THE revised Meat and Livestock Australia Fit to Load Guide is now available.
Anybody who is involved in the management or handling of livestock should make time to study the guide.
There are plenty of pictures and diagrams to keep the explanations practical.
The reason for the 2019 edition is because a number of additions have been made. These include:
- Clear roles and responsibilities for consignors and transporters
- Clear checklists to assess whether an animal is fit to load
- Managing effluent
- Loading densities
- Requirements for transporting bobby calves
- Using firearms or captive bolt for euthanasia
It should be noted that if the person in charge of the stock prepares to transport, or transports, an animal that is unfit, that person commits an act of cruelty upon that animal, and may be liable to prosecution under state or territory legislation.
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As such, it is also unacceptable for any party to coerce or intimidate the person in charge into loading an animal that is not fit for the journey.
The guide was developed to help livestock operators meet the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for the Land Transport of Livestock, and decide whether an animal is fit to be loaded for transport and for the entire journey by road or rail to any destination within Australia.
Visit www.mla.com.au/isitfittoload to order a hard copy. The guide is also available to download in electronic form on the MLA website.
Restocker lamb demand still strong
LIGHT lambs sold at saleyards and returning to the paddock have become much dearer in the past week.
The NSW restocker lamb indicator hit 880 cents a kilogram (carcase weight) early this week which was about 114c/kg higher than the week before.
The southern part of the state appears to be driving the trend as restocker lambs sold at southern saleyards averaged 954c/kg.
Trade lamb averages also climbed above the 900c/kg mark to settle early this week on 907c/kg.
Prices for trade lambs were nearly 50c/kg dearer than the same time last week.
Heavy lambs remain at sky high levels and the averages in NSW hit 931c/kg this week.
Heavy lambs at Wagga Wagga hit $354.20 a head last Thursday. So far that's where the Australian lamb price record stands, although who knows what buyers will pay as we head deeper into winter.
Direct to works goat rates lift
OVER-the-hook goat prices have climbed another two cents a kilogram higher in the past week to average 940 cents a kilogram (carcase weight).
The eastern states prices, compiled by Meat and Livestock Australia, have experienced a rapid rise in the past few months.
In just the past three months the average price has lifted more than 320c/kg. Across all weight categories, prices for goats have ranged from 650c/kg to 1030c/kg.
However, this pricing does not include the Capretto or those less than eight kilograms.