STOCKMAN'S HANDBOOK

TRANSPORT OF CATTLE BY SEA

Short & Long Haul Voyages

Prepared for the LiveCorp

SHIPBOARD PROGRAM

by Ross Ainsworth BVSc.

AUSTRALASIAN LIVESTOCK SERVICES PTY LTD

April 2008
CONTENTS Page No

1. Introduction 4
• Background, Accreditation 4
• Aim, Accredited Stockman's Role 5
• Lines of Communication and Responsibility 5
• Dispute Resolution, Confidentiality, Organisation 6
• Insurance 7

2. Pre Shipment Procedures 7

• Load Plan 7

3. Pre Shipment Factors 9

• Breed and Type, Origin of the Stock 9
• Feed and Water Curfews 10
• Storage of Fodder, 10
• Preshipment Equipment Checklist 11
• Exporter’s Instructions 11

4. Onboard Management 11
• Cattle Observation 11
• Respiration, Appetite 12
• Water Consumption 13
• Dehydration 13
• Environmental Observation 14
• Temperature and Humidity 14
• Deck Conditions, Stocking Densities 14
• Ventilation, Temperature and Humidity 15
• Hot Stuff 20
• Deck and Bedding 21
• Fodder and Feeding 24
• Water and Electrolytes 27

5. Health Problems 28
• Diarrhoea 28
• Bloat, Wounds and Injuries 29
• Pneumonia 32
• Heat Stress, Downers 32
• Pink Eye, Sudden Death 34
• Non-Eaters 35
• Other Diseases 35
6. Discharge 36

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 Page No
APPENDICES

1. ASEL Stocking Density Chart – Default table 39

2. ASEL Stocking Density Chart – Northern Summer 40

3. ASEL Stocking Density Chart – Northern Winter 41

4. Load Plan 42

5. Temperature and Humidity Index 43

6. Recommended Ship’s Veterinary Kit 44

7. Recommended Ship’s Equipment List 45

8. Stockman’s Personal Check List and Health Issues 46

9. Instructions for Euthanasia 47

10. Travel Advice and Insurance Policy 48

11. Special Notes on Species other than cattle 52

12. Live Export Trade Terminology / Organisation 56

13. Shipboard Protocols / Terminology 57

14. Daily Report Format 59

15. End of Voyage Report 61

16. Shipment of Calves to Middle East 62

17. Management Planning for Pregnant Cattle – AQIS Orders 63

18. Management of Pregnant Dairy Cattle on long haul voyages 63

19. Diagnosis of Premature Lactation 64

20. Veterinary Drug Names and Usage 65

21. Map of Middle East 68

22. Map of South East Asia 69

23. Australian Ports showing 26th Parallel 70

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 3
1. INTRODUCTION

Background
As a result of problems encountered some years ago during the transport of cattle on
long haul voyages, the industry implemented the Shipboard Program. The key
element to this program of self-regulation was the provision of an independently
appointed Accredited Stockman on each long haul voyage (excluding SE Asia,
Japan and Korea – classed as Short Haul).
LiveCorp developed an Accredited Stockman training course to produce stockmen
needed for the program as well as Long and Short Haul Stockman’s handbooks to
assist stockmen during their voyages. These handbooks were later converted into a
single document.
Following the Cormo Express incident, the industry regulation changed again with the
introduction of new legislation and the Australian Standards for the Export of
Livestock (ASEL).
The information contained in this document reflects these recent policy changes and is
a combination of current Government regulations, scientific fact, informed best
guesses and the hard won experience of a large number of exporters and stockmen
and a small number of veterinarians operating in the trade. The details presented are
constantly under review pending further experience and the results of ongoing
scientific research. Suggestions for changes or improvements from interested parties
are always welcome.

ASEL Standard S4.5 (Version 2.1)

“An accredited stock person who is employed by the exporter and who is not ordinarily
a member of the ship’s crew must be appointed to accompany each consignment of
livestock for export to its destination. In addition, if required by the relevant Australian
Government agency, an accredited veterinarian must be appointed to accompany a
consignment.”

Short Haul and Long Haul voyage differences

Long Haul (LH)
• Accredited Stockman must report daily to AQIS in a specified format

Short Haul (SH)

• Daily reporting is at the discretion of the exporter

Accreditation
Stockmen become accredited by attending a LiveCorp training course. Those
attending the course must have a sound background in handling livestock and are
usually nominated for the course by an Exporter. Each stockman (both male and
female stockmen can be accredited) must pass an examination at the end of the
training course at which time they become Provisionally Accredited. After completing
two satisfactory voyages they are granted full Accreditation. A register of Accredited

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stockmen is maintained by LiveCorp. LiveCorp also operates a Stockman
Accreditation program for the live sheep trade.
Aim
The aim of the Livecorp Accredited Stockman’s program is to provide competent,
qualified stockmen to travel aboard livestock shipments to maintain the welfare of the
stock and to carry out the necessary reporting functions. Feedback from experienced
stockmen allows the industry to constantly improve the management and welfare of
animals during sea voyages.

Accredited Stockman's Role (Long Haul)

• Normal stockman's duties working with the ship's Master and crew to promote the
health and welfare of the livestock on board
• Taking appropriate action to prevent or address livestock problems in conjunction
with Master and crew
• Observation and recording of specific parameters and events on board
• Detailed regular daily reporting of these observations to AQIS as set out in
Appendix 14
• Acting on directives from the Exporter or consulting veterinarian as required
• Collection of post mortem samples and data on mortalities where appropriate
• Production of detailed report for AQIS at the end of the voyage as per Appendix 16
• Carrying out research activities as required

The Short Haul stockman’s role is essentially the same as above except that
reporting to AQIS is only required at the end of the voyage.

Lines of Communication and Responsibility

The Master of the vessel is ultimately responsible for all activities on board the vessel.
In the majority of cases the stockman will discuss any matters of concern with the
Master, the Chief Officer or the Bosun and a course of action will be agreed upon. On
some of the larger vessels there may be a "Head Stockman" position in the crew. In
this case the Accredited Stockman will communicate directly with him.

ASEL Standard S5.6 a) requires that “A meeting must be held daily to discuss all
issues relating to the health and welfare of the livestock. This must include the Master
and/or the Master’s representative and the accredited stock person...”

Under no circumstances should the stockman attempt to undertake any major

management initiative without the knowledge or cooperation of the officers and
crew.

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Dispute Resolution
In the unlikely event that the stockman is not able to convince the Master or crew to
take a certain course of action that he feels, if not followed, may result in an extremely
serious threat to the welfare of the stock then the following course of action is the
correct procedure to take.
• Send a communication through the Master to the Ship Owner and the Exporter
explaining the problem and outlining the various solutions proposed.
• A response will be sent from these parties to the Master.
• Both parties will be obliged to follow the instructions provided from shore.
In the event that the Master or crew still refuse to cooperate, the stockman should
follow the Master's instructions, regardless of his personal views and provide a full
report on the matter at the end of the voyage.

Confidentiality
All information collected as a result of any voyage must be regarded as confidential.
This is especially important if you are approached by members of the press. Any such
approaches should simply be referred to the exporter.

Organisational Arrangements
Accredited stockmen are trained by LiveCorp and a record of available persons is held
by the LiveCorp Shipboard Program Manager (based in Sydney: 1800 237 655).
Exporters are solely responsible for arranging to secure the services of an accredited
stockman for the voyage.
The Exporter will then be responsible for communicating with the stockman to advise
when and where they will be required to join the vessel.
The Exporter will be responsible for the daily fees of the stockman and his travel
expenses from the time he leaves home to travel to the ship till the time he arrives
back at his home after the voyage.
Accredited stockmen can be employees of an exporting company or private
contractors. If they are employees then they will be covered for Workers
Compensation, Superannuation etc. by the Exporting company. If the stockman
works as a contractor then he or she is personally responsible for all these matters.
Once stockmen have successfully completed the Accreditation course, they will be
classed as Provisionally Accredited. After the satisfactory completion of two voyages
they will become fully accredited by LiveCorp.
At the present time the minimum fees for Provisionally Accredited Stockmen is
AUD$150 per day while fully Accredited Stockmen must be paid a minimum of AUD
$200 per day. Rates of pay over these levels are for private negotiations between the
stockman and his / her employer.
Provisional and Accredited Stockmen should keep the LiveCorp Shipboard Program
Manager up to date on their availability to travel with shipments.

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Insurance
The stockman should clarify with the Exporter if he is covered for workers
compensation type insurance by the Exporting company. In most cases this will be the
normal arrangement. If the Exporter is not able to provide this cover then the
stockman should ensure that he makes his own arrangements to provide such
insurance cover.
LiveCorp has secured a special insurance policy to cover stockmen for matters other
than workers compensation. This policy is a free service to stockmen who are
employed by Exporters who are members of LiveCorp. See the Insurance certificate in
Appendix 10 for the details of the cover provided. In order to be eligible for this cover,
stockmen must notify LiveCorp of their proposed travel before leaving Australia.
This insurance is available to stockmen, veterinarians and others travelling
overseas on business for livestock exporters. The insurance cover includes
travel by both air and sea.

2. PRE SHIPMENT PROCEDURES

Stockman's responsibilities
The principal role of the stockman is to assist the Exporter to load the vessel in an
efficient manner while monitoring the welfare of the stock.
He should arrive at the vessel with everything that is required to undertake the
journey. See the Personal Check List attached in Appendix 8.

The Load Plan

Clarify with the exporter who is responsible for the preparation and execution of the
load plan. In some cases this job will be done by the Chief Officer of the vessel, the
exporter or delegated to the stockman. A carefully prepared load plan is critical to the
success of a voyage.
If possible, find out from others (previous stockmen, exporters, Chief Officer, Bosun,
crew) the particular factors on this ship which may make it different from others, eg
tips for easy loading, hot spots, location of slippery decking, bad corners etc. Go on
board before loading and have a good look at the vessel yourself. Identify potential
problem areas and make contingency plans in case they develop into actual problems
during loading.
Find out the details of the stock in respect to numbers, weight, type, breed, origin,
transport history etc.
Confirm with the exporter, the AMSA approved Net area for cattle on this vessel and
the AMSA / AQIS loading density regulation which will be enforced for this voyage.
Using this information and the type and weight information of the cattle, prepare a load
plan. An example of a blank load plan form is attached in Appendix 1.

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General guidelines for load planning
Heavier cattle are usually loaded onto the lower decks first to ensure the stability of
the vessel. This may not always be the case especially on the large cattle vessels
where there are different exporters on the one ship or there is a two-port discharge. It
is also important to try to put less athletic stock nearest to the exit hatches. On short
haul this will apply to heavy slaughter cows, oxen, buffalo and bulls as these animals
may have difficulty climbing long ramps from the bottom of the vessel at the end of the
voyage. Pregnant dairy cows are another category which will need special placement
nearest the exit hatches whenever possible.
A different density calculation should be made for each weight range group of stock.
Identify any animals that need special consideration eg, fat Herefords or other heat
sensitive temperate breeds should be located where the ventilation is the best,
breeding cows will benefit from extra space. Cattle which are loaded in a tired
condition will benefit from extra space initially even if this is at the expense of other
stronger and fitter cattle that can be loaded a bit tighter for a short time.
Brahman cross cattle from tropical zones will be best placed to handle the hotter
locations on the vessel.
Once a final load plan is approved by the exporter, provide a copy to the Chief Officer
and discuss the details. Ensure that individual numbers and types set for each pen are
known and understood by the Bosun and crew. In most cases the appropriate number
will be written in chalk on each pen to allow for efficient flow of cattle.
Immediately prior to the commencement of the loading process recheck everything
yourself including races, ramp attachments, bad corners, sight boards, sawdust or
sand on slippery spots, any sharp protrusions into raceways etc. Check again with the
exporter to determine if any changes have been made to the delivery sequence,
weights or types of stock being loaded. If so, review your load plan accordingly.
Ensure that you understand the correct lines of communications in case you need to
discuss problems during the loading process. In most cases the Chief Officer will be in
overall charge of the loading arrangements while the Bosun will be the person in
charge of getting the correct number of animals safely into their appropriate pens.
If you run into significant problems then the exporter should be informed immediately.
During the actual loading process the stockman is best placed to observe the overall
process from the flow of animals from trucks, down into the ship and into their pens.
By moving around during loading, problems in any area can be identified and
addressed. Constantly monitor what cattle are coming on board and check to ensure
that they match with the load plan. If for instance some trucks have arrived and
unloaded out of sequence, then it will be necessary to determine if any changes need
to be made to the plan. Consult with the exporter and the Bosun. Don't be afraid to
hold up the loading to deal with a problem.
Special watch should be kept on slippery corners and areas where animals are
blocking up. Attempt to fix the cause of the blockage or arrange to station a
crewmember in the problem area to assist with maintaining a good flow of cattle. A
smooth flow of stock is much more important than speed. If any animals are

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injured during the loading process, attempt to isolate them or at least identify their
location on board so you can attend to their needs as soon as you are able.
Make a note of any problems encountered during loading to ensure that others are
aware of them next time.

3. PRE SHIPPING FACTORS AFFECTING THE TRANSPORT OF

CATTLE

Breed and Type

Bos taurus types (British and European breeds) are less heat tolerant than Bos
indicus (Brahmans and Brahman Cross).
Herefords and Friesians seem to be particularly susceptible to heat stress with Angus
a close second.
Higher-grade Brahman cattle will generally cope best with heat stress.
Heavier animals will generally be less agile and more susceptible to stress, injury and
illness during loading and transport.
Females and larger ox have wider hips and will more frequently strike their hip
extremities causing hip haematomas (fluid filled swellings).
Hereford, Friesian and Angus are much more susceptible to eye infections.
Over fat animals will be much more susceptible to heat stress than leaner animals of
the same weight and breed.
Nervous, agitated stock will be much more likely to suffer from heat stress and injury
than calm stock.
As a general rule older cows are the poorest travellers of all types of cattle. Pregnant
females will always need more care than any non-pregnant class of stock. See
special notes for pregnant cattle including dairy cattle in Appendix 17, 18 & 19.
Cattle with horns can cause problems injuring other stock or preventing them from
accessing the feed and water troughs. Horned animals should be penned with other
horned animals and given extra space.
Where bulls are shipped together, riding activities can be a serious cause of injury.
Animals, which are constantly ridden, should be removed from the pen. Those animals
that constantly try to ride others frequently wear their hooves down and should be
isolated if possible or placed in a pen with high levels of bedding.
Bull calves travelling to Israel have special needs. A detailed report on the needs of
bull calves travelling on long haul voyages is available from LiveCorp. See Appendix
16 for a summary.

Origin of the stock

Animals from temperate areas will be much more susceptible to heat stress than the
same breed and type of animals sourced from tropical areas.

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Stock sourced during the winter will be more susceptible to heat stress than the same
animals exported during the summer months.
Stock sourced from areas where feed is particularly lush may have more trouble
adjusting to shipboard fodder than those from areas where feed quality is low.
Those animals which have travelled long distances immediately prior to loading will be
tired and more susceptible to loading injuries and all the stress factors on board. The
ASEL standards clearly specify travel time limits and rest periods required prior to
loading.
Check with the exporter as to which animals have been acclimatised to the shipboard
fodder in holding depots prior to loading. These animals will take to the feed on board
much more quickly.
Have the animals had any vaccinations or treatments that may impact on their ability
to travel? For example, Tick Fever vaccination can cause fever and illness in some
cattle about 10-14 days after injection.

All livestock being prepared for shipment must pass through a Registered Premises
approved by AQIS. Final inspections for fitness to travel will be carried out at the
registered premises prior to the issuing of the “Permission to Leave for Loading” (PLL)
by the AQIS veterinarian.

