Meat & Livestock Australia has launched a new transport hub to help guide operators in carting livestock around the nation.
Launched at the combined Queensland and Australian Livestock Transporters' Associations' (ALTRA) national conference in Toowoomba, Qld, last month, the hub acts as a "one-stop shop" for livestock transport information.
The hub was developed in consultation with the livestock transport supply chain.
It would help navigate rules, roles and responsibilities for livestock transport anywhere in Australia, MLA project manager Animal Welbeing and Rural Transport project manager Sharon Dundon said.
She said it was a proactive and collaborative effort to help everyone in the supply chain understand how to prepare livestock correctly for transport.
"We met with transporters, agents, lot feeders and producers in 2023 to find out how we can continue to improve the livestock transport process," Ms Dundon said.
"There was united agreement in the need for a central location for livestock transport information leading to the development of the Transport Hub."
The Hub includes information on transporting cattle, sheep and goats by road in Australia, with specific advice on different classes of animals and links to other relevant sites.
"We will continue to refine the hub as we receive feedback from users," Ms Dundon said.
"We want it to be relevant, easy to access and useful for people needing to transport livestock every day."
The Transport Hub was a key component of the industry's vision that by 2028, all players in the Australian livestock industry would know and act on their livestock transport responsibilities to achieve world-class outcomes for livestock and supply chain partners, with data to back it up, she said.
ALRTA executive director Rachel Smith said the hub would be a "central repository" for producers and transporters alike to find information about preparing livestock for transport.
"To have some consistency of messaging and information, it will be held in one central location," she said.
"It's for transporters, producers, saleyards, anyone involved in the meat supply chain."
Information on the site included material on "fit-to-load" guidelines, preparation of livestock for transport and loading densities.
"Animal welfare issues are of increasing concern to the community, so it's really important we have consistent information that everyone can access," Ms Smith said.
Agriculture Victoria has recently warned that some producers are still ignoring, or unaware, of the rules around the transport of bobby calves.
ALRTA vice president Athol Carter said the hub demonstrated how supply chain parties were getting on the front foot and working together for the best outcomes for animals in their care.
"Transporting and handling livestock is a specialist task and one which the whole supply chain relies on to be performed safely, efficiently and professionally," Mr Carter said.
"Well planned and managed livestock transport delivers the best results for people and animals, higher profits and ensures the sustainability of the industry.
"The Transport Hub is going to be especially valuable in helping producers understand how they can work with transporters and the rest of the supply chain to achieve best practice."
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
