Transporting cattle

At some point you will have to transport your animals. Whether it be to fresh pasture, selling on, or to the abattoir, here are a few tips.

1. If you are transporting animals more than 60Km, you need to pass a DEFRA test.

2. It is very much easier to load your cows into a proper cattle trailer than a horse trailer! We have found that they will walk happily into a suitable trailer strawed down but hate going into a horse trailer. Probably because the light and air from the side ventilation of a cattle trailer reassures them.

3. Don’t assume that a large animal can’t get through the jockey door!

4. Avoid being inside the trailer with the animals as they could easily crush you against a wall.

5. If you put feed in the trailer to lure them, don’t attempt to rescue the bucket once they are in. Better to lose a bucket than let them out again or be crushed.