Animals are not permitted to be loaded onto a vessel before the PLL has been
issued by AQIS.

Feed and Water Curfews

Most livestock will arrive at a ship direct from a nearby registered premises hence
curfews are principally a commercial matter rather than a welfare one. The exporter
will advise if any animals have had a curfew and if special attention to feed and water
is appropriate.
A small number of registered premises are more than 200 km from the loading port.
Animals, which have travelled more than 200 km to reach the ship, will have lost
around 5% of body weight due to emptying of the gut. This "weight loss" will be
regained during the first few days on board. Allowance for this "weight gain" should be
made when calculating the loading densities.
Any stock which have had a curfew or those which have travelled some distance to
the ship should receive a higher priority for the first feeding and watering on board.

Storage of fodder and other supplies

While the stockman will not have a major role in the storage arrangements for the
fodder, it is important to ensure that small items such as the sawdust, electrolytes or
chaff are not buried under large quantities of feed where they will be difficult to access.
Discussions with the exporter and Chief Officer prior to the loading of the fodder and
other supplies should ensure that this problem is avoided.

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Preshipment Equipment Checklist
In the busy environment of a loading vessel, it is easy to forget some items of
equipment, which will be vital to the success of the voyage. While the principal
responsibility for this lies with the exporter, a back up check by the stockman can be
very valuable. Checklists are provided in the appendices covering the veterinary
supplies and medicines as well as personal items that may be of use during the
voyage. Always refer to this checklist before preparing to join the ship.

Exporters Instructions

The ASEL require the exporter to provide detailed instructions to the Master and the
stockman in relation to the care of the livestock during the voyage and any special
requirements for reporting and discharge. Make sure you receive these instructions
prior to sailing. Ensure that the reporting arrangements are very clear to both yourself
and the Master as failure to report to AQIS as required can lead to severe penalties for
the exporter.

4. ONBOARD MANAGEMENT

Cattle Observation
This is the key to assessing the performance of the stock. The recording of the
individual observations will assist the stockman to determine what steps if any need to
be taken to ensure the comfort of the stock as well as forming the basis of reports to
the exporter or AQIS.
There are a number of simple observations that can be made without annoying or
distressing the animal which, when considered together, allow anyone on shore with
this information to draw a relatively clear picture of the welfare of individuals or groups
of animals.
There are no hard and fast rules about when animals should be observed but these
few general guidelines are recommended as a minimum.
• First thing in the morning
• During the hottest part of the day - whenever that may be - usually noon to mid
afternoon (the hottest time in Middle Eastern waters may be just before dawn)
• After the stock have had a chance to finish most of their feed - assuming they are
eating normally
When the animals are first loaded they will often become quite agitated by the close
proximity of humans walking down alley ways adjoining their pens. This excessive
nervousness will usually disappear after the first twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Initial
activities in the hold should be limited to essential movements of stock from tight to
loose pens or to allow for access to injured animals. All human movement in the cattle
space should be done calmly and quietly. Sudden movements or loud noises will
startle the animals and cause them to rush away from the disturbance. Try to keep

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 11
the numbers of people in the hold to the minimum and where possible only use
experienced staff.
It is a matter of judgment as to what cattle movements and other interventions
are made immediately after loading. This will be a compromise between making
the essential moves while leaving less urgent changes until the animals have
settled down the following day. If in doubt, discuss the options with someone
with more shipboard experience.

Respiration
Respiratory rate - breaths per minute is an excellent indicator of heat stress or
ventilation efficiency. Note the rates of a number of individuals in each area and get an
average. When examining sick or suspect animals compare their rate to the average.
Healthy cattle on vessels which are not under any heat stress have respiratory rates in
the 25 to 40 breaths per minute range.
Respiratory character - for reporting purposes this has been divided into three
categories - normal (reported as 1), panting (reported as type 2 respiratory character)
and gasping = tongue out, drooling and literally gasping for air (reported as type 3).
The reporting format is covered in Appendix 14.

If the majority of animals in a certain

area are panting or gasping then the
temperature and humidity are usually
to blame. If individuals only are
showing respiratory distress then this
will suggest that they may have
respiratory disease.
Photo – Gasping Ox showing
respiratory character 3

Appetite
Feed consumption is an excellent means of identifying distressed animals. One of the
first things to happen when cattle are placed under any form of stress is that they
reduce their feed consumption, the more severe the stress the more significant the
reduction. Under severe stress animals will simply not eat at all. During the routine
observation of the animals after feeding times it is very obvious if any groups are not
eating as they will be the only ones with fodder left in their troughs. When non eating
groups/areas are identified this is the trigger for an immediate investigation as to the
reasons for this and the development of a plan to address the problem whatever it
may be.
Average feed consumption for the whole ship is also an excellent indicator of the
general comfort of the stock. Daily feed consumption will often be similar for the whole
shipment and reported as a single figure. The exporter may request additional

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 12
information such as a breakdown of the individual group consumption rates and this
may also be presented as a percentage of body weight.

Water consumption
This can usually only be determined from the Chief Officer's calculations although
there will be some instances where groups can be identified as not drinking. As above,
this should prompt an immediate investigation as to why and what to do to fix the
problem. Daily reports will usually present a single figure as an average for the ship as
for fodder consumption. Normally consumption will slowly rise from 5-20 litres per day
over the first few days to around 30 - 35 litres per day when mature cattle are drinking
normally. Cattle under extremely hot conditions will frequently drink up to 45 litres per
day. Remember that the ship’s gross water consumption figure will usually include
water wasted when troughs are cleaned out.

Dehydration
The level of dehydration of an animal is a very useful guide to its health and general
condition. A simple pinch test can provide a crude but helpful guide to the animal's
level of hydration. Just pinch a loose area of skin; the neck is usually the easiest,
when the animal is eating. If the skin springs back immediately to its normal position
then the animal will be fully hydrated (score 1). If the skin stays up in a little wrinkle for
up to 10 seconds and the coat looks dull with mildly sunken eyes then the level of
dehydration is up to 6 % (score 2= medium). If the skin stays in the pinch position for
more than 10 seconds and the animal has deeply sunken eyes and a very dry, dull
coat then the dehydration will be greater than 6 %(score 3 = severe). Note in your
diary the actual number of seconds that the wrinkle takes to go away.

Faecal (Manure) Consistency

The form of faeces an animal is producing is a good guide to its general health and
performance. For reporting purposes, the consistency has been divided into four
types. Score 1 = normal, firm to soft consistency, 2 = loose and sloppy, 3 = runny
diarrhoea, 4 = hard "sheep pellets". Note also if there are any other aspects of
importance i.e. do the faeces have a putrid smell, are they an unusual colour, do they
contain any blood?

Urine
Changes in the appearance of urine can sometimes provide some useful information.
If the urine is thicker and darker than usual this will suggest that the animal is
dehydrated. If the urine is "port wine" coloured and the animal is feverish and
depressed then this may indicate the presence of tick fever or other disease
conditions.

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Other
A general description of the stock is often helpful e.g., all looking well, shiny coats, all
panting but not distressed, all hungry, not interested in feed etc. Noting of discharges
from nose or eyes is also useful - clear, pussy, smelly etc. Keep an accurate record of
illness, treatments and mortalities.

Environmental Observation

Temperature and Humidity

These readings are collected daily (usually by the Chief or Second Officer) on each
deck and outside the bridge and can be accessed from the records kept on the bridge.
If there are any specific times or areas of the ship which you believe need a special
recording because you feel it is excessively hot or for AQIS reporting purposes, ask
the Chief Officer.

AQIS requires that temperature and humidity are recorded at least daily with individual
recordings of deck temperatures as well as ambient temperatures (outside).
Reporting of ambient temperature and humidity must reflect the extremes of the day.
The most effective means of detecting "hot spots" is often by just feeling the pen
environment yourself. If you walk into an area, which suddenly feels hotter than other
areas, make a note of it and observe the animals in that area more carefully to
determine if they are distressed.

Recent research work has suggested that the recording of wet bulb temperatures may
be more useful to assist with understanding the level of heat stress experienced by
stock. Currently, AQIS require relative humidity be recorded and reported.

Deck Conditions
A description of the conditions of the deck will be useful for monitoring progress on
shore. A simple code is to call good, dry conditions as score 1, wetter but not serious
floor conditions as score 2, very wet conditions which need cleaning out as score 3.
The presence of ammonia fumes will also relate to the conditions of the deck. If
ammonia is noticeable and causes you personal discomfort then it is almost certainly
doing the same for the stock. Note if ammonia is present and if so, how strong it is. In
most cases high ammonia will coincide with score 2 or 3 floor conditions, which will
necessitate cleaning at the earliest opportunity. Record the use of bedding.

Stocking Densities
The stockman will need to know the stocking density regulations in order to participate
in the load planning exercise. These regulations are set by the Australian Maritime
Safety Authority (AMSA) and vary from time to time and for voyages of different
lengths and origins. For voyages where cattle are exported by sea from a port south of
latitude 26 degrees south there are special low density stocking rates. These rates are

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 14
further divided into two different levels depending on the time of year the export is
taking place to allow for the additional heat stress experienced during the northern
hemisphere summer months (1st of May until 1st of October).
Copies of the current rates can be found in Appendices 2, 3 and 4.
As well as considering the AMSA regulation for density, it is also necessary to
consider other factors that may influence the final density at which animals are loaded.
For example: -
• Pregnant females will need additional space
• Fat animals will need more space than animals of the same weight with less fat
cover
• Short and thickset animals will need more space than tall lean animals of the same
live weight.
• Cattle with long horns will need more space
• Sick animals will benefit greatly from provision of additional space
• Tired animals will need more space to lie down and rest than fresh stock
• Animals carried on vessels with poor ventilation will need more space than the
same animals on well ventilated vessels.
• Animals loaded without curfew should receive a higher density than animals of the
same weight which have been loaded with a curfew off feed and water.
• Very young animals need more space, as they need to lie down to rest more
frequently.

Animals which are loaded at a density which is significantly above their correct level
will have difficulty accessing feed, be subject to more bullying, sustain more injuries
and disease, lose weight or gain less and have a higher level of mortality than those
penned at the proper levels.

Ventilation, Temperature and Humidity

These three elements combine on board ship to become the most important group of
factors influencing the welfare of cattle. Their affects during long haul journeys tend to
be more critical as these voyages usually involve Bos taurus cattle which are subject
to the shipboard environment for longer periods. This is especially true during the
extremely hot and humid Northern Hemisphere summer months. When Bos indicus
cattle are transported in the short haul trade, ventilation, temperature and humidity
are rarely an issue unless the vessel experiences mechanical problems with its
ventilation systems.
Ventilation has a high priority for industry research and development with
understanding of the problems of ventilation being constantly improved.
Ventilation has two main purposes. The first is to remove noxious gases such as
ammonia, methane and carbon dioxide. The second is to create airflow past the stock
to assist in the removal of body heat.

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 15
Current AMSA regulations state that the air in the cattle hold must be changed at least
once every two or three minutes, depending on the height of the ceiling. This equates
to between 20-30 air exchanges per hour. Most vessels on the long haul run have air
exchanges much in excess of this, with some vessels achieving up to 70 air
exchanges per hour.
Airflow can also be expressed in terms of cubic metres per hour and furthermore, this
airflow can be directly related to pen area (or the number of livestock through which it
passes). This is a more direct measure of ventilation efficiency. Vessels achieving
150-200 cubic m/hr/sqm of pen area (45-60 air exchanges per hour), with well
designed delivery and distribution systems are well equipped to deal with most of the
conditions normally encountered.
Temperature and humidity constantly interact to affect the animal’s comfort. A
‘Temperature and Humidity Index’ is included in the Appendix 5 to demonstrate this
relationship. A common threshold point for the commencement of animal discomfort is
around 31-32ºC and 79% humidity. The same animals will be experiencing severe
heat stress at 35ºC and 88% humidity.
Whereas this table represents an important reference, recent research has found that
the wet bulb temperature may be a better and simpler indicator of when cattle are
likely to encounter discomfort from exposure to heat and/or heat stress. It is
encouraged that wherever possible, the stockman and ship’s staff discuss heat-related
problems with reference to the wet bulb temperature. As a rough guide,
unacclimatised Bos taurus animals will begin to experience the first stages of heat
stress when the wet bulb reading passes 28 - 29 degrees. Acclimatised Bos taurus
will begin experiencing heat stress when the wet bulb reaches 31-32. It is rare for
tropically acclimatised Bos indicus cattle to show heat stress at any stage during the
voyages undertaken in both the long and short haul trades. In these animals, heat
stress is only likely to be seen under rare and exceptional environmental conditions or
during failures of the vessel’s ventilation system.
The ability of cattle to tolerate heat is affected by many factors. These factors will
adjust the wet bulb temperature at which the cattle will experience discomfort. The
major factor involved is breed type, however acclimatization (and the conditions
experienced in the 2-3 week period prior to shipping) has been found to be of almost
equal importance. Large cattle have a smaller surface area compared to their weight
and fat cattle will have more difficulty maintaining body temperature than thin cattle of
the same breed. Both these factors adversely affect the ability of cattle to tolerate
heat.
Cattle will also be affected by the duration of exposure. Cattle have the ability to
tolerate a heat load, either as extreme heat over a short duration or mild heat over a
longer duration. It is only if conditions continue unabated, and a respite is not offered
that heat stress is incurred. Unlike land, where temperatures can be expected to drop
considerably during the night, the maritime environment is remarkably constant and
the opportunity for respite through a significant temperature drop reduction is often not
forthcoming.
Air speed is another important factor to be considered. Ventilation systems that allow
for significant jetting of air over the surface of the cattle will allow cattle to tolerate a
higher wet bulb temperature without experiencing discomfort than systems relying on

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 16
more passive movement of air. Ventilation system design is especially important to
ensure that all cattle pens receive equal levels of air flow. Even in some of the newer
vessels with total air exchange rates which far exceed minimum requirements, some
individual pens or areas may still have inadequate air flow. This will lead to hot spots
on vessels that otherwise exceed AMSA and industry standards.
Although heat stress is the most likely problem you will encounter, cold stress
can also be very dangerous to cattle. Care should be taken when considering
washing down the decks with very cold water, (eg Southern Australian, North
African, Japanese and Chinese waters during winter). Very cold water may be
more stressful and dangerous to stock than delaying cleaning for a few days
until the vessel reaches warmer waters. If washing can’t be avoided, ensure the
crew keeps the splash of cold water onto the cattle to an absolute minimum.
Fast moving air can also be a hazard if the temperatures are low. In the event
you are faced with a dramatic reduction in temperature, discuss the options for
reducing the air speed with the Master.
The animal regulates the rate at which heat is transferred by dilating or constricting the
peripheral blood vessels and altering the circulation to the outer areas of the body.
This will result in changes to the temperature of the skin. Cattle seeking to retain heat
will often have skin temperatures up to 10ºC lower than normal body temperature,
whereas animals seeking to release heat may have skin temperatures a full 3ºC
higher than normal body temperature.
Ordinarily, heat is transferred to the environment by convection, conduction and
radiation. This is particularly the case where there is a big difference between the
temperature of the environment and the body temperature of the animal.
As environmental temperatures approach (or exceed) their body temperature,
convection, conduction and radiation are unable to achieve sufficient heat loss and the
animal is obliged to utilize evaporative cooling to achieve the heat loss required.
Evaporative cooling is achieved during respiration and by sweating. Sweating,
provided there is sufficient airflow, accounts for the major part of evaporative cooling
in cattle, where up to 70% is achieved via the skin. This differs in sheep which use the
surfaces of the lungs and upper respiratory tract as the major site of evaporative
cooling. Sheep utilize panting to create air movement across the required surfaces
whereas cattle depend on airflow across the skin surface to assist in heat removal.
Sheep will start panting at a much lower temperature than cattle.
Bos indicus infused cattle have a much greater tolerance to heat. They have shorter
coats and thinner skin. They have a greater surface area due to their additional skin
folds, particularly in the area of the brisket. They have a greater number of sweat
glands per unit area of skin and a greater ability to increase their peripheral blood flow.
These factors greatly enhance their ability to lose heat through the evaporative cooling
mechanism.
Bos taurus cattle have thicker and longer coats, thicker skin and a lesser ability to
effect changes in the skin that enables effective heat loss. The presence of excessive
fat layers in the skin of both Bos indicus and Bos taurus cattle inhibits the
effectiveness of heat loss mechanisms. It is not uncommon for long haired Bos taurus

