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CATRA (CAttle TRAnsport) Minimizing stress inducing factors on cattle during handling and transport to improve animal welfare and meat quality. |
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Main objective: The purpose of the project is to gather sufficient data and to develop methods for controlling and minimizing stress inducing factors during handling and transport of cattle, develop guidelines and recommendation for end-users, such as meat and vehicle industries and the policy makers, to improve animal welfare and meat quality on European level. This can be fulfilled through optimization of design of handling areas, transport vehicles, and associated transport conditions, and by promoting an IT-supported effective logistic system. Specific objectives and project workplan: In a first phase of the project a base-line survey is made to collect data on the type and classes of means of cattle transport, penning systems at farms, loading and unloading methods and facilties, penning system in the vehicles, feeding regimes and transport time limits. Also data on the national regulation and legislation in EU member countries and other countries wich are participating in the project is gathered and compared. At this phase, screening experiments are carried out to obtain a general knowledge on the response of animals to various handling and transport events in each project country. Data collected under phase one can provide information to plan the project activities in the next phase. The second phase is the main body of the project. It includes different Work Packages, where comprehensive experiments are be made to optimize transport time, resting time, vibration levels, air speed, temperature, relative humidity, levels of ammonia, carbon dioxide, methane, oxygen, pre-transport and lairage facilities. The project focusses mainly on slaughter cattle (bulls, cows, heifers and calves). Typical commercial vehicles (determined based on the results of phase 1) are used throughout the project. |
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Phase three includes developments of new equipment, new design, control system, demonstration of new technology. These will be made using the findings from phase 2. Role of Belgium: The major task of Belgium is to determine the vibration levels wich have an adverse effect on cattle's welfare. The responses of young calves to various levels of vibration are intensively studied under laboratory conditions using a vibration rig. Physical characteristics of vibration, i.e. acceleration and frequency can be set at a fixed rate. The range of values is selected according to vibration characteristics measured on transport vehicles. The response of the animals is evaluated through observation of their behaviour, heart rate, body temperature and cortisol levels in saliva. For further information:
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