Long Distance Transport and Welfare of Farm Animals

WSPA HWC Report 36pp Text:WSPA HWC Report 36pp Text 14/1/08 13:35 Page 15A DEADLY JOURNEYIn the Australian live export industry, over three quarters of all sheep deathsoccur on the ship itself, with for example approximately 60,000 animalsreported to have died in 2003. 40The biggest contributor to sheep death is persistent failure to eat (so-called‘inappetence’), due to the animals being moved from a pasture-based diet toconcentrated pellets, which they simply do not recognise as food.The main causes of cattle death are heat stroke, trauma and respiratorydisease (shipping fever). 41 The high temperature load generated by the livestockand the ships’ engines, combined with a high ambient temperature,makes heat stress a common problem on export vessels.Infectious conjunctivitis (pinkeye) is also a pernicious clinical disorder thatoccurs regularly on the ships. Whilst pinkeye is not fatal, there is no doubt thatit significantly reduces the welfare of the livestock because of irritation, and itis also known to reduce productivity.The animals’ journey, standing in their own excreta, generates ammonia gasfrom the urea which can irritate the respiratory tract in animals and humans.The clinical symptoms of ammonia toxicosis are lacrimation (crying), coughingand sneezing, and nasal discharge that can be bloody. 42Closed decks may have a constant, average to high ammonia level, whileopen decks normally have a lower average ammonia level, unless climaticconditions are conducive to higher levels, for example in the hot conditionsof the Asian and Middle Eastern destination ports.BEYOND CRUELTY. BEYOND REASON. LONG DISTANCE TRANSPORT AND WELFARE OF FARM ANIMALS. 15