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 17
animals to develop thick layers of mud and manure on their coats. This can further
reduce the animal’s capacity to lose body heat.
Warm-blooded animals generate surplus energy as part of their normal metabolism. In
the most part, this is discharged as body heat. Think of cattle on board a ship as
individual heat radiators. Cattle loaded at a higher density will produce more heat in a
given space. In addition to this, cattle that are required to acclimatize quickly may in
fact produce more heat than cattle that are allowed to acclimatize over a longer period
of time. The amount of heat generated by an animal is the result of a complex balance
that is influenced by the major body hormones and linked to the basic metabolic rate.
Adjustment to this balance is slow (in the order of 7 days to 3 weeks) and cattle that
are taken say from Portland in the Southern winter to the equator in 8-10 days may
not have had sufficient time to adjust resulting in excessive heat production.
Management activities such as washing, should be planned around the approach to
known geographic hot spots such as the equator, the Gulf of Aden, the area of the
Red Sea approaching Jeddah, parts of the Persian Gulf and specific ports such as
Muscat.
Washing down has a significant effect on humidity. Whereas washing will often be
accompanied by increases in relative humidity levels, it also has a cooling effect by
removing heat from infrastructure and bedding. As a result there may be little
discernable difference in the wet bulb temperature during the course of the washing
event. Conditions after washing, however, are often much improved, especially after
the distribution of new sawdust. The washing event also appears to have a direct
cooling effect on the cattle due to the action of the water on the peripheral blood
vessels of the legs and extremities. This appears to offer a real respite to cattle and
alleviates some of the heat load.
Recent research has indicated that under certain circumstances, wetting of cattle can
alleviate the detrimental affects of heat stress. Wetting should be undertaken when
animals are experiencing severe heat stress (drooling, respiration rate greater than
120 per minute, open mouth panting and tongue out. Cattle may also appear agitated,
have a hunched stance and have their heads down).
Guidelines for wetting
• Either sea or fresh water can be used
• Water should be applied to the head and back of the cattle and enough water
needs to be applied so that it is beginning to run of their backs and down their
sides
• Do not apply cold water (less than 25 degrees C) to the head of cattle with
severe heat stress as the cold shock may kill them
• Do not use high pressure water jets on cattle as this may cause injury. If high
pressure hoses must be used, the nozzle should be set to fan the water
• The duration of the wetting will depend on the volume from the hose, water
pressure and the pen stocking density
• At all times ensure that there is normal air movement for the pen or deck – if
the ventilation system fails – DO NOT WET CATTLE.

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 18
 • It is recommended that cattle with severe heat stress are not moved.
• Under moderate conditions one short wetting may be effective for up to 24
hours
• Under severe heat stress wetting should be continued until the severe heat
conditions has passed
• Ensure drainage is effective and bedding is changed once it becomes sloppy
• Positive effects including reduced respiration rates and character should be
noted soon after wetting commences

Some pregnant dairy cattle have been noted to commence lactation during long haul
voyages even though they are not about to have a normal calving or an abortion.
Recent research suggests that this is not due to heat stress factors but probably
associated with plant oestrogens in the shipboard pellets. Appendix 19 provides a
flow chart to assist with diagnosis and treatment of the problem. Essentially, the key is
to determine if the udder swelling is due to infectious (mastitis) or non-infectious
causes. Intramuscular injection treatments are recommended rather than attempting
to use intramammary products. A list of suitable antibiotics is provided. The usual TLC
applications including clean bedding and additional space are also recommended.
Cleaning out the pens by shovelling may also reduce the amount of faecal material
splashed up onto the udder surface. Treatment of teats with teat dip may also assist to
reduce the chance of infection entering the udder.
It is of utmost importance that stockmen are aware of the prevailing weather
conditions when approaching known geographical hot spots. Many vessels are
susceptible to the re-ingestion of exhaust air when subjected to a following breeze that
equals the ship’s own speed. These conditions are quite prevalent whilst on the
approach to the equator or in the Persian Gulf. It is the responsibility of the stockman
to be aware of this potential effect and monitor the resulting fresh air quality being
provided to the lower holds. Some vessels will have similar problems with light cross
breezes and conditions will often deteriorate on the lee side of open decks. Again the
stockman should be aware of the peculiarities of the vessel. Speak to the Master and
Chief Officer about these issues.
‘Hot spots’ occur within some vessels. Hot spots are rare on vessels that have
properly designed delivery systems. ‘Converted’ vessels, especially those that rely on
air to be distributed from the sides of the vessel only, can sometimes struggle to
eliminate ‘short circuiting’ effects that leave some areas with little or no airflow. There
is generally a good reason why hot spots exist. Sometimes it may be that the ceiling is
subjected to direct exposure to the sun or that the area is directly adjacent to a poorly
insulated engine room. Other times the reason may be less obvious and the hot spot
may appear and disappear at different times of the day or they may move about a
deck as air movement patterns are altered by changes in the prevailing weather
conditions.
Efforts to rectify hot spots in one area generally create problems elsewhere on the
deck (or vessel) and often it is better to manage these areas rather than try to solve
them. Careful attention should be paid to stocking densities in these areas.

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 19
Where possible, avoid handling animals during heat stress periods, as the exertion
involved may be enough to kill them. Heat stress occurs when the animal’s heat loss
mechanisms fail to control their core temperature. At this point all the peripheral blood
vessels are fully dilated, sweating is profuse and respiration is either very rapid and/or
laboured. Because so much blood is now being pumped to the extremities, the
amount returning to the heart is becoming limited and the animal is suffering from a
‘lack of venous return’. The animal now faces a difficult dilemma. If it continues to
pump more blood to the extremities it is likely to suffer a heart attack due to a shortage
of blood returning to the heart. If the animal maintains its blood pressure by returning
more blood to the heart, the excessive heat may ‘cook’ the heart and other vital
organs. In this case the animal may either die immediately due to a heart attack or two
to three days later due to organ dysfunction and/or toxins produced by the extensive
organ damage.
It is important to note at this stage that any additional stress when the animals are
dealing with a heat stress situation can invoke the flight or fight reflex in which blood is
pumped to the skeletal muscles. This aggravates the problem of reduced blood flow to
the heart as discussed above and can have the effect of quickly tipping the cattle ‘over
the edge’ and induce a dramatic heat failure. Some of the deaths associated with the
washing event are thought to be caused by this response. Handle all cattle carefully
and gently during periods of heat stress.

HOT STUFF
MLA / Livecorp consultants have produced a software program called Hot Stuff which
estimates the risk of heat stress occurring during sea transport to enable both
exporters and shipping company personnel to be able to ascertain a survival rate for
livestock given voyage, vessel and livestock details. All vessels in the trade have had
their ventilation systems evaluated with the details stored in a database. Weather
conditions of locations along the voyage routes and destinations are also stored in the
database. The model uses this information as well as departure port, month of
departure, destination, deck number, breed, weight, fat score, coat thickness and
acclimatisation details to produce an estimate of mortalities given these specific
conditions. If the model indicates that the mortality rate may exceed acceptable levels
then modifications must be made to the proposed voyage until the mortality estimates
are less than the threshold levels. In most cases this will be achieved on individual
voyages by reduced stock densities.

In the event that animals are experiencing heat stress, possible

options to improve the situation include the following: -
If there are only a few isolated hot spots then those pens affected should have some
cattle removed to reduce the density. In severe cases the pens may have to be left
completely empty.
If the problem is isolated to temperate cattle (Bos taurus), then these can be given a
lower stocking density by spreading them out and increasing the density of tropical
cattle (if there are any on board).

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 20
Portable fans can be of considerable benefit for small hot spots.
Ensure easy access to plenty of water. Where cattle rely on small drinkers it may be
necessary to utilize hand watering, as feed troughs become available. Stressed cattle
can sometimes sulk and fail to keep fully hydrated. This can aggravate the heat stress
problems described earlier. Providing easy access to water is an important precaution,
especially when bedding conditions make it difficult to move around the pens. In
extreme heat stress conditions it may be appropriate to tip out the fodder and fill all
available troughs with fresh clean water.
Individual animals demonstrating severe stress may benefit from a treatment with anti-
inflammatory drugs (eg Finadyne). Electrolytes can be provided to cattle to assist their
level of hydration.
Utilize any spare spaces to create additional cattle pen area e.g. Use any empty sick
pens, laneways or storage areas which are safe enough to hold stock, but be careful
not to compromise important management procedures. Fronts of pens can be
removed to include the laneway space in the pen for short periods. Removing
subdividing gates between pens will significantly increase the space available in the
pen. Never take these steps without discussing the matter with the Master or Chief
Officer first.
In the case of top deck hot spots, the deck can be shaded with tarpaulins or fodder
and if necessary the deck can be sprayed with water to cool it down.
In cases where the vessel encounters very hot and humid conditions with following
winds it may be appropriate to change course to search for cooler conditions. This
applies in particular to open decks with no additional mechanical ventilation. Discuss
this option with the Master. In vessels with open decks that have ‘closed’ fronts (or
closed backs), very slight course deviations may make a large difference.
Ask for weather forecasts to indicate how long the hot period is likely to persist as this
may assist in planning the most appropriate response.
Speak to the Master or Chief Officer about any possible mechanical or ventilation
management solutions to the problem. Ensure that all intake and exhaust fans are
operating and that there are no obstructions or problems that have been overlooked.
Avoid emptying fouled drinking water onto the decks. Ask the Master to instruct the
crew to carry the water outside for emptying into the sea or directly into bilges.
During periods of extreme temperature and humidity it may be of benefit to temporarily
reduce fodder intake (up to 50%). Cattle will often do this voluntarily under extreme
conditions.
Wetting cattle as described earlier is a possible option.

Decks and Bedding

The management of bedding and cleaning is a constant compromise between
allowing a build up of soft, relatively dry faeces to provide a comfortable pad for the
cattle to lay down on and a need to remove loose, wet faeces and urine which
discourage animals from lying down, produce ammonia and contribute to increased

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 21
humidity. The most appropriate management of the deck may vary from day to day
and needs the careful consideration of all concerned in order to design a regime,
which provides maximum comfort for the animals onboard. Research initiatives are
currently under way to learn more about the management of ammonia on livestock
vessels.
The issues relating to the decks and bedding are clearly much less critical on
short haul voyages. As the majority of stock transported in the short haul trade are
tropically adapted animals, bedding is usually only used for special categories of stock
which require additional care such as pregnant dairy cows. The majority of short haul
voyages do not use bedding of any sort. Policy regarding deck washing on short haul
voyages varies considerably depending on the exporter, stockman and shipping
company’s individual experiences. No single management method is considered to be
the most appropriate on short voyages. Good results are obtained from a range of
approaches which include some voyages where no deck cleaning is done to those
where decks are thoroughly washed every day. The decision on deck management for
short haul voyages should be a matter for all of the parties involved to decide based
on the individual circumstances faced during each voyage. The same general
principals as described below are true for both short haul and long haul. The
information in this section should all be considered before deciding on a specific
course of action.
The AQIS regulation requiring all long haul voyages to load sawdust or other
bedding material has proved to be a major advantage to bedding management
and overall animal comfort.
A number of bedding materials has been trialed including hay, straw, wood shaving,
rice hulls and sawdust. Sawdust seems to be the most favoured of the alternatives.
Wood shavings and straw which generally have longer fibres, have caused some bilge
pumping systems to block up.
Sawdust provides the animal with a comfortable, non-slip pad immediately. When
faeces and urine drop onto it, their moisture is partly absorbed into the sawdust and
the bedding / deck stays drier for longer. Cleaning is only indicated if the bedding
conditions become wet or the ammonia levels high enough to warrant a full clean out.
The general aim of the bedding exercise is to clean the deck the least number of
times during the voyage while maintaining animal comfort and preventing the
build up of ammonia gas.
Washing down distresses cattle and causes them to move around the pen in such a
way as to increase the possibility of death or injuries either to themselves or the
animals they crash into or step on. Obviously reducing the level of this type of activity
to a minimum will also reduce the opportunities for deaths and injuries. This becomes
even more important in rough weather and when the cargo includes particularly fragile
animals such as pregnant females.
As an additional aid to the control of ammonia gas it may be possible to keep the
levels of this gas production under control to some extent by the application of mild
acids such as Acetic or Citric acid. These can be mist sprayed on the bedding pad to
neutralise the ammonia (2% acid misted twice per day can significantly lengthen the
periods between washing out).

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 22
Recent research has shown that dietary additives have the capacity to acidify the
urine which has a similar result as spraying the bedding with weak acid – ammonia
release is reduced. More research needs to be done to clarify the best options for this
approach. Another approach to reducing ammonia is to add gypsum to the sawdust
bedding at an inclusion rate of 50%. While this has proved effective in reducing
ammonia release, the effectiveness is reduced at high temperatures so dietary
additives are likely to provide the most practical solution.
As mentioned in the previous section on temperature and humidity, the cleaning of wet
decks contributes in the short term to an increase in humidity in the cattle space but
subsequently results in a net reduction. The magnitude of this reduction in humidity is
dependent on the effectiveness of the deck drainage. If the decks remain wet or have
significant puddles of water lying in low areas after the wash then any favourable
affect on humidity will be reduced. Placing sawdust or other bedding materials in the
wet patches will result in a significant reduction in the humidity in the immediate area.
If this is practised over the whole deck the net reduction in humidity can be dramatic.
Cleaning events should be planned to take the passage through hot locations into
account. ie when approaching the equator or the Gulf of Aden, cleaning should be
programmed to allow for the lowest humidity following the cleaning process to coincide
with the passage through the hottest locations.
If the vessel’s ventilation is adequate, the decks are well drained and sawdust is
available to treat any wet spots then washing out during passage through hot
locations may be appropriate. This is something, which should be considered
very carefully by all parties before being undertaken.
One option for cleaning the deck without hosing is to simply shovel the accessible
faeces from the floor of the pen or alleyway into wheelbarrows and remove it to the
bilges or throw it overboard. While this will be less effective than hosing the pen and
represent more work for the crew, it will reduce the fouling of the floor with much less
stress to the stock and will immediately reduce humidity especially if accompanied by
the application of sawdust. This option may be most appropriate for pens containing
sick or particularly stressed animals.
The use of sawdust has been suspected of increasing the number of eye infections on
some vessels. There is a possibility that hosing down the decks causes sawdust
particles to lodge in animal’s eyes thus initiating these infections. This should be
considered when cleaning out sawdust bedding with a view to minimising the
splashing of the deck wash into the faces of the stock.

On some vessels where stocking densities are quite low, e.g. pregnant dairy cows on
long haul voyages, the stockmen and crew have been able to redistribute animals
prior to cleaning in order to produce an empty pen. After the empty pen has been
cleaned out by hosing or shovelling, the animals in the next pen are moved in and the
process repeated for the entire deck. This allows cleaning to take place in only empty
pens. Once the cleaning event has been completed then the animals are redistributed
again to utilise all of the space on the deck.
Hosing the decks down with very cold seawater can be a dangerous and stressful
event for warm cattle. Regardless of how careful the crew is, the cattle will still be
sprayed to some extent with the cold water. Cold shock has the same capacity as heat

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 23
stress to result in the development of an outbreak of pneumonia or other stress
induced illness. Any attempt to clean the decks by hosing with very cold seawater
should be delayed until the vessel reaches warmer waters.

