Top 9 Tips for Livestock Transport Emergencies
- Crowd control is important to avoid injuries - to people and animals. Keep people away from the scene to prevent frightening the animals.
- Are the animals contained or loose? You will require a plan for both situations.
- Containing the animals is a top priority.
- Remain calm, quiet and safe - always keep an escape route open.
- Evaluate the livestock truck; try to identify damage extent, type and number of animals.
- Know your local contacts with livestock expertise. Keep that list up to date.
- All animals are unpredictable and dangerous, no matter how clam they may seem.
- Accidents, stress and injuries may alter behaviour significantly. You may need an expert!
- Rescue efforts require expertise, planning and coordination.
Moving slowly with patience is always best when moving or handling farm animals.
- All animals are unpredictable.
- Never assume an animal is going to be nice - no matter how calm they seem.
- Animals experience feelings such as fear, aggression, pain, nervousness, etc.
- Horned animals are aware they have horns or antlers and may use them in an aggressive manner.
- Livestock have a wide angle of vision and are easily frightened by shadows. They will often balk and refuse to walk over a hose, puddle, shadow or change of surface, etc. They will also shy away from bright sunlight if they are not used to being outdoors.
- Livestock have a strong herding instinct. Isolation is one of the strongest stressors of animals and should be avoided. They will calm more quickly if left in a herd and may also “follow the leader” when together. If possible use a wall or fence line as a guide.
- Injured or frightened animals may bite, particularly pigs and horses. All animals may kick or strike when frightened.
- Livestock tend to move from a dimly lit area to a brighter area, provided the light is not glaring into their eyes.
- Loud noises, moving or flapping objects will spook, startle, or slow an animal.
- Frightened animals are unpredictable and will react instinctively by running or fighting.
Allow animals to calm down before attempting to handle them.
- If you spook them, it may take approximately 30 minutes to calm them down.
- Animals have sharp senses of smell, sight and hearing.
GENERAL ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR:
Large animals can seriously injure handlers and/or themselves if they become excited or agitated. Understanding how an animal instinctively reacts will aid you in properly handling the animal during an emergency situation. The following are common behaviour characteristics that apply to livestock in general. Species specific facts will be covered in Section 3.
PROPER LIVESTOCK HANDLING:
Enhancing the safety of the handler & animal:
- If you don’t have to handle the animals… DON’T
- Take your time. The old saying is: “If you make the animal feel you have all day, it will take ten minutes. If you make it feel that all you have is ten minutes, it will take all day.”
- Do not chase the animals; let them move at their own pace.
- Always have an escape route.
- Stay alert as you may have to move quickly.
- Never turn your back on an injured or frightened animal.
- Announce your presence but keep noise to a minimum as animals have sensitive hearing.
Advise emergency crews to, wherever possible, switch off engines and place generators at a comfortable distance from the animals.
- Always move slowly and quietly around livestock. Do not shout, yell or wave your arms wildly at the animals.
- All personnel not required to deal with the animals should stand back for their own safety before animals are moved.
- Unless absolutely necessary, do not approach an animal from directly in front. Livestock such as horses and elk may strike with their front legs. All livestock may view this as an aggressive move. If you must, use a board, such as a spinal board, to create a barrier between the animal and yourself.
- Never walk up behind an animal, whether it is standing up or lying down. It may startle causing a panic reaction resulting in possible injury to personnel. Animals have very accurate aim when kicking.
- Make sure the animal knows you are there and speak softly while approaching.
Be confident - animals sense fear and hesitation and may take advantage of it.
- An animal should never be struck and use of an electric prod should only be considered if all other options for moving the animal have been exhausted.
- Moving lights (headlights, emergency lights, and flashlights) agitate animals. Avoid shining lights into the animals’ faces and ask emergency crews to switch off flashing lights wherever possible.
Flight Zone:
Livestock can be quite happy together in close confines. However, like most people, they need their space. Individually, most animals display a protective area or “flight zone” that varies in size with each animal. Certain objects, such as a non-threatening herd mate, may freely enter this flight zone. Some objects, however, will cause a reaction when they get close to the perimeter of the flight zone.
