 90 lb. goat = 66.4
goats
166ft2 of floor area/2.5 ft2 per 90 lb. goat x 85%
= 56.4 goats
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2. Example using maximum
trailer carrying capacity:
According to the top line and the left axis of the
graph, the maximum trailer capacity for 90 lb. goats
is 36 lb./ft.2. A standard 102 in. wide trailer (8.3
ft. internal width) would carry 299 lb. of these goats
per running foot of deck. A 20 ft. trailer would carry
a maximum of 5,980 lb. of these goats, or 66 goats.
In hot, humid weather or on long trips the maximum
trailer capacity would be 56 goats.
Calculation:
8.3 ft. of trailer width x maximum trailer capacity
of 36 lb./ft.2 for 90 lb. goats = 299 lb. of goats
per running foot of trailer deck
20 ft. of deck x 299 lb. of goats/ft. = 5,980 lb.
of goats
5,980 lb. of goats/90 lb. per goat = 66.4 goats
5,980 lb. of goats/90 lb. per goat x 85% = 56.5 goats
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For more information:
Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300
Local: (519) 826-4047
Email: ag.info@omafra.gov.on.ca |
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