Fodder and Feeding

Although the stockman will have no control over the type of fodder loaded by the
exporter he does have a major role to play in the management of the feeding
arrangements throughout the journey.
AMSA and AQIS have set legal requirements to define the minimum amount of feed
loaded onto the vessel. In summary, these requirements are 2% of body weight per
day plus 3 days (or 20%, whichever is less) additional feed for contingencies.
Minimum feed loaded rises to 2.5% in the case of cattle and buffalo under 250 kg,
breeding heifers and pregnant cows. The ASEL standards describe the minimum
protein and energy levels of the feed.
The daily feed requirement per head can be calculated using the following formula:
2% of body weight = 2/100 x body weight
eg 2/100 x 400 kg = 8 kg per head per day
For a voyage with 1,500 head of cattle of average weight 400kg that is expected to
take 7 days, the feed loaded will need to be:
8 kg per head per day x 1500 head x 7 days = 84,000 kg or 84 tons. In addition there
needs to be 20% extra loaded as per the AMSA standards 84 tons + 20% = 84 +
20/100x84 = 84 + 16.8 tons = 100.8 tons
Once the voyage has commenced it is the stockman's responsibility in conjunction
with the Chief Officer to manage the fodder distribution to ensure that the animals
receive adequate feed and that the fodder supply is budgeted to last for the entire
voyage. This will entail recalculating the amount of feed left and the quantity needed
for the remainder of the trip at least once every day.
The aim of the feeding on board is to recapture lost gut fill due to recent transport
rather than attempting to gain real weight. What will often happen is that cattle will be
weighed onto the ship with a relatively empty gut, which then fills over the journey
producing a "weight gain" of up to 5%. This is only gut refilling, not body weight gain
as such. Real weight gain on board ship has the capacity to exacerbate temperature
problems, as animals which are gaining weight will generate significantly higher levels
of body heat than those which are maintaining. This additional heat, especially during
long haul voyages into the northern summer can be enough to turn a very hot
environment into a potentially lethal one. Short haul voyages only have the capacity
to recover gut fill as their average length is usually only 5 days. Despite the longer
duration of Middle Eastern and South American voyages it appears that most animals
are still only able to recover their lost gut fill before discharge at the port of destination.
Storage of feed is an issue frequently overlooked by the crew. As most trips will
encounter rain at some time or other it is essential to check on the arrangements
made by the crew to cover the feed. You will frequently find that either the tarpaulins
are not adequately tied in place or that bags of feed are used as weights to hold the
tarps down (See picture below). Once fodder is spoilt by water it will go mouldy and be

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 24
unsuitable to feed to the stock. Even if they will eat it (and this is unlikely) mouldy feed
is extremely dangerous and should not be fed. The only useful role for mouldy feed is
for bedding if the primary source has run out. As the end of the voyage approaches
and the animals are eating to their full capacity every bag of feed left on board will be
vital to ensure that the animals are discharged at their optimal weight.
Always be on the lookout for other
forms of feed contamination.
Whenever feed is not eaten in the
normal pattern, examine the
remainder closely for contaminants
such as fuel or chemicals. If you are
concerned that this may be a problem
at least save this feed till last and try
not to use it unless there is no other
alternative. Also try a small quantity
on a few animals initially to determine
if there is any danger to the stock.
Photo – Don’t allow valuable feed to be wasted
.

Contamination of feed in the trough with faeces is an important problem for feed
consumption. One of the main jobs for the crew and the stockman is to check the feed
troughs frequently and remove faeces and contaminated feed during routine
inspections. Cattle are very fussy about this; even hungry cattle will not eat feed,
which is contaminated by or close to a dung pat in the trough.
Fibre is essential for the physical process of digestion in the rumen. When fibre is
lacking and feed has high levels of small particles or "fines" it is not uncommon for
animals on this diet to develop bloat. While this form of bloat can be life threatening, it
is not as deadly as the kind seen on clover pastures but will usually result in reduced
appetite and weight loss in a proportion of the cattle. As pellets are too small to
contain suitable fibre length (about 1 cm is the minimum needed) they are the most
common cause of bloat on board. To counteract this problem simply feed the animals
some chaff or hay. Even quantities as small as 1/2 or 1 kg per day seem to be
adequate to correct the problem. Cubes are usually large enough to provide adequate
fibre length but suffer from their inability to be managed easily in shipboard silo/auger
systems. Chaff or hay is ideal for balancing the pellet diet with suitable fibre.
ASEL state “Fodder for cattle exported
from an Australian port south of latitude
26 degrees south must include at least
one (1) percent of the required feed as
chaff and or hay.”
Bloat is rare on short haul voyages as,
regardless of the type of fodder, the
animals will usually carry enough
roughage in their rumens to maintain
normal digestion for the duration of the
5 day voyage.
Photo – Wet chaff bag – money down the drain

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 25
Hay or chaff is usually only loaded on short haul vessels to encourage certain groups
of stock to eat more quickly. As an example, mature slaughter cows may be
stimulated to eat considerably more of the ship’s ration of pellets or cubes if they are
provided with a small supplement of chaff or hay.
Appetite on board is affected by a large number of factors. As a general rule, animals
which have not been accustomed to the ship's feed prior to loading onto the vessel will
take a number of days until they are able to consume their maintenance volume. In
the majority of cases intake will be only 1/4 to 1/3 of full intake on the first day. From
the second till the fourth or fifth day, consumption will gradually rise to the full
consumption level. Eg. @ 400 kg live wt x 2% = 8kg. While cattle will be able to eat
more than this, 2% is adequate for maintenance.
Feeding patterns are the subject of considerable debate. At the present time there is
not enough hard evidence to support any one feeding pattern although it is probably
safe to say that different feeding arrangements are appropriate under different
circumstances. The basic rules to be guided by are: -
Cattle are usually fed twice per day with about 50% fed first thing in the morning and
50% mid afternoon.
When smaller feeds are being delivered eg. During the first few days, it may be
appropriate to feed out only once.
Some companies prefer to provide feed to cattle at all times. This is more commonly
practiced during long haul voyages.
Some exporters/stockmen prefer one big feed per day. Others believe three feeds per
day are best.
Some prefer to reduce feed during the middle of long haul voyages in order to lift the
intake at the end of the voyage and hopefully end up with cattle that are fuller on
arrival and consequently weigh more over the weighbridge.

Short haul voyages need to focus on speedy gut fill recovery as available time to
achieve this is limited. Any means which will encourage animals to eat a greater
proportion of their normal daily intake have the capacity to significantly improve the
commercial outcome of the voyage.
For those vessels that manually water into troughs, after the feed has been largely
consumed, tip the remainder into one of the troughs and fill the other with water.
When budgeting for feed reserves it is generally better to have a substantial
contingency supply available at the end of the voyage to allow for problems
immediately prior to and during discharge. Once you have arrived in port then you will
be able to feed virtually as much as the animals will eat depending on the progress of
the discharge. Feeding during discharge can be a touchy issue with importers. As a
general rule, the liveweight of discharged animals will increase if they have had
constant access to fresh feed immediately prior to discharge. As long as this is not a
problem for the importer, (clarify this with the exporter) make every effort to feed (and
water) animals during the discharge process. This may involve enlisting crew-
members to assist or even employing labour from the wharf to help keep the troughs
full. In addition to keeping the troughs full it is important to turn the feed over in the

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 26
trough to keep it “fresh”. After cattle feed from a trough for a short period they slobber
on the remaining feed and have a tendency to pack it down making it difficult for those
feeding next to get the feed out of the trough. Also, feed which has been dribbled on
is less attractive to stock than freshly turned feed.
When extremely hot weather is encountered in Egypt or the Middle East it may be an
advantage to reduce feed consumption to reduce the amount of heat generated by the
animal through normal digestion.
Don't overfill troughs, as the top layers will simply be wasted as they are pushed onto
the floor as the animals eat.
Washing the decks constitutes a stress to the stock so if you have plenty of feed then
an additional amount of feed after washing may help the cattle to settle down again.
Sudden reductions in consumption are excellent indicators that there is something
wrong and that the cattle are under some sort of stress. This may be heat stress or the
sudden onset of a disease problem. Whenever it is observed that a certain group of
animals suddenly reduce its consumption you should immediately undertake a close
examination of all aspects to determine the cause. Shy feeders are best detected
during feeding times.
Shy feeders are individuals that for a variety of reasons eat less than normal. Reasons
for this include: -
• Bullying by other animals in the pen
• Stress from heat, ammonia gas, disease conditions, bloat, injuries, other…
• Older cows are more susceptible to becoming shy feeders, sometimes without any
obvious sign of stress factors except the fact that they are on board the ship in a
strange environment.
If at all possible, remove the shy feeders to an area where the cause of their stress is
eliminated or reduced. This will usually mean moving them to a sick pen with plenty of
room or to another pen where they are the same size as their pen mates. Provide
them with ad-lib feed and electrolytes in their water. The use of injectable appetite
stimulants such as Coforta have been shown to benefit shy feeders especially on long
haul voyages.

Water and Electrolytes

Water consumption is a little like the feed intake, slow at first then working up to a
fairly constant level. Generally mature cattle will drink around 15 - 20 litres for the first
day or so, gradually working up to around 30 - 35 litres. As with feeding regimes there
are plenty of opinions as to whether automatic or manual watering systems are better.
On balance there doesn't seem to be much difference except that the calculation of
intakes for manual trough type systems is a little harder to estimate as a significant
amount of water is wasted when the troughs are emptied due to contamination with
faeces. When using manual watering systems don't take too much notice of the ship's
daily water consumption figures. These will be gross figures only. Make an allowance
in your reports for wastage when troughs are cleaned out or accidentally tipped over.

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 27
Recent experimental work has demonstrated that heat stress can cause alterations in
body electrolytes. Further experiments showed that when animals were provided with
an electrolyte replacement mixture in their drinking water treated cattle drank more
water, had more alkaline urine and had a weight advantage over non-treated stock.
The initial trials showed that the treatment was cost effective. More trial work needs to
be completed to determine the optimum nature and dose rate of the supplement. At
present the treatment is only recommended for Bos Taurus cattle on long haul
voyages.
Importers in some ports are very sensitive about electrolyte use in stock they are
about to purchase over the weighbridge. Discuss the appropriate arrangements with
the exporter but as a general rule the use of electrolytes is recommended for the
period of discharge if the circumstances are appropriate. Don't however "advertise"
the fact that electrolytes are being used by leaving empty bags lying around as this
may lead to a dispute and delay to discharge.
On some voyages, electrolytes will be available for all the stock for the duration of the
journey but this may not always be the case. Where only limited quantities are
available they should be kept for use when cattle are experiencing the highest levels
of stress. This may be during the equatorial crossing, entering the Red Sea or the
Persian Gulf, in individual hot spots, sick pens, for those with diarrhoea or any other
cause of cattle stress or dehydration.
Instances have been reported where salt water has mistakenly been provided to the
cattle drinking troughs. If you notice that water consumption has stopped completely,
taste the water to determine if this is the cause.
When water is contaminated in the ships tanks by rust or other compounds make a
note of this in you end of voyage report. Ships with consistently poor water quality will
be encouraged to rectify the problem.
In the event that water delivery systems are inadequate for any reason it is essential
to ensure that the animals continue to obtain suitable supplies. In extreme
circumstances it may be necessary to hand carry water to individual pens. In hot
environments it is far more important to provide water rather than feed. If a situation
arises where it is not possible to provide both feed and water manually then water
supply should receive the highest priority. Animals will live without feed for more than
a week but cannot last more than a few days without water when experiencing very
hot conditions like those encountered during the summer in the Middle East.

5. HEALTH PROBLEMS

Diarrhoea
The two main causes of diarrhoea are due to dietary disturbances and infection with
disease causing agents.

Dietary Diarrhoea
The development of diarrhoea by cattle presented with a new diet is a well-known
phenomenon on both land and sea. This form of diarrhoea is the most common cause

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 28
of digestive problems on board ships although the overall incidence is not high. The
cattle will appear otherwise well but present with a profuse, watery diarrhoea (with a
normal smell). Their appetite will generally be normal. In most cases the cause of the
problem will be the new pellet diet and this is usually successfully treated by removing
the pellets from the diet and replacing with chaff or hay. If the diarrhoea is only mild
then the addition of chaff or hay to the pellets may be adequate to return the gut to
normal function. Treatment with Probiotics may be indicated if they are available.
These are natural bacteria that inhabit the gut which can be given to the animal to
assist its gut to return to normal more quickly.
Diarrhoea tends to be a relatively minor problem on short haul voyages as the
digestive changes brought about by shipboard feeding have less time to develop over
a 5 day shipping period. Pre feeding with shipboard rations is also normal practice.
Acidosis is the result of excessive consumption of carbohydrates. On board ship this
may be a result of the high grain content of some pellets. The high levels of acid
produced from the fermentation of excessive carbohydrate kills off rumen micro-
organisms and stops the rumen from functioning. Usually only mild forms of this
syndrome are likely to be seen on cattle vessels and only on long haul voyages. In
these cases, the rumen movements are reduced but may not be entirely absent. The
animals will be off their feed but otherwise bright and alert. Diarrhoea is common.
Respiration rate is usually increased. Treatment is by replacement of pellets with
roughage. Electrolytes will assist. In rare instances where excessive quantities are
consumed the acidosis produced can be extremely severe and result in death.
Infectious Diarrhoea
There are two common causes of this type of diarrhoea, Salmonella and Coccidia.
Both are usually associated with stress factors acting on southern Australian cattle
during long haul voyages. Infectious diarrhoea is very rare on short haul voyages.
Salmonellosis is a bacterial disease, which can cause diarrhoea and general illness.
The faeces will have a putrid smell and may contain blood. The animal will usually
have a fever, be obviously sick and off its feed. In severe cases the animal may die
quite quickly while the majority will have a longer course and will respond to treatment
with antibiotics. Treatment of choice is Trisoprim (Trimethoprim and Sulfadiazine) and
electrolytes. Diarrhoea powder may also be of use.
Coccidiosis is a disease caused by parasites infecting the gut. The cattle will develop
very smelly and sometimes bloody diarrhoea but will generally not be as sick as those
with Salmonellosis. The animals will usually have no signs of fever. Affected animals
will frequently strain to pass further faeces. They will go off their feed and lose weight
over the voyage. Deaths will be uncommon. Treatment of choice is with Sulfa drugs
which are included in Trisoprim.

Bloat
This problem is most frequently seen on vessels feeding small pellets especially if the
storage system uses silos and augers, which tend to increase the level of pellet dust.
Bloat is rare on short haul voyages. The cause of the bloat is the presence of fine
particles in the rumen and shortage of fibre which disrupts normal rumen function

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 29
leading to the formation of foam. This foam makes it difficult for the animal to burp gas
effectively and so causes the signs of bloat. While it tends not to be as life threatening
as clover type bloat, it does cause reduced appetites and hence inferior performance
of affected animals. Treatment is by the addition of chaff or hay to the diet. When
individual cases become serious, the use of oil administered via stomach drench or a
trocar to lance the distended rumen can be used. Where dietary changes are not
possible, the use of bloat treatment chemicals (Teric Bloat Liquid) applied to the water
will help. These treatments can also be applied to the sides of the animals where they
lick it off themselves.

