A recently developed six-hour cattle handling course will teach people how to load livestock properly, how to do paperwork for international hauling and explain the responsibilities of truckers when hauling animals.
Developed by the beef industry’s Quality Starts Here program and the Alberta Farm Animal Care Association, the course will be taught by Tim O’Byrne of Calico Beef Consulting.
Available Oct. 1, this course is the first of its kind. It is designed to deliver practical material based on the most recent legislation and research on handling livestock, said O’Byrne.
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“We’re trying to clarify some of these rules that are being misused out there,” he said, noting all students receive a copy of the federal code of practice for handling beef cattle.
The first section deals with cattle psychology, with emphasis that animals are living creatures, not commodities. The second section is on handling and a third part talks about handling facilities.
The course explains responsibilities when handling animals, which is especially important for truckers.
“They are legally responsible for the load once they have accepted it for transport. That’s the law,” said O’Byrne.
