Cattle Hauling Instructions

Cattle hauling, whether on a small or large scale, can cause significant stress on animals, particularly if basic livestock handling and hauling instructions are ignored. Reducing the amount of stress on livestock makes hauling a smoother operation and decreases the rate of livestock loss. Large amounts of cattle are transported by tractor trailers, but small-scale cattle operations may haul a single cow in a pickup truck with a set of cattle racks.

Things You'll Need

  • Livestock trailer or truck with cattle racks
  • Food
  • Wet sand or wet wood chips
  • Straw
  • Moving blankets
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Instructions

    • 1

      Inspect the truck before loading the cattle; check the fluids, lights, tires, and any known vehicle problems beforehand. This will decrease the chance of vehicle breakdowns, which cause extra haul times and put unnecessary stress on cattle.

    • 2

      Inspect the cattle for disease, parasites and other problems before hauling; sick cattle should be segregated from other cattle or their shipment delayed until they are well. Some states may require cattle to pass a health inspection before they can be hauled, especially if they are to be mixed with other cattle or sold.

    • 3

      Feed and water cattle before hauling, but withhold feed a few hours before hauling so soiling will not be a problem.

    • 4

      Line the truck or trailer bed with wet sand or wet wood chips in hot weather, or with straw in cold weather. Wet material will help keep cattle cool, while straw keeps cattle warm during the haul.

    • 5

      Plug up 1/2 to 3/4 of the trailer ventilation holes in winter to minimize the crosswind chill on cattle during transport; moving blankets work well for this. Some ventilation is necessary, however, so that cattle can breathe fresh air.

    • 6

      Haul cattle in the morning or at night during hot weather; postpone the trip if the weather is extremely hot. If cattle must be hauled in hot weather, avoid stopping or only stop during cool parts of the day.

    • 7

      Separate horned and hornless cattle, as well as pregnant cattle, and keep them separated throughout the haul.

    • 8

      Load cattle onto the truck or trailer through a narrow chute so that they can walk single file and can't turn around. Cattle have a natural tendency to follow a leader, so they should walk on without much trouble.

    • 9

      Maintain a quiet atmosphere while loading the cattle so that they remain calm and stress free. Prodding cattle should be kept to a minimum because this causes them stress and can disrupt the whole herd.

    • 10

      Give pregnant cows and horned animals extra room during the haul. Horns can cause bruises and, depending on the sharpness of the horns, puncture other animals.

    • 11

      Secure and lock all gates and ramps on the trailer.

    • 12

      Begin the trip as soon as possible after loading to keep the ride as short as possible. Ideally, the trip should be no longer than 30 to 40 hours, with 48 hours regarded as the maximum transport time without rest.

    • 13

      Start slowly, stop slowly and take all turns slowly when driving a truck with cattle. This will lessen the risk of cattle falling during transport.

    • 14

      Stop every four or five hours to check the animals for sickness and ensure the trailer partitions are secure. Take a longer rest stop to feed and water cattle at least once every 24 hours during transport.

    • 15

      Unload animals in the same quiet manner as they were loaded and give them food and water right away.