Transporting purchased calves
Meat & Livestock Australia October 2, 2024
You must understand and comply with the legislated Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines related to the transport and management of non-replacement dairy calves (also called bobby calves). This is essential for all parties involved in the transaction.
After you have purchased the calves, it’s important to ensure all transport requirements are met by both the calf vendor and the transporter to guarantee the calves’ health and welfare during transit.
Use the following checklist to guide you.
Transport Checklist:
Non-replacement dairy calves must be at least five days old to be transported for sale. All calves should be bright, alert, able to walk unassisted and show no signs of disease such as scours, nasal discharge or coughing. The navel must be dry and the hooves firm and worn flat, and not bulbous with soft unworn tissue.
The calf must be fed a liquid feed within six hours before loading.
Each calf must have an NLIS tag, as it is illegal for cattle to leave a property in Australia without one.
The producer must supply a completed NVD or eNVD to accompany the calves.
This step is optional but valuable, providing additional information about the calf’s management to date.
Ensure you have an appropriate, clean trailer that provides protection from heat and cold (e.g., wind protection at the front and shade on top). The trailer should have thick bedding (15 cm) and enough space for all calves to lie down and stand up comfortably.
Ensure the transport time is less than six hours.
References & Tools: Additional information on calf transport can be found in the GBfD transport module.