Cattle

The increasing centralisation of abattoirs in Australia means more cattle are facing lengthy journeys from the farm to slaughter. The Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Land Transport of Cattle states that mature, fit cattle may be transported for 36 hours without water, although if the animals aren't showing signs of fatigue and there are no extreme weather conditions, this can be extended to 48 hours. Cattle can become noticeably dehydrated and tired after only 12-24 hours of transportation.

Broiler (meat) chickens

Broiler chickens have their food withdrawn 8-12 hours prior to being caught (to reduce 'feed wastage' and avoid feed contamination of carcasses) and sent to slaughter. Water will also be withdrawn, generally an hour before they are caught.

The catching process is stressful and inhumane: catchers walk through the sheds grabbing birds by one leg and carrying them in bunches (up to five in each hand) to crates, at a rate of 300-500 per hour. Chickens will be forcefully packed into the crates and stacked onto the truck.

Many of the birds already have fractures and dislocations after spending the 5-7 weeks of their lives crammed into a shed with up to 40000 other birds. The catching process causes significantly more injury and suffering.

As sheds are artificially lit and often windowless; the journey to the slaughterhouse is often the first glimpse of sunlight and the outside world that broiler chickens will experience. Between 1 million and 2.5 million broiler chickens are estimated to die each year in Australia during transport to the slaughterhouse, from a number of causes including:

• Poor bird health

• Distress

• Exposure to extreme temperatures

• Physical injury, such as dislocations and trauma caused by the catching process.

Of those who make it to the slaughterhouse, over 90% of chickens have an observed abnormal gait, indicating lameness. 

Ducks

Because of weaknesses in the leg and thigh joints, ducks are particularly susceptible to injury when being caught and crated to be taken for slaughter.

Ducks are depopulated from sheds in a similar way to broiler chickens, by being loaded into crates that are stacked on the back of trucks. Many ducks will become trapped under others in the crates, meaning that they'll often become covered in faecal matter which falls onto them from those above them during the trip. Mortalities during transport are common. While day-olds hatchlings are transported in temperature controlled crates, older ducks being sent to slaughter are not.

Considering their limited capacity to self-regulate their temperature without water, these ducks are likely to suffer. Various factors such as mode of transport, stocking density, season, time of day and ventilation contribute to the potential suffering involved in transport.

Horses

Horses being transported to slaughter can have their water supply cut off for 24 hours (horses over 6 months old) or 12 hours (lactating mares, foals less than 6 months old, mares in the late stage of pregnancy) at a time.

Minimum space allowances for horses during transport:

• Adult horses: 1.2m² each
• Horses 18-24 months: 1.0m² each
• Horses 12-18 months: 0.9m² each
• Horses 5-12 months: 0.7m² each

Pigs

Pigs being transported to slaughter can have their water supply cut off for 24 hours (12 hours for lactating sows, piglets and weaners) at a time.

Minimum space allowances for pigs during transport:

• Based on the standing position

Sheep

Sheep being transported to slaughter can have their water supply cut off for 48 hours (sheep over 4 months old) or 28 hours (lambs under 4 months old) at a time.

Minimum space allowances for sheep during transport:

* Based on average liveweight, wool of 25 mm length, and no horns.

Turkeys

Turkeys face similar transport issues to broiler chickens. At the end of the growing period workers herd factory-farmed birds to the edge of the shed then herd them up a loader (conveyor belt), where workers catch the birds and pack them into crates. While current government standards encourage the use of crates which offer enough space for birds to sit and stand comfortably, commercial crates that are forty centimeters or less are often used for transportation. Turkeys are much taller than 40 cm and thus are forced to travel in extremely cramped conditions.

Once the birds have been roughly and rapidly loaded into crates, they are driven in a truck to the slaughterhouse. Whilst being transported, turkeys are prone to injuries such as severe bruising and bleeding, amputated toes, fractures, and suffocation (due to overcrowding), as well as to high stress levels , ).

Many turkeys die before they reach the slaughterhouse and there is an 'accepted' mortality rate during transport. 'Dead on arrival' (DOA) is a term commonly used to describe birds who die while being transported.

One study found that when turkeys were monitored in various modes of transport up to 4.2% had severe damage, which included death, amputated toes, large bruises and significant bleeding, while up to 13.3% had damage of some kind, such as bruising. The same study found that 0.38% of birds died of acute and congestive heart failure, with death rates higher in summer, as many birds suffered from dehydration and metabolic problems.

After arriving at the slaughterhouse the birds are understandably tired, thirsty, hungry and stressed.

View the 'Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines: Land Transport of Livestock'