As dry conditions start to bite, Agriculture Victoria is stepping up education campaigns around animal welfare, issuing advice about the fitness of stock to be transported.
Agriculture Victoria animal health officer Veronica Campbell said workshops, outlining fit to load guidelines, had been held across the state, including in the Gippsland region.
“Agriculture Victoria is also currently working on developing fit to load signage that will be displayed at saleyards across the state,” Ms Campbell said.
The meetings followed concerns tightening conditions may mean livestock, which were not in a fit condition to be transported, were being presented for sale.
Alex Scott’s Neil Darby, Warragul, said agents were erring on the side of caution, after uncertainty over the condition of livestock.
“Nobody seems to know where the line in the sand is,” Mr Darby said.
“At the end of the day, we are the ones who have to implement all these things.
“How can we implement them, when we don’t know the finer details?”
He said while it was not a common problem, agents would welcome further discussions with Agriculture Victoria.
Agriculture Victoria veterinarian Di Phillips, Bairnsdale, said there had been an enormous amount of stock moved, particularly in Gippsland, in recent months.
“Farmers are realising the chance of getting any break, and relying on pasture to feed livestock, has drawn to a close,” Ms Phillips said.
She said if farmers had left their decision making too late, and were not able to purchase feed, some consignments would be too thin to make it to the saleyards.
Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Victoria president Graham Howell said he anticipated problems in the coming months.
“With winter coming on, if farmers are not feeding livestock enough hay, there probably will be problems,” Mr Howell said.
He said stock presenting in poor condition, could play into the hands of animal welfare activists.
“We did put something in our newsletter, warning transporters to be on the lookout, as we have ongoing issues with animal welfare activists around the saleyards,” he said.
“Every phone has a camera on it and if activists are there, they take photos as evidence.”
Debenham Livestock Transport’s Mick Debenham said he hadn’t noticed an increase in problems.
But he said loading at night was sometimes an issue for transporters.
“It’s hard for us to make a proper assessment of cattle, as we are often loading at premises where the facilities aren’t as good as they should be,” Mr Debenham said.