Transport to slaughter and associated recordings

All trucks used in the study were approved for transport of cows and all livestock drivers were authorized to transport cows according to Danish legislation. Four of the five trucks used in the study were single deck with trailer; one was double deck and no trailer (Figure ​(Figure1).1). Single deck trucks with a trailer could carry a maximum of 25 cows, the double deck truck carried a maximum of 35 cows on the lower deck; cows were never on the upper deck in the present study. Current rules regarding space allowances during transport state that a cow with an approximate live weight of 325 kg must have 0.95–1.3 m², a cow with an approximate live weight of 550 kg must have 1.3–1.6 m², and cows with a live weight >700 kg must have >1.6 m² [EC 1/2005 (20)]. These rules were complied with at all times. In all trucks, the floors were rubber-coated and sawdust was used as bedding.

Schematic drawings of the two types of vehicles involved in the study: single deck truck with trailer (A), and double deck truck (B). During the study, cows were never transported on the upper deck. The white rectangles mark openings in the walls of the truck for ventilation.

The ramps were coated with rubber, fitted with foot battens and the slope could be adjusted to fit the surroundings when loading and unloading cows, but was never steeper than ~26° cf. the EU regulation [EC 1/2005 (20)]. The ramps were provided with side protections with an approximate height of 130–140 cm to avoid cows escaping or falling off. The trucks were passively ventilated through openings in the upper part of the side walls in order to ensure adequate ventilation above the cows when standing, cf. the EU regulation [EC 1/2005 (20)]. The ventilation openings were rectangular, with an approximate height of 20–25 cm and of varying length, but in total constituting < 10% of the wall area. All trucks had full air suspension. When loading, the truck drove up close to the barn and the cows were loaded directly from the small pen inside the barn or from the outside pen. The driver would walk behind the cows, hold a lightweight plastic board in front of him and gently drive the cows up the ramp and onto the truck. Sticks or electric pods were never used. At two farms, the cows were led by halter one at a time. The loading time did not exceed ~5 min.

For all journeys, the distance, duration, number of stops, and the duration of stops were recorded. A stop was defined as the truck not moving (irrespective of the reason) for at least 5 min. In Denmark, cull dairy cows are seldom shipped from one farm in great enough numbers to fill a whole truck, and hence, it is normal practice for hauliers to pass by other farms on the way to the slaughter plant and collect cows there. During journeys, drivers might shift the partitions between the cows inside the truck and move cows around as more cows are loaded onto the vehicle. Hence, it was not possible to register the precise stocking density or the occurrence of mixing of cows after loading. If a farmer had ordered transport with special provisions i.e., segregating a cow in order to protect her from the rest of the animals, this was maintained throughout the journey and the use of segregation was recorded.