Animal Health & Husbandry
1 May, 2025
New taskforce targets livestock transport
MEAT and Livestock Australia (MLA) has formed a transport sustainability taskforce with red meat supply representatives.
The taskforce will measure animal movement and animal welfare metrics for the livestock road transport industry.
The transport will guide the domestic livestock transport industry’s focus on three pillars.
These include animal welfare, supply chain efficiency, and education and training.
It will identify and evaluate practical animal welfare indicators to track and report sheep and cattle welfare throughout the road transport chain.
Annual tracking of animal movements, animal welfare status and overall performance will build transparency and highlight areas for improvement.
Data will be reported in the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework and Sheep Sustainability Framework.
MLA project manager animal wellbeing, Sharon Dundon, said the taskforce consisted of people from across the supply chain.
This includes producers, saleyards, agents, transporters, retailers and processors; bringing expertise in science, industry knowledge and practical experience.
“Across the country trucks are transporting livestock daily,” Ms Dundon said.
“It’s crucial for the entire industry to proactively collaborate, ensuring we do right by our animals and our industry.
“This taskforce is bringing the industry together, helping people understand their roles and responsibilities for livestock transport.”
Ms Dundon said it was also helping improve the understanding that best practice livestock transport comes down to good preparation.
The draft strategy was recently shared with transporters at the Australian and NSW Rural Transporters Associations’ joint conference in Canberra.
It is anticipated it will also be shared for consultation with supply chain stakeholders over the coming months.
Chair of the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework, Patrick Hutchinson, is a member of the group and said the taskforce was needed to provide a supply-chain wide approach to considering the risks and opportunities for domestic livestock transport.
“Without livestock transport there is no red meat industry,” Mr Hutchinson said.
“All parts of the supply chain are connected by the industry’s livestock logistics systems.”
Mr Hutchinson said he hoped the taskforce would lead to greater recognition of the vital role transport plays in the supply chain, as well as considering how challenges can be solved.
“The taskforce fosters a collaborative approach across the supply chain, ensuring transporters feel involved and confident in playing their critical role,” Mr Hutchinson said.
“When everyone is working towards the same goals, and focusing on actions in their own specific areas, this creates improved outcomes overall, benefiting everyone.”
The taskforce has been created one year since MLA launched the Transport Hub website as a one-stop education resource for livestock transport by road in Australia in March 2024.
It is an Australian government investment under the National Agricultural Traceability Strategy 2023-2033 to drive greater cohesion, enhancements and value-added benefits across Australia’s agricultural traceability systems.