Associate Professor at the University of Guelph Derek Haley and his team studied cattle hauled form Western Canada into Ontario and Quebec, with rest stops in Thunder Bay.
Haley says cattle can legally be on a truck for 48 hours.
"For the loads that we surveyed, they were on route for, on average, 28 hours when they stopped for feed, water and rest. Cattle are being rested for, on average, just over 11 hours, where as the law requires five hours of rest. So the industry practice is more than double that amount of time."
Their research showed 61 per cent of loads were feeder calves, 21 per cent weaned calves, and 15 per cent were cattle at market weight.
Haley says it's important to know the provincial and federal legislation for transporting animals even if you've hired a professional carrier to transport your animals.
"After all, they are your animals. So be part of the conversation about how to get animals to their destination safely, and in the best shape possible. Know what animals can and cannot be loaded and what condition might preclude an animal from being transported, or what animals might require special provisions for being transported."
Steve Eby runs a backgrounding and feedlot operation in Ontario, and says working with the sellers and people loading the liner is key.
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