The CFIA’s new Livestock Transportation changes are set to take effect in less than a year's time.

Reg Schellenberg is co-chair of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association's (CCA) Animal and Care Committee.

He says the proposed changes reduce the maximum time mature fed cattle and calves can remain on transit without food and water from 48 hours to 36 hours.

“One of the industry’s biggest concerns is geographically for Western Canadian calves to reach destinations in Ontario it’s logistically impossible to get there in that 36-hour time frame. Therefore, CFIA is suggesting that these cattle be offloaded and rested. The challenge is there are no offload sites available.”

He notes the CCA is writing a letter asking for a two-year delay to do more research to find out if the rest periods and off-loading actually benefit the welfare of these animals or not.

The CCA is also reaching out to other provincial and national livestock organizations for support in delaying the transportation changes in favor of more research.

“This would allow the research that’s currently underway with Agri-Food Canada and the Beef Cattle Research Council give them time to come up with their research stats as to whether or not off-load and rest periods are actually as beneficial as some perceive them to be.”

Schellenberg says the proposed changes seem to be based on emotion rather than science.

He notes there are data and research that shows 99% of the cattle that arrive on transit beyond four hours arrive on site in good condition.

February of 2020 is when the CFIA’s new Livestock Transportation changes are set to take effect.

 

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