Transporting Livestock by Truck

Featherlite, Inc.

Guide to Transporting Livestock by Truck

Hiring livestock trucks while safeguarding your livelihood
By R.N. Dolgener

Transporting livestock by truck, whether you need to hire a one-horse trailer or a cattle truck, requires planning, coordination, and sometimes, professional help.

Hauling livestock by truck is a proposition that often involves independent livestock shippers. If you'd rather leave the details to someone with more experience, however, livestock trucking can be handled by professionals who serve as a sort of travel agent for four-legged inventory. To determine how far you'll need to go to get your commodity moved quickly and safely, begin planning livestock trucking at least 2 months in advance.

Consider the following details of your load to determine how you'll start planning, and whether you need the help of a livestock transportation service:

1. Number and type of animals to be moved by livestock haulers.

2. Season in which animals will be transported and weather conditions.

3. Distance from origin to destination.

4. Medical history and general health of all animals to be carried by livestock shippers.

Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Complete vaccinations and veterinary inspections no more than 30 days before transporting livestock If you're shipping within the 48 contiguous states, regulations for livestock transport may differ. While your state may not require that 2-year-old heifers have Brucellosis vaccinations as long as there's a record that they had the vaccination when they were calves, another state may require the vaccine or a Bangs test. Although you can get vaccinations and appropriate paperwork handled quickly, testing sometimes has a longer turnaround time. Also, if you need a veterinarian to make a ranch call, you may be looking at considerable lead time.

I recommend:  No matter where you're shipping, the agency that regulates livestock movement in the United States is the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the USDA. You'll need an APHIS transport form with your load. You may also need a state or federal health certificate from your veterinarian.

Ask potential livestock shippers about their commitment to safety Anyone who ships livestock should be licensed with the USDA under the Animal Protection Act. Reputable livestock haulers make humane shipping methods and animal safety their top priorities and they know their death rates. Ask about those rates. As you make industry contacts, interview the shippers as you would any potential employee to whom you would entrust your livelihood. Get references (preferably satisfied clients), and actually verify them.

I recommend:  Thigpen Trucking offers a large fleet of cattle trucks in Texas, and also offers pre-transport feedlot services. Tejas Registered Longhorn Ranch has an online form for requesting information.

Hire independent livestock trucks to save money Some websites offer listing services to bring shippers and haulers together, like Livestock Haulers classifieds.

I recommend:  Bull Wagons is a members-only website that offers a demonstration of its site's features. Navigate the demo to see if a site like this is one you could use.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Your best source for finding a cattle truck could be your neighbor or your veterinarian. Ask around for references before you get started on a full web search.
• Feedlot operators and auction barn owners often dabble in transporting livestock by truck. At the very least, they have contact information for livestock trucking services.