When horses are to be taken to a distant area, the train is considered to be the most effective mode of transportation. In Pakistan trains have special boxes or wagons reserved for horses. They can accommodate three to five horses and contain separate feeding and watering devices for each animal. There is a layer of bedding material on the floor for the animals' comfort.
The horse, wearing a head collar, should be led into the wagon from a platform. If the horse is overly excited, wait until it calms down, do not try to drag it. The horse can be tied to a ring attached to the manger. Talk to the horse and pet it. When the horse is tied, close the door or snap a chain across it quietly. Care must be taken with yearlings that have never been on a train. They can be a problem unless they have been handled constantly. If they have not yet learned to accept discipline readily, they can do a lot of damage. When it is time to release the horse, make sure that it has been untied before opening the door to the wagon. Unsnap the chain or open the door, walk away and let the horse come out at will.
It is best to start getting a horse used to a truck or trailer early in life and especially before a journey is planned. If a mare is an easy loader, the foal can be allowed to follow her on and off the vehicle, and young animals may be fed in and around it. Never allow the horse to come off the trailer or truck as soon as the ramp is down. Make it a habit to insist that the horse stand still for a few minutes. This will prevent it from rushing backwards to get off. This is a frequent cause of injury to horses and people, and can also damage equipment.
There are a number of useful techniques for loading difficult horses. The best method is to park the truck or trailer in an alleyway or up against a wall, so that there is no escape around one or both sides. One person should hold the head with the animal wearing a bridle. Place a new market loader, purchased or improvised, on the horse's quarters and have two reliable helpers each hold the handle of the loader. The two helpers should pull forward as evenly as possible and not give up. The person at the head should guide the animal in, but not pull too hard or the horse may be inclined to throw its head up. The pressure on the loins and buttocks appears to prevent the horse from both rearing and kicking, although it may produce a small buck on the first occasion it is used.
Showing posts with label Rail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rail. Show all posts
Transporting livestock by train and vehicle
Transport facilities for livestock are grossly inadequate in Pakistan. The stock owner has to use one of five ways to transport: by ship, train, plane, vehicle, or hoof. Transport by plane or ship, of course, isi usually reserved for costly race horses, zoo animals, and imported pure bred exotic cattle, etc. For long distances, rail transport, affords a savings on maintenance and handling charges, tolls, and other incidental expenses. Also, weight loss and death, potential consequences of transport by foot, can be avoided.
If rail transport is chosen, the wagons which are to carry livestock should always have a roof, provide for free passage of air, and have battened or non-slippery floors. In Pakistan wagons used for goods transport are generally used for transport of animals too. In such a wagon a 10 - 15 cm thick layer of sand should be spread on the floor. This prevents the animals from slipping, soaks up urine and makes lying down comfortable. The side doors should be left open for ventilation. Partitions of suitable size should be made using wooden poles to keep the animals on their feet while the train is moving.
Sheep should be packed in a wagon closely enough to prevent them from being thrown about during transit. Animals should be so grouped that those of approximately the same size and condition are loaded together. Horned cattle should be secured by the horns to the side of the wagon. They should stand head to tail so that alternate animals face the opposite directions.
It is necessary to carry the local feed and utensils for feeding, watering, and milking of animals during the journey. Two experienced attendants who can perform these tasks should accompany the wagon or truck load. Simple medicines for diarrhoea, bloat, fever, and injury should also be carried.
In the winter, the stock should be watered every 12 hours, once in the morning and once in the evening. In the summer, watering frequency should be at least three times a day. When a journey is of more than three days, off-loading for feed and rest is essential to maintain the health and well-being of animals.
Transport of livestock by vehicle has many advantages. It is very convenient to load the animals at the farm and directly transport them to their destination. Thus, the problems of repeated handling and associated disturbances, such as weight loss, can be avoided. On the other hand, if the journey is long and the roads unsurfaced, the cost of transport per Km is somewhat greater than it is by rail, and an extra strain is placed on the animals. Nevertheless, the advantages of vehicle transport outweigh the truck can then be taken to an earthen mound or any other raised geoplogical feature of convenient height and the animals loaded from the mound.
The precautions to be followed while transporting livestock by road are the same as for rail transport. An ordinary goods truck can take four to five cattle and buffaloes, or 20-25 small animals depending on their age and condition.
If goats are being transported in a vehicle, they should not be allowed too much space, otherwise they will be knocked against the sides as the vehicle moves. If only a few are to be transported, spare space can be filled with bales of straw. These must be firmly tied in place and should not provide the goats with any climbable surfaces or ledges. The ideal floor is a rubber mat covered with a thin layer of straw. Horned and dehorned goats should not be carried together in the same compartment. Goats should never be transported in a vehicle without a division between them and the driver.
If rail transport is chosen, the wagons which are to carry livestock should always have a roof, provide for free passage of air, and have battened or non-slippery floors. In Pakistan wagons used for goods transport are generally used for transport of animals too. In such a wagon a 10 - 15 cm thick layer of sand should be spread on the floor. This prevents the animals from slipping, soaks up urine and makes lying down comfortable. The side doors should be left open for ventilation. Partitions of suitable size should be made using wooden poles to keep the animals on their feet while the train is moving.
Sheep should be packed in a wagon closely enough to prevent them from being thrown about during transit. Animals should be so grouped that those of approximately the same size and condition are loaded together. Horned cattle should be secured by the horns to the side of the wagon. They should stand head to tail so that alternate animals face the opposite directions.
It is necessary to carry the local feed and utensils for feeding, watering, and milking of animals during the journey. Two experienced attendants who can perform these tasks should accompany the wagon or truck load. Simple medicines for diarrhoea, bloat, fever, and injury should also be carried.
In the winter, the stock should be watered every 12 hours, once in the morning and once in the evening. In the summer, watering frequency should be at least three times a day. When a journey is of more than three days, off-loading for feed and rest is essential to maintain the health and well-being of animals.
Transport of livestock by vehicle has many advantages. It is very convenient to load the animals at the farm and directly transport them to their destination. Thus, the problems of repeated handling and associated disturbances, such as weight loss, can be avoided. On the other hand, if the journey is long and the roads unsurfaced, the cost of transport per Km is somewhat greater than it is by rail, and an extra strain is placed on the animals. Nevertheless, the advantages of vehicle transport outweigh the truck can then be taken to an earthen mound or any other raised geoplogical feature of convenient height and the animals loaded from the mound.
The precautions to be followed while transporting livestock by road are the same as for rail transport. An ordinary goods truck can take four to five cattle and buffaloes, or 20-25 small animals depending on their age and condition.
If goats are being transported in a vehicle, they should not be allowed too much space, otherwise they will be knocked against the sides as the vehicle moves. If only a few are to be transported, spare space can be filled with bales of straw. These must be firmly tied in place and should not provide the goats with any climbable surfaces or ledges. The ideal floor is a rubber mat covered with a thin layer of straw. Horned and dehorned goats should not be carried together in the same compartment. Goats should never be transported in a vehicle without a division between them and the driver.
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