Wounds and Injuries

The most common injuries and wounds will be of the lower limbs, usually sustained
during loading or through misadventure in the ship's pens. The animal will usually be
in considerable pain and stress placing it at a disadvantage in its pen when competing
for feed and water. The standard treatment is to transfer the animal to a sick pen with
more space, electrolytes in the water and softer bedding i.e. TLC ("Tender Loving
Care"). Treatment with antibiotics (Long acting tetracycline or penicillin) in the case of
open wounds and anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain and swelling is
recommended. The long acting antibiotics may need to be repeated after 3 days but
the anti-inflammatory products can be repeated up to twice per day if necessary.
Antibiotics are always indicated on long haul voyages, as even if the injury is not
likely to become infected, the stress of the injury will predispose the animal to
pneumonia and other illnesses. In the case of short haul journeys, treatment with
anti-inflammatory drugs alone may well be adequate.

Long acting penicillin may not have the same broad spectrum as oxytetracycline,
however it has a lower dose (20 mls) and is much less painful than oxytet. For very
stressed animals with a simple wound, penicillin may be the best choice.
Where the skin has been broken, the wound area should be treated with topical
antibacterial products such as Defiance S or Cetrigen. Electrolytes are recommended
for all animals in sick pens as well as ad lib fodder.
Keep an eye out for ‘hairless tails’, as
these can be a good indication that the
animal has spent a considerable amount
of time down and had the hair trodden
off the brush. Take extra time to observe
these animals very carefully to determine
if they have a problem.
Hip Haematomas are the large "fluid
filled" lumps seen in the pelvic area
especially the points of the hips. While
they feel as though they are filled with
fluid that could be easily drained, they
are in fact filled mainly with gelatinous
blood clot material.
Photo – Hip haematomas, one on each hip

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 30
They are usually not painful to the animal and are best left alone. DO NOT attempt to
lance and drain them. You will get very little fluid out and stand an excellent chance of
introducing infection leading to the formation of an abscess. If they do appear to be
painful then anti-inflammatory treatments are indicated.
Swollen Legs This condition is seen more
frequently on long haul voyages especially
during rough weather, where deck conditions are
poor or where cattle have soft feet. While the
cause of this problem is not completely
understood, it seems likely that infection has
entered the leg either through foot abrasions or
minor lower leg wounds. These wounds may not
be obvious. The leg (often more than one leg) is
hot, swollen, very painful and the animal will
often be obviously sick and off its food. Standing
up and moving about the pen will be difficult and
painful. The recommended treatment is with
antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, isolation with
more space, soft bedding, plenty of feed and
electrolytes. If the animal is unable to move to a Photo – Swollen and infected leg.
sick pen then remove healthy animals from its Note the hairless tail indicating this
pen to reduce the pen density and the likelihood animal has been lying down for
of other pen mates standing on or tripping over it. extended periods.

Broken Horns These can be quite painful. If there is a crush on board it may be best
to remove the horn completely. Regardless of horn removal, the animal should be
provided with some form of pain relief, given additional space to feed and the horn
treated with topical wound products.
It is important to remember that in some long haul ports, especially Adabiya (Egypt),
lame, sick and injured animals will be rejected during the Quarantine arrival inspection
and prevented from discharging. This should be taken into account when deciding on
treatment options for those animals which are likely to be rejected. Unless you think
that the animal has a fair chance of recovery by the time the vessel is due to
discharge then destruction may be the best option for the animal's sake. If significant
numbers of animals are involved then communication with the exporter and
veterinarian is essential.
In some ports emergency slaughter of sick and injured animals is permitted. Where
this is the case, these animals should be discharged first, if possible, to reduce the
time they are suffering.
Bulls or fat heifers may ride each other repeatedly resulting in the wearing away of the
forward part of their hind claws. This can be difficult to stop and may lead to significant
numbers of animals developing very severe lameness. In some cases it may be best
to remove the animals, which are being ridden. This may simply lead to a new animal
being selected. An alternative is to isolate the animal doing the riding but if there are a
few there will soon be no space left to keep them separate. The simplest response to

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 31
minimize foot damage is to put additional sawdust or other bedding materials into the
pen to stop the toes coming in contact with the steel or concrete deck surface.

Pneumonia
This is one of the more common and serious disease conditions seen on long haul
cattle voyages. It is almost always associated with some form of stress placed on the
stock, especially hot environmental conditions and poor ventilation. The disease can
present in a wide range of forms from sudden death with no other signs to chronic
poor doers with low-grade lung infections and abscesses. Any form of pneumonia is
quite rare on short haul voyages.
Acute pneumonia will best be
diagnosed on post mortem. The animal
will often have blood and white foam
discharging from the nostrils. When the
chest cavity is opened up, the lungs
will be dark red and have a solid
appearance like a liver. The chest
cavity may contain bloody fluid and the
heart will be covered in haemorrhages.

Photo – Lung with severe pneumonia

The less acute cases will present with nasal discharges of various types from cloudy
mucus to creamy / yellow pus. The animal may have a fever and will generally have a
faster respiratory rate than those pen mates that are not affected.
Treatment with antibiotics, preferably Micotil (Tetracyclines or Trisoprim are OK as a
second choice) and non-steriodal anti-inflammatory compounds (Tolfidine, Finadyne,
Ketoprofen) are indicated. Depending on numbers affected and the cause of the
problem, it may be beneficial to isolate affected animals. The most important thing is
to try to identify the principal cause of the problem and take action to reduce the stress
factors.
As usual, electrolytes, additional space and general TLC are indicated.

Heat Stress
Heat stress is rare in short haul voyages as these journeys mainly involve the
movement of tropically adapted stock. In addition, the extreme combination of
temperature and humidity encountered in the Middle Eastern summer months are
almost never matched in Asia. The comments below relate mainly to long haul
voyages and those short haul vessels carrying non-acclimatized southern Australian
temperate cattle into the SE Asian monsoonal season.
While heat stress is commonly linked to other disease conditions such as pneumonia,
it is certainly capable of killing animals in its own right. This will usually only happen
when the heat insult is extreme or delivered over an extended period. Death can be

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 32
quite sudden during the heat stress event or take place up to 72 hours later. The signs
of heat stress will be obvious if the animals are observed prior to death and have been
described in the section on cattle observation and ventilation.
If an animal is found dead and heat stress is a possibility then it is important to try to
determine if it was indeed the primary cause or if there are other complicating factors
such as pneumonia. Post Mortem signs of death from simple heat stress include a
reddening (congestion) of the lungs with small spotty haemhorrages over the surface
of the heart similar to the signs of a heart attack. If the animal has been dead for some
hours then there will also be a noticeable acceleration of the decomposition of the
internal organs. In recently dead animals the internal organs may feel very hot at post
mortem.

Downers
This group is often the most difficult to diagnose and treat. They will generally be
found down in their pens with little or no signs as to the cause. The range of options
for consideration include :- simple injury / knocked down and trampled, metabolic
disturbances, acute or chronic illness ranging from terminal pneumonia to twisted
bowel, infected limbs causing pain and poor mobility, bloat, general weakness due to
acute diarrhoea, bullying, shy feeders, fatigue or impending birth.
Animals that become stressed during loading may show signs of Transit Tetany. This
condition will be most commonly seen in mature slaughter cows and oxen travelling to
SE Asia. They will appear nervous, agitated, tremble violently, become aggressive
and charge humans. They will often become so uncoordinated and distressed they will
fall over soon after their aggressive behaviour and be unable to rise. Treatment with
Calcigol + anti-inflammatories and TLC will often lead to complete recovery.
The treatment of downers will obviously be determined by the primary cause. In the
event that no obvious cause can be identified then it is recommended that the animal
receive a shotgun mixture of treatments that may cover a wide range of possibilities.
This can include long acting antibiotics, anti-inflammatory injections, Calcigol plus (or
other mineral and glucose replacement solution), more space and general TLC.
In order to treat the animal it may be necessary to lighten off the pen. If the animal is
not able to stand and walk to a sick pen after treatment it is best to keep the density in
the pen low to allow recovery with less danger of being trampled or knocked down
again. If the animal can walk to a sick pen then isolation with plenty of space to rest
without being trampled is best. This will also reduce the danger of the treating
stockman being kicked or injured.
If a number of unexplained downers are observed, a post mortem on one or more may
shed some light on the problem and assist with the development of treatment options.
Consider the welfare of the animal. If it is not able to rise within 24 hours of treatment
and there appears to be no improvement in its condition then serious consideration
should be given to humane destruction.

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 33
Pink Eye
This is most commonly seen in Hereford, Angus and Friesian dairy cattle. It may occur
as isolated cases or as an outbreak. The development and transmission seems to be
promoted by dust, areas with fast airflow or in some cases high water pressure
cleaning of decks covered with sawdust. It can be contagious. Pink eye is seen only
rarely on short haul voyages and usually associated with physical injury to the eye.
Where possible isolate affected cases and treat. Treatment options range from sprays,
puffer packs and eye ointments to intramuscular injections. If there are only a few
isolated cases and they are very quiet then individual treatment with sprays or tubes of
ointment may be the simplest option. If there is a crush on board then Orbenin eye
ointment is the preferred treatment. With a crush, injections of tetracycline and
Dexapent into the eyelids may be possible. If the cattle are flighty and won't allow
treatment into the eye then intramuscular injections of long acting tetracyclines will
assist. For severe and painful cases anti-inflammatory injections will also be of benefit
(Tolfidine, Finadyne or Ketoprofen).
An enterprising stockman has created a mixture of glycerine and oxytetracycline
powder which when mixed together and squirted from a kitchen trigger spray bottle
has proved to an effective means of getting the product into the eye of a nervous
animal. Results to date have been promising.

Sudden Death
This will be one of the most difficult riddles to solve. Unless there have been some
signs observed prior to death then a post mortem examination is the only means of
shedding some light on the cause. In many cases the PM won't provide any useful
answers either. As sudden death is more common on long haul voyages during
periods of high temperature and humidity, it is probably fair to say that heat stress is
an important trigger for most cases of sudden death regardless of the final cause.
Problems which may result in sudden death include: - acute pneumonia, heat stroke,
intestinal catastrophe, acute generalized bacterial infection (septicaemia = blood
poisoning), heart attack, neck / spinal fractures, Enterotoxaemia (same as pulpy
kidney in sheep), Black leg, acidosis, acute tick fever and poisoning.
If these sudden deaths become numerous and no obvious cause can be determined
then communication with shore to assist with a solution is indicated.
Enterotoxaemia Usually seen in forward condition animals on good diets. Sudden
death or sometimes convulsions may be seen just prior to death. Diagnosis on board
can be very difficult. Post mortem signs include fluid filled heart sack, haemhorrages
on the heart muscle, reddening of some parts of the small intestine. Only seen on
long haul voyages.
Blackleg Likely to be seen only in southern cattle in forward condition on long
haul voyages. Sometimes acute lameness, depression and an area of swollen leg
muscles will be seen just before death. Post mortem may reveal an area of swollen,
bruised and “rotten” muscle. Outbreaks of Blackleg have been seen after large
numbers of soft cattle have been injured during severe and extended periods of very

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 34
rough weather. Penicillin is the drug of choice but there is usually little warning before
animals become sick with death often following quite quickly afterwards.

Non Eaters / Ketosis / Yellow Liver Syndrome

Following a severe stress of some sort, some cattle will stop eating. The cause of the
original stress may not have been obvious and the non-eater may not be noticed in
the pen before it becomes weak and goes down. When the animal is opened up for
post mortem examination the rumen will be virtually empty with only a small amount of
liquid and a handful of solids. The liver may be pale to bright orange, enlarged and
soft. The body will be thin and the internal body fat will be clear and jelly like. In more
mild cases the animal will go off its feed and simply look very hollow in the flanks.
Some cattle will return to feeding and watering without treatment but the majority will
continue to refuse to eat and develop the full syndrome as above. Early detection is
vital if treatment is to be successful.
When the animal stops eating, it mobilizes its body fat and this leads to excessive fat
deposited in the liver and metabolic disturbances. Treatment is by Dexafort or
Dexapent injections, injectible glucose if available, electrolytes, segregation and
general TLC.
This syndrome will only be seen on long haul voyages as it takes some time to
develop (1-2 weeks). In the case of short haul animals, it can be seen in importing
feedlots if the animals remain under stress after discharge. Pregnant animals are
much more susceptible to this syndrome.

Other Diseases
The categories above only cover the more common problems you may encounter.
Below is a list of other conditions you may occasionally be faced with.
Ephemeral Fever - "Three Day Sickness" This is a viral fever associated with the
tropics during the wet season, hence it is likely to be seen only in the short haul trade
during the wet season. Animals will develop a fever, joint pain and go off their feed for
about 3 days. Most affected animals will go down and be difficult to get up. The fever
is usually quite high and the animals will feel quite hot to the touch. There will
generally be a significant number of animals affected. The majority of cattle will
recover. Treat with anti-inflammatories. Use antibiotics only if secondary pneumonia
or other infections are suspected. It is important to provide additional space in pens
with affected animals as they will lay down for extended periods and others in the pen
will injure them. This disease is more severe for larger animals such as heavy oxen.
Tick Fever - or reaction to tick fever vaccine The location of ticks in northern Australia
and the main use for tick fever vaccine in association with the Indonesian protocol
means that this condition is much more likely to be seen in the short haul trade.
Fever, off feed, depressed, possibly port wine coloured urine (Red Water) and
sometimes sudden death. Post mortem signs include enlarged spleen, enlarged
yellow and soft liver, dark kidneys and port-wine coloured urine in the bladder.
Treatment of choice is Imizol and Tolfidine, but if Imizol is not available, tetracyclines
are the next best option. If tick fever vaccine has been used during the preparation of

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 35
the stock then Imizol will usually be added to the veterinary kit by the exporter to cover
this contingency.
Prolapsed anus or uterus. Attempt to replace the prolapse if facilities are available.
Depending on the condition of the animal and the discharge port, affected animals
may be able to be discharged for emergency slaughter or require euthanasia.
Ringworm
This disease has become a serious problem for the live trade of dairy cattle to China.
Chinese veterinary authorities reject animals presented for export if they are affected
by ringworm. As the disease is quite common in Australian dairy cattle and is spread
by the contact experienced when animals are collected and handled in yards it can
become a major issue for China shipments. The treatment of choice is imidazole spray
on preparations for animal treatment and disinfectant treatment of yards and handling
facilities. Treatment may stop the progress of the disease but lesions remain for a long
time as the hair needs to grow back before the skin appears normal again. If there is
an outbreak during a voyage then the use of the spray treatment will at best stop
further lesions from appearing and halt the spread to other stock.
Effective ringworm vaccines are available in Europe and attempts to allow these to be
used in Australia are under way.
Northern Australian cattle are often affected by Herpes virus resulting in skin lesions,
which end up looking very similar to ringworm. No treatment is given and the lesions
resolve over several months. Severely affected cattle are rejected for export. Minor
cases are permitted to travel.
Buffalo Fly scars can also cause rejection problems with the quarantine vets in Egypt.
IBR is a respiratory tract virus causing fever, depression, clear nasal and eye
discharge, nasal ulcers with possible complication by secondary bacterial pneumonia.
This is likely to be seen only in the long haul trade associated with cattle from
southern Australia. Vaccines are available for preventative treatment. For onboard
cases use antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs combined with TLC
Stomach ulcers Some animals on long haul voyages have been observed to
have their fourth stomach ulcerated with gut contents entering the abdominal cavity.
This leads quickly to peritonitis and death. The cause of this disease is not clear but
may be associated with the feeding of pellets with high levels of "fines".
Misadventure This covers a multitude of unfortunate accidents, which can
happen to cattle on board ships. They range from the more common fractured limbs
when legs are caught in gates or animals jump down ramps from one deck to the next
to drowning in the water trough. Leg injuries form the vast majority of this category.