All animals involved in an emergency situation, such as an accident, will have a large flight zone. Sight is the main sensory factor used by the animal in this zone. Approach the animal calmly and slowly and continue to announce your presence.
Entering the flight zone too suddenly (surprising the animal) or too quickly will make the animal bolt or move in an unpredictable way. If too much pressure is applied they will turn back on you - back off when the animal is not responding in the way you wish.
Here’s what may happen when you enter an animal’s flight zone.
- the animal will be happy to see you
- it will move away
- it will run away and pressure the facilities, damaging or possibly destroying them.
- it will remove you from its zone
SPECIES SPECIFIC BEHAVIOUR AND HANDLING:
In general, all intact (non-castrated) males of each species are typically more aggressive than female, or altered (castrated) members of the species. Always use extreme caution when dealing with males, and with female animals with young. It is recommended that experienced animal handlers should handle these animals.
Horses:
- Horses can strike and kick with both their front and rear feet. An injured or trapped horse that is lying down and appears quiet can snap into violent action at any moment, attempting to free itself. Stay away from legs at all times and approach only from the side of its spine if possible.
- Horses that have been handled frequently will respond well to human contact. They can usually be led to safety by a halter and calmed with gentle talking and petting.
- Always approach a standing horse on the left side. Talk to them in a calm, quiet manner while you approach.
- Horses (especially broken) are more trusting of humans. If they feel they can trust you and you are there to help them they will likely calm down.
- The breed of horse will also influence behaviour - hot bloods (e.g. Arabians or race horses) tend to be high strung; warm bloods (e.g. Quarter Horses, pleasure horses) are calmer by nature and cold bloods (e.g. Clydesdales, heavy horses) are usually calmest. Animals, like humans, have their own personalities and the above should just be used as a guideline.
- Two types of horses are transported - pleasure or meat horses. Pleasure horses will be transported in specially designed horse trailers, whereas slaughter horses are usually transported in commercial livestock trailers.
EXTRICATION:
It is recommended that rescuers avoid entering the trailer whenever possible.
- A temporary containment facility should be located or created before animals are released from the trailer (i.e. paneled corral, directly onto another truck, or even police tape for certain species such as horses). A nearby fenced field may be used for containment.
- If you are presented with a situation where the trailer and/or bedding is on fire, do not release animals from the trailer until a plan for containment is established. Loose animals will pose a serious risk to passing vehicles etc.
- Live animals should be removed from the trailer before it is righted.
- The ideal way to remove an animal from a trailer is through the existing doors.
- To decide the optimum method of extrication, first evaluate the trailer and the condition of the animals.
(a) Position of trailer - on side, roof or upright, on right or left side
(b) Position of animals - lying down, pinned or trapped, tied or loose
- If the animals are uninjured and standing calmly in the trailer, leave them alone until it is necessary to move them.
- No person should enter a trailer to check or treat animals until a rescue plan is established and the trailer is stabilized.
- If unable to use existing doors, access to animals can be achieved through the roof.
- The structural integrity of the trailer must not be jeopardized or the trailer may collapse on the animals and rescue personnel:
(a) Ascertain the design of the trailer (i.e. Angle haul, multi deck, dividers, etc.)
(b) Determine what material the trailer is made of - most new trailers are a combination of fiberglass and/or aluminum with steel supports. Older trailers are usually all steel.
(c) Ensure that the trailer is, or has been stabilized before proceeding with any rescue attempt.
(d) Try to determine which direction gates will swing when opened. Animals may be held in place by a closed gate. To avoid injury, use caution when opening.
(e) Check to be sure the animals do not have any limbs trapped. Horses may need sedation before dismantling. This must be done by a licensed veterinarian.
(f) Ensure that animals inside will not be injured while cutting into the trailer.
(g) Cut the hole only wide enough for one animal at a time to get out.
(h) Don’t cut the hole out completely, you may wish to use the attached metal as a wall, or door.
(i) Bend the cut edges out to prevent the animals getting cut while exiting the trailer.
- When entering the trailer always approach a downed animal from the spine side. Never approach via the belly, back or front legs. You will get hurt.
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