Alberta Farm Animal Care has received $268,000 for a two year study on compromised cattle arriving at auctions and abattoirs.
The program starts later this summer and early fall, when the condition of cattle being delivered to these facilities will be assessed, said executive director Angela Greter.
Someone will be present on sale days to watch as animals are unloaded and assess the circumstances.
The study wants to know where the animals came from, what kind of truck was used, distance travelled, number of stops and how many times the animal may have been resold.
Animals may have been loaded in good shape and arrive with problems, or other times they were sent to market in poor condition.
“As long as the animals are accepted, they will be shipped,” Greter said.
The study hopes to figure out the risk factors for these animals and develop education for auction and abattoir staff on dealing with compromised cattle.
The grant came from Agriculture Canada’s AgriMarketing Program under Growing Forward 2.
barbara.duckworth