6. DISCHARGE
At the conclusion of every voyage it is absolutely essential to be well prepared for
discharge to ensure that all the hard work by yourself and the crew is not undone
because of poor unloading arrangements.

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 36
Planning
Convene a meeting with the Master and / or the Chief Officer to plan the strategy for
unloading arrangements. Establish the most efficient lines of communication. Confirm
what labour will be available and who will be in charge for the various shifts so you
know who to look for when support is needed.
Feed Budgeting
Collect the best information as to the likely time needed for discharge and budget feed
accordingly. Remember that some importers will be requesting (and in some cases
personally supervising) feed and water curfews prior to discharge and weighing. As a
general rule curfew will be enforced in Egypt but animals can be fed and watered
during discharge at all other Middle East and North African ports. Curfew can
sometimes be an important issue with some individual SE Asian importers. Ensure
that labour is available for feeding as required. Clarify with the exporter prior to
sailing if there are any specific arrangements with the importer regarding
discharge curfew.
Electrolytes used at the time of discharge may assist cattle to maintain their body
weight during the trucking and weighing process. Once again, confirm the
arrangements for this with the exporter prior to sailing.
Equipment Check
Check that ramps, unloading platforms and other vital equipment are in good working
order. Check alleyways and gate arrangements to ensure that they are clear and free
of troughs, hoses, dangerous protrusions etc.
Presentation
Attempt to present the cattle in their best light. Clean out the pens if possible prior to
entering the port to reduce manure soiling. Put down remaining sawdust if available to
reduce slipping on deck and improve cattle comfort and the appearance of the pens.
Redistribute Remaining Cattle
In the case of slow discharges, consider the option to spread remaining cattle into the
empty pens to increase their comfort. This will be especially important when weather
is hot as the ship is almost always hotter when not moving through the water. Ensure
that any such redistribution is first discussed with the Master or Chief Officer to allow
him to consider the stability of the vessel.
Veterinary rejections
These will be important, especially in Egypt. Take any recovered animals out of sick
pens in case they are rejected just because of their location. Make notes of individual
animals that are rejected including the apparent reasons. This may be important for
insurance purposes. Where emergency slaughter is available, prepare sick and
injured animals for discharge first. Destroy and dispose of any animals unlikely to
discharge prior to entry to the port.
Inspect trucks
Check at least a percentage of the trucks and the loading platform to ensure that they
are suitable, have some form of non-slip material on the floor and are free of floor

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 37
 holes and sharp protrusions. Don’t be afraid to stop discharge if the trucks, ramp or
labour is unsatisfactory. A slow discharge of healthy stock is preferable to rapid
progress with numerous injuries, stress and escapes.
Discharging during the Chinese winter presents new potential risks of cold stress for
uncovered trucks and poor ventilation for covered vehicles. Monitor progress
carefully.
Escapees
While you may be able to assist with recapture, remember that your primary
responsibility remains the discharge of the main consignment. Rodeo work can be
scheduled for after the completion of discharge. A 5 - 10 ml dose of Rompun
(Xylazine) delivered from a Westergun can help to slow a beast down enough to
capture it safely and return it to the ship or truck. Best to take great care with
preventative measures.
Counting
The counting of the stock off the ship is usually supervised by the importer/agent and
a member of the ship's crew. Hopefully these two counts match but frequently this is
not the case.
Attendance at the weighbridge
This is usually the responsibility of the exporter or his agent. It may be necessary on
some occasions to assist with this supervision although your principle responsibility is
the smooth discharge of the cattle from the ship.
Always have contingency plans for delays, feed shortages and other problems.
Check on your departure flight time and be prepared to delay if necessary. Keep in
touch with the ship's agent to ensure that your passport has been processed by
immigration, secure and ready for collection. Make sure you know where and from
whom you can retrieve your passport. You will almost certainly need to produce your
passport at the security gate before you are permitted to leave the port.

Australian Cattle Exports

1,200,000 $700
Head FOB Value $m
1,000,000 $600
Cattle
$500
800,000 Value $m
$400
600,000
$300
400,000
$200
200,000 $100

0 $0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 38
 APPENDIX 1: ASEL Stocking Density Chart – Default Table
Minimum pen area per head for cattle exported by sea a
Table A4.1.1 – ASEL Version 2.1
Minimum pen area
Liveweight Minimum Liveweight (m2/head)
(kg) b pen area (kg) b Voyages of Voyages of less
(m2/head) 10 days or more c than 10 days c
200 or less 0.770 405 1.467 1.459
205 0.787 410 1.484 1.478
210 0.804 415 1.501 1.487
215 0.821 420 1.518 1.505
220 0.838 425 1.535 1.519
225 0.855 430 1.552 1.533
230 0.872 435 1.567 1.547
235 0.889 440 1.586 1.560
240 0.906 445 1.603 1.574
245 0.923 450 1.620 1.588
250 0.940 455 1.637 1.602
255 0.957 460 1.654 1.615
260 0.974 465 1.654 1.615
265 0.991 470 1.688 1.643
270 1.008 475 1.705 1.657
275 1.025 480 1.722 1.670
280 1.042 485 1.739 1.684
285 1.059 490 1.756 1.698
290 1.076 495 1.773 1.712
295 1.093 500 1.790 1.725
300 1.110 505 1.807 1.739
305 1.127 510 1.824 1.753
310 1.144 515 1.841 1.767
315 1.161 520 1.858 1.780
320 1.178 525 1.875 1.794
325 1.195 530 1.892 1.808
330 1.212 535 1.909 1.822
335 1.229 540 1.926 1.835
340 1.246 545 1.943 1.849
345 1.263 550 1.960 1.863
350 1.280 555 1.977 1.877
355 1.297 560 1.994 1.890
360 1.314 565 2.011 1.904
365 1.314 570 2.028 1.918
370 1.348 575 2.045 1.932
375 1.365 580 2.062 1.945
380 1.382 585 2.079 1.959
385 1.399 590 2.096 1.973
390 1.416 595 2.113 1.987
395 1.433 600 2.130 2.000
400 1.450 600+ Footnote # d Footnote # e
a Pen-group liveweight range: the liveweight range in each pen of cattle should not exceed the pen average +/-50kg
b For cattle weighing between 200 kg and 600 kg, for weights between those shown in the table, the minimum pen
area per head should be calculated by linear interpolation
c Time from completion of loading in Australia until anticipated arrival at the first port of discharge overseas.
d For cattle weighing more than 600 kg, on voyages of 10 days or more, the minimum pen area per head is 2.13 m2
plus 0.017 m2 for each 5 kg above 600 kg.
e For cattle weighing more than 600 kg, on voyages of less than 10 days, the minimum pen area per head is 2.00 m2
plus 0.014 m2 for each 5 kg above 600 kg.
APPENDIX 2: Northern summer adjusted densities
Minimum pen area per head for cattle exported by sea from a port south of latitude 26
degrees south from 1 May to 31 October.

Table A4.1.2 – ASEL Version 2.1

Liveweight Minimum Liveweight Minimum Liveweight Minimum
(Kg)* pen area (Kg)a pen area (Kg)* pen area
(m2/head) (m2/head) (m2/head)
200 or less 0.847 305 1.240 410 1.707
205 0.866 310 1.258 415 1.727
210 0.884 315 1.277 420 1.746
215 0.903 320 1.296 425 1.766
220 0.922 325 1.315 430 1.785
225 0.941 330 1.333 435 1.805
230 0.959 335 1.352 440 1.824
235 0.978 340 1.371 445 1.844
240 0.997 345 1.390 450 1.863
245 1.016 350 1.408 455 1.883
250 1.034 355 1.427 460 1.902
255 1.053 360 1.445 465 1.922
260 1.071 365 1.464 470 1.941
265 1.090 370 1.483 475 1.961
270 1.109 375 1.502 480 1.980
275 1.128 380 1.520 485 2.000
280 1.146 385 1.539 490 2.019
285 1.165 390 1.558 495 2.039
290 1.184 395 1.613 500 2.060
295 1.203 400 1.668 500 + Footnote b
300 1.221 405 1.688
a
For cattle weighing between 200 kg and 500 kg, for weights between those shown in the table, the
minimum pen area per head should be calculated by linear interpolation.
b 2 2
For cattle weighing more than 500 kg, the minimum pen area per head is 2.06 m plus 0.02 m for
each 5 kg above 500 kg.
Note: For shipments that originate or load from a port south of latitude 26 degrees south and take a
route that does not cross latitude 15 degrees south, stocking densities will be calculated from Table
A4.1.3 regardless of the date of the voyage.

Each Exporter must ensure that the vessel carries no more than the maximum number of
cattle calculated by using the table above.

Calculations for Feed and Water

Water Requirements = 0.12 x weight of animals (kg) x number of expected days on

board vessel + provision for 3 extra days

Food Requirements = 0.02 x weight of animals (kg) x number of expected days on board
vessel + provision for 3 extra days or 20% (whichever is least)

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 40
APPENDIX 3: Northern winter adjusted densities

Minimum pen area per head for cattle exported by sea from a port south of latitude 26
degrees south, from 1 November to 30 April.

Table A4.1.3 – ASEL Version 2.1

Liveweight Minimum Liveweight Minimum Liveweight Minimum
(Kg)a pen area (Kg)a pen area (Kg)a pen area
(m2/head) (m2/head) (m2/head)
200 or less 0.770 320 1.178 440 1.586
205 0.787 325 1.195 445 1.603
210 0.804 330 1.212 450 1.620
215 0.821 335 1.229 455 1.637
220 0.838 340 1.246 460 1.654
225 0.855 345 1.263 465 1.671
230 0.872 350 1.280 470 1.688
235 0.889 355 1.297 475 1.705
240 0.906 360 1.314 480 1.722
245 0.923 365 1.331 485 1.775
250 0.940 370 1.348 490 1.827
255 0.957 375 1.365 495 1.880
260 0.974 380 1.382 500 1.932
265 0.991 385 1.399 505 1.984
270 1.008 390 1.416 510 2.035
275 1.025 395 1.433 515 2.086
280 1.042 400 1.450 520 2.137
285 1.059 405 1.467 525 2.157
290 1.076 410 1.484 530 2.176
295 1.093 415 1.501 535 2.196
300 1.110 420 1.518 540 2.215
305 1.127 425 1.535 545 2.235
310 1.144 430 1.552 550 2.255
315 1.161 435 1.569 550+ Footnote b
a
For cattle weighing between 200 kg and 550 kg, for weights between those shown in the
table, the minimum pen area per head should be calculated by linear interpolation.
b
For cattle weighing more than 550 kg, the minimum pen area per head is 2.255 m2 plus
0.02 m2 for each 5 kg above 550 kg.

Note: For shipments that originate or load from a port south of latitude 26 degrees south and
take a route that does not cross latitude 15 degrees south, stocking densities are to be
calculated from Table A4.1.3 regardless of the date of the voyage.

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 41
 APPENDIX 4

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 42
APPENDIX 5
APPENDIX 6
Recommended Veterinary Kit – taken from ASEL Version 2.1
Table A4.1.8 Minimum restraint and veterinary equipment —
Slaughter or feeder cattle or buffalo

Restraint equipment • Adjustable head bale should be included

(1 per ship)
• Rope halter (1 per ship)
• Nose grip pliers (1 pair per ship)

Drugs and equipment Voyages of 10 days Voyages of less

(per 1,000 cattle and buffalo) or more than 10 days
Injectable antibiotics 30 cattle doses 15 cattle doses
penicillin (short acting) 30 cattle doses 15 cattle doses
oxytetracycline (long acting)
or equivalent
Anti-inflammatory drugs
dexadresson 30 cattle doses 15 cattle doses
flunixin or equivalent 30 cattle doses 15 cattle doses
Topical wound treatment Sufficient to treat Sufficient to treat
20 minor wounds 10 minor wounds
An effective pink eye treatment 1 box of 20 tubes 10 tubes
system (similar acting to Orbenin)
Sedative
Xylazine 10 cattle doses 5 cattle doses
Thermometers 3 per ship 3 per ship
Needles (18G, 1½") or equivalent 1 box of 100 1 box of 100
Hypodermic syringes 40 x 20 mL 20 x20 mL
10 x 5 mL 5 x 5 mL
Post-mortem kit 2 post-mortem knives plus steel and
sharpening stone per ship
Remotely triggered syringe 1 syringe plus spare parts per ship, plus 10
device spare needles per 1000 animals
Captive-bolt gun 1 per ship, plus 40 cartridges per
1,000 animals

Additional drugs and equipment may be necessary if there are other classes of
cattle or buffalo in the consignment (eg mastitis treatment and obstetrical
supplies for pregnant cows, scour treatments for calves).

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 44
APPENDIX 7

Recommended Ship's Equipment List: Long Haul

Westergun spring loaded syringe. 1 per 3000 head with at least two spare syringes
and 2 dozen spare needles per gun. Or equivalent equipment
Ordinary needles and syringes
Post mortem knife, steel, sharpening stone, pruning shears (to cut rib cage)
Rope, Rope halter, nose pliers
Vinyl gloves for post mortems
Bloat trocar and canula
Stomach tube
Citric or Acetic acid for spraying on the decks covered with faeces to reduce the levels
of ammonia and suitable spraying equipment
Antiseptic soap for cleaning hands and skin after dirty procedures
Captive bolt (responsibility of the Ship Owner / Master)
Electric Jigger and spare batteries
Plastic cattle ‘cane’
Suture kit including needle drivers, forceps, needles and suture material for stitching
wounds

Recommended Ship’s Equipment List: Short Haul

Westergun spring loaded syringe: 1 per vessel with one spare syringe and 1packet of
spare needles.
Ordinary needles and syringes
Post Mortem knife
Captive bolt (responsibility of the Ship Owner / Master)
Electric Jigger and spare batteries
Plastic cattle cane

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 45
APPENDIX 8

Stockman's Personal Check List

Pocket Knife
Calculator
Gum boots or wet suit boots
Torch
Note books - plastic covered pocket books to take into cattle hold
Daily diary
Camera
Thongs
Copy of the Merck Veterinary Manual

Stockman Health Issues

Q fever is a disease caused by a micro-organism which can be transmitted to man
from cattle and other animals. Its transmission to man is only associated with breeding
female animals. Symptoms in man resemble the flu. Vaccination is available to protect
stockmen who are likely to come into close contact with breeding cattle. This
vaccination can be arranged by your doctor and is recommended for all stockmen.
Micotil is an extremely dangerous drug for humans. Micotil is classified as a severe
allergen because repeated unprotected exposures are likely to cause allergic
reactions. Effects of exposure may include changes in the heart rate/rhythm and heart
tissue. The drug can enter the body by inhalation, skin contact or accidental injection.
Injection of Micotil in humans may be fatal. In the case of contact with eyes or skin,
take usual measures of flushing eyes, washing skin and clothes. In the case of
accidental injection, prepare to commence artificial respiration and contact medical
support immediately.
Rompun, Xylazine (Xylazil) is a sedative, which if accidentally injected into
humans will result in respiratory failure and coma. Take extreme care when using this
chemical especially if it is being delivered using a Westergun. In the event of
accidental injection prepare to commence artificial respiration and contact medical
assistance immediately.

Injection with a cattle dose of Xylazil

into a human is likely to be fatal.
Most of the other drugs in the veterinary kit are dangerous to some extent or another.
Oxytetracycline may not kill you but accidental injection will make you very sick and
cause pain that is so acute you may wish you were dead. TAKE EXTREME CARE WHEN
HANDLING ALL DRUGS. ASSUME THEY ARE ALL DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY IF YOU
ACCIDENTALLY INJECT THEM INTO YOURSELF. REMEMBER YOU MAY BE A WEEK AWAY
FROM CONVENTIONAL MEDICAL HELP!!!

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 46
APPENDIX 9

Instructions for Euthanasia Humane destruction

Each exporter must ensure that, when it is necessary to humanely destroy an animal,
for example following serious illness or injury:
1 The animal is handled as quietly as possible before being destroyed, to
ensure that it is not unnecessarily distressed
2 The number of people involved is the minimum number required to
safely and humanely destroy the animal: and
3 The method of destruction causes a sudden and painless death
Each exporter must ensure that humane destruction is carried out with a genuine
concern for animal welfare and, where possible, is done using:
1 a captive bolt pistol with a penetrating bolt;
2 a firearm; or
3 an overdose of anaesthetic administered by a Veterinarian.
Each exporter must ensure that a captive bolt pistol is not used to destroy cattle
unless the blank cartridge is recommended by the manufacturer for use on cattle.
In the event that the animal to be destroyed is still able to stand and move about, it
may be advisable to deliver a large dose (10ml) of Rompun via a Westergun to render
the animal unconscious before attempting the use of the captive bolt or other means
for destruction. This will reduce the stress of the process to the animal as well as the
danger to the stockman.
Each exporter must ensure that, where a captive bolt pistol or firearm is used to
destroy cattle:
1 It is aimed at the point of intersection of lines from the base of each ear
to the medial canthus of the opposite eye, and directed parallel with the
spine (see Figure 1); and
2 The shooter does not fire while the animal is moving its head, but waits
patiently for the animal to stop moving before firing.

Figure 1. Point of aim

Each exporter must ensure that, where an animal is destroyed with an overdose of
anaesthetic, the carcase is disposed of so that it cannot be scavenged or inadvertently
fed to humans or animals. There may be restrictions on disposal of carcases in certain
areas and this is certainly the case in any port.
Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 47
APPENDIX 10

Travel advice
Before you leave confirm who is paying for your return air ticket and how you will get it
on arrival at the port of discharge.

Check that your passport has at least 6 months to run as some countries including
Indonesia will not allow you to enter if the expiry is less than 6 months from the time of
departure. Double check on visa needs. Once again Indonesia is a tricky one as it
requires visas for all entry ports except the major tourist destinations (airports).

Contact LiveCorp to advise their office of your travel plans to ensure you are eligible
for the LiveCorp Insurance Cover. You will be provided with an “Emergency Health
Card” which you should carry with you at all times when travelling overseas.
Make sure you have paid all-important bills at home before you leave.

Credit cards are an indispensable item when travelling in foreign countries. Don’t
leave home without one.
Make photocopies of your passport - leave one set at home and take another set with
you on the trip in case the original is lost or stolen. It will also be useful to carry a
couple of passport photos in case you need to apply for a visa for an unexpected
destination.

Some stockmen travel as crew members rather than supercargo. In this case they are
provided with a “Seaman’s Book” which is a sort of passport for sailors. It may assist
the holder to obtain visas and increase luggage limits on aircraft. Discuss this option
and any current practices with the exporter to make your return journey as simple as
possible.
When returning to Australia be aware that in some airports, quarantine will seize any
dirty work clothes and destroy them!!! Make sure that you either wash your work
clothes before getting onto the plane to go home or dispose of them. Some stockmen
leave their clothes on the ship and pay a crew member to wash them ready for their
next voyage.

Australian Embassy Contact Numbers

If you get into difficulty in the importing country, speak to the exporter or the ship's
agent. If you have left the ship and are unable to contact either the exporter or the
agent, you may be able to get some assistance from the nearest Australian Embassy
or consulate.

Country area code number

Egypt 2 575 0444 (Cairo)
Jordan 6 593 0246 (Amman)
Israel 3 695 0451 (Tel Aviv)
Kuwait )
Bahrain ) All these are represented by the embassy in Saudi Arabia
Oman ) in Riyadh area code 1, number 488 7788
Qatar )
Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 48
MLA has a Middle East office in Bahrain. This office has personnel who can assist
with animal health matters. As of April 2008 Peter Dundon is on hand and his mobile
number is +973 39 69 70 02. The phone number of the MLA office in Bahrain is + 973
17 22 30 03. Other countries’ or cities’ contact numbers are as follows.

Thailand 2 287 2680 (Bangkok)

Guangzhou 20 8335 0909
Ho Chi Minh City 8 829 6035
Hong Kong 2827 8881
Jakarta 21 522 7111
Manila 2 750 2850
Tokyo 3 5232 4111
Singapore 836 4100
Kuala Lumpur 3 246 5555

(for local calls add “0” to area code)

Ringing Home
If you have a digital mobile phone, you can automatically find the appropriate
international access code wherever you are overseas by pressing the “star” key at the
bottom left of the keypad twice. When it is pressed twice, a + sign will appear. Once
the + sign is showing, simply follow with the country code (61 for Australia), the area
code without the zero followed by the number.

Other Training
It is recommended that each stockman familiarise himself with the following subjects
preferably by participating in appropriate training courses: -
• First Aid
• The safe use of chemicals - available through 1 day ‘Chemsafe’ courses
• Maritime Safety - courses available in all major port centres.

Most ships will carry safety instruction videos. Take the time to play these
presentations as they are easy watching and the information they contain may come
in very handy in the case of an emergency.

Stockman Insurance
Confirm with the exporter or LiveCorp that you are eligible for cover under the
LiveCorp insurance policy and that LiveCorp have been advised of the details of your
voyage. LiveCorp will provide an “Emergency Health Card” that you should carry in
your wallet. If the exporter is not a member of LiveCorp, alternative insurance cover
should be sought.

The following page details the categories covered in the policy.

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 49
Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 50
Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 51
APPENDIX 11 Special notes on species other than cattle

1. Buffalo
• This animal is potentially the most dangerous animal carried in the trade.
Treat them with extreme caution at all times. Older bulls, especially recently
caught ferals, are the most dangerous.
• While they generally travel quite well, they can be difficult to load and discharge. If
possible, position them on board in a location that is easiest to load into and
discharge from. Try to avoid the need to go up or down ramps if possible.
• Buffalo don’t always respond to the jigger the same as cattle do. They will often
back up when blocked and may even back all the way back to their pen. Once they
are back there they will be very difficult to get out for the second time. Where
possible be ready to put a rail behind them in the race to prevent them backing up.
Once they turn around in the race, your best option may be to let them into an
empty pen and turn them back from there.
• Buffalo are extremely tough and hardy. In the rare instance where a veterinary
problem is identified, the appropriate treatment will be the same as for cattle. Don’t
try however, unless you have a Westergun or you will be the next one in the sick
pen.
• Watch carefully when using narrow alley ways to pass their pens in case they try to
hook you with their horns through the rails. They are especially adept at sweeping
the floor in an attempt to knock your feet out from under you.

2. Goats
• Can become very dominating over feed troughs and single animals will often stand
or lay in them. Once this has happened the others will generally refuse to eat from
that bin. To counter this, provide a large number of feed bins and fill them with
relatively small amounts of feed. Feed frequently – 3 to 4 times per day. Tip out
the old feed before putting the new ration in the trough.
• Goats need plenty of fibre. Try to provide about 20% of their diet as fibre. Cubes
will have adequate amounts but pellets will need to be supplemented with hay or
chaff.
• Throw the spoiled, uneaten feed onto the floor as bedding.
• Do not hose down if this can be avoided. The dry pellet type faeces will usually not
present a problem if left on the deck for the entire voyage. The dry faeces will
develop into an excellent bedding material.
• Goats are also very fussy about their water. Replenish troughs with fresh water
frequently.
• One of the most common causes of illness in goats is pneumonia. Treat as for
cattle with Terramycin LA using appropriate adjustment of dose for weight. Oral
Terramycin dissolved in the drinking water is also effective if a larger number of
animals are affected.

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 52
• Ensure that pens are as secure as you can possibly make them otherwise you will
have goats wandering all over the ship.
• Special pellets may be made available for the voyage. In the event that they run
out or are unavailable for any reason, cattle fodder will be adequate for a short
period.
• Conduct a daily inspection of the goats to identify any sick animals. The easiest
way to pick a sick animal is to look for hollow flanks. Once identified, any suspect
animals should be segregated in sick pens and aggressively treated. A general
treatment with long acting Terramycin and an anti-inflammatory combined with hay
or chaff and general TLC will frequently produce successful results as long as the
sick animals are identified, segregated and treated quickly.

3. Sheep
• Non-eaters are one of the most common problems with sheep especially on longer
voyages. Early identification is essential. Segregate and provide hay and general
TLC.
• Sheep may contract Salmonellosis especially if they originate from the south.
Signs include depression, fever, loss of appetite and severe scouring (with or
without blood). Treat with Trisprim but response is not good and prevention with
reduction of stress is the best approach.
• Don’t wash their pens out unless absolutely necessary.
• Feed at least twice per day and ensure water is clean and fresh at all times. If
available use electrolytes as often as possible. At least at the beginning and end of
the voyage.
• Separate problem stock, treat them with injectible Terramycin and give them plenty
of space, electrolytes in the water and fresh feed, preferably hay or chaff.

4. Pigs
• Ensure that their pens are secure as they are escape artists and will be found
wandering all over the ship.
• Be patient during loading and discharge. For loading it will usually be advisable to
let the experienced pig transport operators get them off the trucks and into their
pens. The fewer people involved the better.
• Try to move them in smaller mobs of about 5 to 10 as they tend to pack up in
larger groups. A ply wood board or shield is extremely useful when moving and
handling pigs. It protects the handler from being bitten and is a safe way to put
pressure on a pig to move it in the required direction.
• Try to allocate pens just inside the vessel to reduce the distance they need to
travel into the ship to get to and from their pen.
• They take a little time to get moving, let them move slowly if they wish. You will
only become frustrated if you try to hurry them along.
• Do not under any circumstances use electric prodders / jiggers on pigs.

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 53
• Allocate pens that are well ventilated with plenty of airflow, as pigs are very
sensitive to heat stress. It is common practice to hose them down during the heat
of the day but be sure that there is plenty of air movement to assist with cooling.
Hosing down with no air movement may make them even hotter.
• Pigs can’t cope with salt water – make sure they are hosed down with fresh
water only.
• Pigs are susceptible to sunburn so place them in a pen that is not exposed to
strong, direct sunlight.
• They will be provided with special feed but if caught, cattle feed will be adequate
for a short period.
• The pigs that are transported on cattle ships will usually be very valuable stud
animals. If you are experiencing any serious problems that you are not confident
in handling, do not hesitate to contact the exporter or veterinarian.

5. Camels
• Camels can deliver a savage bite and kick with all four feet and in all directions, so
take extra care when loading and managing them on board.
• Loading camels onto a ship is an art. Consult those with experience in this area
before making an attempt. The truck driver who is delivering them is likely to be
the most knowledgeable person on the spot.
• They have flat-bottomed feet and cannot cope with slippery surfaces. If you need
them to walk over a surface that is slippery you will need to put something down
such as sand, hay, sawdust or fodder to ensure that they have sound, non-slip
footing. If the camel is too scared to walk on what it thinks is a slippery surface, it
is almost impossible to force them to move.
• For the same reason, camels hate steep slopes so try to position them in the
vessel to avoid the need to negotiate any ramps.
• Don’t attempt to use a jigger on camels (unless you are experienced), as they will
not respond well to it except to try to kick your head off.
• When they bail up and refuse to move further just wait and give them a little time to
consider their position. They will frequently go where you want them to if you go
away and leave them for a short period.
• The maximum height a camel will attempt to go under (door way or race cap) is the
height of the top of their hump. They can judge this height visually when
approaching the obstacle and if they perceive it to be too low they will not attempt
it. Think of another way.
• While they are very tough creatures, they will initially need bedding on the floor of
their pen as they spend a lot of time sitting down. Sawdust or hay is fine. Do not
clean out the camel pen as their dry pellet like faeces will form an excellent bed.
• If the camels are not supplied with special camel pellets for the voyage then cattle
pellets/cubes will be adequate.
• Veterinary treatments as for cattle but beware of the 360 degrees kicking ability.

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 54
6. Horses
• Individual stabling is best where space is available, as horses may not get on with
their stable mates and risk injury to each other. If individual stables are not
available it may be necessary to shift certain animals around until they find more
compatible mates.
• Given adequate space, horses prefer to be stabled 45 degrees to the direction of
travel, facing forward and across the ship.
• Do not hose out the pens with the horses in them. If cleaning is required muck out
with a rake and add fresh bedding.
• Horses will need a lot of bedding. Use deep straw, hay or sawdust.
• Ensure that all shoes are removed prior to entering the ship, as they can make the
animal slip on the floors.
• For valuable and quite horses, leg pads or bandages during loading and discharge
will help to reduce injuries.
• Apart from the standard injuries, the most common problem for horses on board
will be swollen legs caused by lack of exercise. Where possible, try to walk the
animals around the deck alleyways at least once per day.
• The digestive system of the horse is much more delicate than that of cattle. Take
great care monitoring the quality of the feed and follow feeding instructions to the
letter. Best rations for stabled horses unable to exercise will be low energy, high
roughage, mainly chaff and hay. Low energy rations will reduce the energy level of
the animal and help to make them less irritable and easier to manage.
• If for any reason you run out of horse feed do not use the cattle feed as a
substitute until you have confirmed the contents with someone with detailed
knowledge of the cattle fodder formulation. Cattle shipping pellets often contain
monensin (used to promote ruminant digestion) which is highly toxic to horses (and
dogs) and can even result in death.
• If you have any problems with horses do not hesitate to contact shore
immediately for advice.

7. Deer: tropical
• Animals travelling on short haul voyages will almost always be tropical species of
deer well suited to the Asian environment. These animals are very hardy and well
adapted to heat and humidity. They are generally very good travellers.
• Deer enjoy wallowing in hot weather and may benefit from hosing down (with a
light spray) during the heat of the day. They also lick each other’s coats when they
are wet to get water and presumably salt from their mates.
• Deer will often attempt to wallow in their water troughs so change their water
frequently to maintain quality.
• These animals will generally be quite shy and timid so stay away from them as
much as possible. When frightened, they tend to run to the far corner of their
enclosure and pile up. If they are very frightened, they may pile up on top of each
other endangering those on the bottom of the pile. Leave them alone as much as
Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 55
 possible. When feeding, watering and observing, be as quick as possible while
taking care not to startle them.
• In most cases the deer will be enclosed in special boxes or high security pens on
board which will not need to be entered by the stockman. Special deer pellets, hay
and water will be fed from outside their enclosure.
• Do not attempt to clean out their pens, as you will cause too much distress. Simply
ensure adequate drainage is established and add more hay to the floor to keep the
bedding as dry as possible.
• While deer tend not to be aggressive, in an enclosed space they can be very
dangerous, especially stags. Any stags in transit will have their antlers removed
but may still run into you by accident and are extremely powerful. They can also
kick out at handlers as they leap past so beware. Whenever forced to enter a deer
pen (eg. To discharge the pen) use plywood shields for protection.

APPENDIX 12

Live Export Trade Terminology / Organisation

ALEC The Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council is the peak body that
represents exporters’ interests.
LiveCorp is the organisation set up by ALEC to conduct business on exporters’
behalf
AQIS Australian Quarantine Inspection Service
ASEL Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock
DAFF Federal Department of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries
AMSA Australian Maritime Safety Authority - The Federal Government authority
with responsibility for the safety of vessels, crew and cargo at sea.
MO43 Marine orders Part 43. The relevant section of the AMSA rules that apply
to livestock exports.
MLA Meat and Livestock Australia -The body representing cattle and sheep
producers like the former AMLC
NTLEA, QLEA, WALEA etc – State and Territory associations of livestock exporters

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 56
APPENDIX 13

Shipboard protocols and terminology

1. Ranking
• Master (Captain) )
• Chief Officer (Chief Mate) ) Usually these three officers are the only ones
• First Officer ) you will need to communicate with.
• Various engineers - also classed as officers
• Bosun – The “head stockman”, also in charge of ship maintenance duties etc. He
will be the main person you will deal with on a day to day working basis
• The Cook – always be nice to the Cook!
• Able Seamen (ABs) – skilled sailors with significant levels of maritime training
• Seamen, “Deck boys” – non-skilled labourers, this category will include the “mess
man” who is the cook’s offsider.

2. Shift duties
The ships 24-hour schedule is usually broken up into 6 x 4 hour shifts especially in the
case of the officers. Shift arrangements may vary from vessel to vessel but the most
common arrangements are:
• Master 0800 – 1200
• First Officer 1200 – 1600
• Chief Officer 1600 – 2000
• Master 2000 – 2400
• First Officer 0000 – 0400
• Chief Officer 0400 – 0800
During their shift times, the officers will be on the bridge or very close to it. When you
need to speak to an officer, try to ensure that they are on duty and not sleeping after a
shift.

3. Personal behaviour on board

• When coming onboard for the first time introduce yourself to the Master or Chief
Officer immediately (unless they are asleep or busy with other duties). The first
thing you should clarify is the location of your cabin.
• Ask to be shown the Muster Lists, which are displayed on boards somewhere in
the accommodation area. They will state where the stockman must go during
emergencies or drills. Make sure you know where to go and when. Ask one of the
officers to clarify your position if you don’t understand. Make sure you know where
your life jacket is. It will usually be located somewhere in your cabin.
• Ask about meal times and where you are expected to eat. There are usually two
messes, one for the officers and one for the crew. The stockman usually eats with
the officers but it is best to make sure that this is the case each time you board a
new vessel. Seating arrangements are also important. The Master and Officers
usually sit in the same seats every day. Find out which is your seat at the table and
make sure you don’t sit in somebody else’s place.

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 57
• After returning from the cattle holds make sure you clean up before entering the
mess. Leave your dirty boots outside the accommodation.
• When you come onboard you will be directed to your cabin. The mess man will be
responsible for allocating your bedding, towel, soap and washing powder. If you
don’t have any and can’t find the mess man just ask the cook.
• The Bond Store is the locked area on board where duty free grog, cigarettes and
other items are kept. A member of the crew will be in charge of this store and it will
be opened only a few times per day. If you need something from the store, ask the
person in charge and it will be delivered to you the next time it opens. The store
will run an account for you which you will be expected to pay for before leaving the
vessel. Make sure you remember to pay as it can be very embarrassing for the
manager of the store if you don’t. The Bond store is always locked and sealed
while the vessel is in port so if you need any supplies during discharge make sure
you order and receive them prior to entry to the port.
• Washing of clothes onboard can involve some special scheduling. On some of the
smaller vessels, the officers and crew will have specific days on which they have
access to the washing machines. Also the mess man may have a special day for
washing sheets, towels and tablecloths etc. If you unknowingly wash your filthy
clothes after leaving the cattle hold on these days you will not be popular. Just ask
someone in the mess if there is any schedule and what it is.
• Tidy up your cabin before you leave the ship.
• If you have any specific dietary needs or favourite foods you will have to bring
them yourself if they are not already part of the normal mess rations.
• In the lounge where the TV and video machine are located, there is often some
form of routine in respect to when movies are shown and who gets to select them.
Don’t just barge in and plug in the one you want to watch, find out if it’s OK first.

4. Maritime terms
• Forward – towards the bow or the front of the vessel
• Aft – towards the stern or the rear of the vessel
• Port – the left side as you are looking forward
• Starboard – the right side as you are looking forward
• “Supercargo” – that’s you. The “supervisor of the cargo”, a non crewmember
travelling with the cargo to take care of it on behalf of the owner – it will sometimes
be important to explain this to customs and immigration officials who may think that
you are a member of the crew in which case the rules for leaving the vessel are
quite different.
• Each vessel will have its own method for describing the various decks. It is
important to know how to describe a certain position on the ship when speaking
with members of the crew. You will normally have become familiar with these
terms during the loading of the vessel as they are clearly noted on the load plan. If
not, ask a crewmember to make sure that you are absolutely clear about the
names of the various decks.

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 58
APPENDIX 14

Daily report to the Australian Government

Commencing on day one (1) of the voyage, the report must include the following
information:

1 Vessel name
2 Voyage number
3 Date and day number
4 Vessel’s position / estimated time of arrival at next port
5 Mortality
· daily
· cumulative
6 Health issues
· treatments
7 Feed consumption
8 Water consumption
9 Temperature
· deck
· ambient (extremes)
10 Humidity
· deck
· ambient (extremes)
11 Ventilation
· performance
12 General comments
· livestock health and welfare
· deck conditions
· issues from daily meeting
· stocking densities

Email address – [email protected]

Fax Number – 61 (0)2 6272 5423

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 59
Example of Actual Daily Report Transmission
Stockman – Joe Blow
MV Moocow Express
28.2.2006, Day 2

1 MV Moocow Express
2 Voyage number #
3 29th March 2006 Day 2
4 28 deg South, 112 deg East, ETA Jeddah 14th April 2006
5 Daily Mortality: 1, Cumulative Mortality 3
6 Health: two steers treated for lameness, Antibiotics and anti-inflammatories
7 Feed consumption: averaging 3 kg per head per day
8 Water consumption: 18 Litres per head per day
9 Temperature
Deck 1 26, Deck 2 27, Deck 3 27, Dec 4 26
Ambient: 24
10 Humidity
Deck 1 77, Deck 2 76, Deck 3 75, Deck 4 75
Ambient: 69%
11 Ventilation functioning normally without problems
12 General comments
• Stock travelling well, only minor lameness problems under treatment
• Decks remain dry and comfortable for stock
• No issues from daily meeting
• Stocking densities adequate

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 60
APPENDIX 15

End-of-voyage report to the Australian Government

Email address – [email protected]

Fax Number – 61 (0)2 6272 5423
This report must provide a general overview of the voyage, with mention of any
specific issues relevant to the health and welfare of the livestock, and must include the
following information:

1 Vessel name
2 Voyage number
3 Departure port(s)
• date
• total loaded, by species
4 Discharge port(s)
• date
• total unloaded, by species
5 Feed and water
• access
• maintenance issues
6 Environmental conditions
• weather
• temperature
• humidity
• ventilation
• decks/bedding
7 Health and welfare of livestock
• number of livestock born during the voyage
• number of abortions
8 Relationships with master/crew/accredited stock person/accredited
veterinarian
9 Comments on discharge operations

Remember that a great deal of specific information has already been provided in the
daily reports. The final report should analyse the cumulative information provided in
the daily reports, not duplicate them. If the voyage was an outstanding success with
absolutely no problems then the final report does not need to say much more than just
that, except if there are any reasons for the excellent voyage that may be of value to
others when planning future shipments.

For more subjects to consider look through the Stockman's Handbook headings to jog
your memory of noteworthy events or issues. Please also forward this report to
LiveCorp as soon as possible after the conclusion of the voyage. In most cases this
will be when you arrive home in Australia. LiveCorp Fax: 02 9929 6733
Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 61
APPENDIX 16 Shipment of Calves to the Middle East

Pre-shipment Preparation
1. Where possible avoid exporting Bos taurus calves (especially Friesians) from
south-eastern Australia during the southern winter.
2. Ensure that holding facilities are well drained and protected from the elements,
especially the wind.
3. Maintain modest stocking densities and change bedding frequently to avoid the
development and spread of disease.
4. Provide free access to good quality hay or chaff as well as the pellets to be used
during the voyage.
5. Only receive animals that have been satisfactorily weaned or those that have an
arrival weight of not less than 150 kg at the holding facility.
6. Minimize the number and time of handling of calves during the application of the
protocol and other management procedures.
7. Draft calves into appropriate size groupings prior to delivery to the ship.

Shipboard Management
1. Conduct separate space calculations for groups of animals under 200 kg.
2. Give calves 10% additional space over that prescribed by AMSA when stock is
sourced from southern ports during winter months.
3. When shipments are under loaded from Portland and Adelaide to Fremantle allow
calves to spread out into the additional space.
4. Provide calves with smaller pens and the better areas of ventilation and lighting.
5. Feed calves with conventional cattle fodder and good quality chaff throughout the
voyage. Ensure adequate supplies of chaff are provided to allow for this to
comprise a significant supplement to the diet of healthy animals & a major part of
the diet of sick animals.
6. Ensure different weight range calves are adequately segregated.
7. Provide additional quantities of bedding materials.
8. Clean/wash frequently and provide fresh fodder immediately after the cleaning
event. Take extra care when cleaning the pens.
9. Ensure trough heights are appropriate for the supply of both fodder and water.
Provide additional feed troughs where possible.
10. Segregate calves of suspect health status to hospital pens with additional space
and in locations that allow for easy access and frequent inspections. Provide
shipments of calves with additional hospital pen space (3%).
11. Whenever calves are suspected of developing illness treat aggressively with the
most appropriate chemicals.
12. Take extra care when using ‘Westerguns’ on smaller calves. Use conventional
syringes if this is feasible.
13. Provide appropriate electrolytes/mineral supplements to all voyages carrying
calves.
14. Provide additional stockmen to shipments of large numbers of calves.
Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 62
Appendix 17

Management Planning for Pregnant Cattle: AQIS Orders.

The export of all pregnant cattle requires that a management plan be completed to
assist in minimising the animal health and welfare risk.

The management plan includes:

• Ensuring that the animals are no more than 6 months pregnant at the time of
shipment
• Ensuring that the animals have a body score not less than 3 or more than 6
• Ensure animals are only penned with those of similar body weight
• Ensure that the animals are loaded at the densities as laid out by ASEL S4.4
• Fodder is calculated at 2.5% body weight
• Chaff or hay are provided at more than 1% of the diet
• Additional veterinary kit is provided as appropriate
• That the stockman travelling with the pregnant animals has significant
experience in the management of pregnant cattle
• Bedding is provided as per ASEL requirements: 7 tons or 25 cubic metres for
every 1000 square metres of cattle pen space.

APPENDIX 18

Management of Pregnant Dairy cattle on Long Haul voyages

The following recommendations represent industry “Best Practice”.

• Provide pregnant cows with 15-20% more space than AMSA requirements
• Devise the final density after taking into account all the factors associated with
the specific animals involved and the expected conditions of that particular
voyage – i.e. risk analysis
• Pregnant cows should not be shipped into the northern hemisphere summer
• At the date of departure no animal should be more than 6 months pregnant
• Ensure that the testing veterinarian is proficient at identifying months of
pregnancy
• Ensure that the stockman accompanying these voyages has had prior
experience with pregnant dairy cattle
• Only ship cattle in body condition 3-6 inclusive (using a scale of 1-8)

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 63
 APPENDIX 19 Diagnosis of Premature Lactation

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Flow Chart

Is Gland Symmetrically distended?

NO YES

Are quarters hard/ swollen/ hot? Can fluid be obtained?

NO YES NO YES

Mastitis Present Honey coloured

Can fluid be obtained from quarters?

Teat dip and monitor

YES NO i) Obtain sample aseptically
(Protocol 1) Clots/discoloured
ii) Treat with Leocillin
Honey Teat dip and injection OR Gallimycin
NO Coloured monitor injection (note irritation)
Mastitis Present
OR Is there pitting
Trimethoprim/Sulphonamide oedema of the
gland?
iii) Check for teat lesions YES
i) Obtain aseptic
(fly worry)
sample
ii) Teat dip and NO i) Check diet for K+/Na+ excess
monitor ii) Check prevalence of problem of group
iii) Consider diuretic treatment if severe

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 64
Appendix 20

Veterinary Drug Names and Usage

Chemical Use Chemical Name Trade Names Comments

Antibiotics Oxytetracycline Oxytet 200 LA Oxytetracyclines are long

Terramycin LA acting, use for wounds
Alamycin LA injection and general infections.
Alamycin LA 300 1 shot lasts for 6 days
Tetravet LA They are painful, give in 10ml
Oxytrin LA lots at different sites deep,
Engemycin 100 intra-muscularly.
Delcycline 200 LA

Bivatop 200 Different, only inject

subcutaneously

Terramycin pinkeye Eye spray for pink eye

Oxymav 100 Oral powder, mix with water,

Oxytetracycline 10 good for mass medication
Terramycin 400 without disturbance

Cloxacillin Orbenin Eye Ointment Best option for pink eye

Tilmicosin Micotil 300 Best drug for pneumonia

Trimethoprim + Trisoprim 480 Short acting,

Sulfadiazine Tribrissen Injection best for Salmonella,
Tribactral 48 inject must repeat daily.

Penicillin Benacillin Long acting penicillin – 3 days

Aquacaine LA cover, usually 20ml dose.
Duplocillin Good for minor infections
Noracillin LA

Penicillin and Penstrep Must repeat daily

Streptomycin Pen & Strep injectible

Anti- Ketoprofen Ketoprofen Injectible Reduces pain, inflammation and

Inflammatory Ketofen body temperature.
Agents
Flunixin Finadyne Good for downers, injuries,
Flunix pneumonia and painful eyes.
Flumav Powerful stress relief.
Flunixil

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 65
Chemical Use Chemical Name Trade Names Comments
Tolfenamic acid Tolfidine CS One shot will last 2-3 days

Phenylbutazone Myoton Ketoprofen and Flunixin are

Butasyl more effective
Nabudone IM
Tomanol

Corticosteroid Dexamethasone Dexadresson 2mg Repeat every 12-24 hours,

Dexason 2mg anti inflammatory plus
Methason 2mg appetite stimulation.

Dexapent 5mg Note that 5 mg dose is a more

Dexaphos 5mg potent concentration.
Dexone-5 5mg
Dexadresson V 5mg

Dexafort 3mg Long acting appetite stimulant,

Voren Depot not potent long acting
anti-inflammatory.

Minerals Calcium Calcigol plus For treatment of downers

Glucose Magnesium Glucalphos
Glucose Glucamax
Hypovec 4 in 1
Flopak Plus 4 in1

Diarrhoea mixtures Parnells anti-

treatment diarrhoea powder
Scourban
Gastro-enteric mix
Gastrozine

Bloat Various oils / Teric bloat liquid

treatment chemicals Tympanyl

Parasite Avermectins Ivomec For internal and external

treatments Cydectin parasites.
Dectomax
Paramax
Paramectin
Virbamax
Flumethrin Bayticol For external parasites only.

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 66
Chemical Use Chemical Name Trade Names Comments

Appetite Clanobutin Bykahepar

stimulants Butaphosphan Coforta Includes Vitamin B

Sedatives Xylazine Rompun 100mg 2-4 mls of the 100 mg product

Xylazine 100 should be enough to slow an
Xylazil 100 adult animal right down or
Xylaze 100 make it lay down.

Sedative Yohimbine Reversine Either on their own or both

Reversing 4 Aminopyridine Xylex together for better result
Agent

Skin treatment Cetrimide Cetrigen wound spray Referred to as "purple spray"

Cetridine

Chlorfenvinphos Defiance S Best skin wound treatment

Electrolytes Various salts + Glucotrans 100 grams to 60 litres water

Glucose Vytrate Read directions on container
Trolyte
Wesfarmers
Maxi-Min

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 67
APPENDIX 21

Map of Middle East

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 68
APPENDIX 22

Map of South East Asia

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 69
APPENDIX 23

Australian Ports of Loading showing the 26th parallel

Darwin

. . Weipa
.
Broome.Wyndham
. .. Mourilyan

Port Hedland
Dampier . . Karumba Townsville

26º S .
Brisbane

Geraldton ..
Fremantle
. . .Sydney
Bunbury Adelaide
.
Portland
Devonport .

Short and long haul cattle handbook for stockmen – April 2008 Page 70