VMD 511: Animal Welfare, Ethics and Jurisprudence (2+0)

TRANSPORT OF SHEEP AND GOATS

• Rule 64: Rules 65 to 75 shall apply to the transport of sheep and goats by rail or road involving journeys of more than six hours.
• Rule 65
  • A valid health certificate by qualified veterinary surgeon to the effect that the sheep and goats are in a fit condition to travel by rail or road and are not suffering from infectious or contagious or parasitic disease shall accompany each consignment.
  • In the absence of such a certificate, the carrier shall refuse to accept the consignment for transport.
  • The certificate shall be in a form specified in Schedule-J.
• Rule 66
  • Each consignment shall bear a label showing in bold red letters the name, address and telephone number (if any) of the consignor and consignee the number and type of sheep or goats being transported and quantity of rations and food provided.
  • The consignee shall be informed in advance about the train or vehicle in which the consignment of sheep or goats are being sent and its arrival time.
  • The consignment of sheep or goats shall be booked by the next train or vehicle and shall not be detained after the consignment is accepted for booking.
• Rule 67
  • First-aid equipment shall accompany the sheep or goats in transit.
  • Suitable ramps shall be provided for loading and unloading the sheep or goats.
  • In the case of a railway wagon, when the loading or unloading is done on the platform, the dropped door of the wagon shall be used as a ramp.
• Rule 68: Sheep and goats shall be transported separately; but if the lots are small special partition shall be provided to separate them.
• Rule 69: Rams and male young stock shall not be mixed with female stock in the same compartment.
• Rule 70: Sufficient food and fodder shall be carried to last during the journey and watering facility shall be provided at regular intervals.
• Rule 71: Material for padding, such as straw, shall be placed on the floor to avoid injury if an animal lies down, and this shall be not less than 5 cm. thick.
• Rule 72: The animals shall not be fettered unless there is a risk of their jumping out and their legs shall not be tied down.
• Rule 73: The space required for a goat shall be the same as that for a wooled sheep and the approximate space required for a sheep in a goods vehicle or a railway wagon shall be as under:-

Approximate weight of animal in KG	Space required in Sq mts.
	Wooled	Horned
Not more than 20	0.18	0.16
More than 20 but not more than 25	0.20	0.18
More than 25 but not more than 30	0.23	0.22
More than 30	0.28	0.26

 

Broad gauge		Metre gauge		Narrow gauge
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)
Area of wagon	Area of wagon	Area of wagon	Area of wagon
Less than	21.1	Less than	12.5
21.1	Square Metres an d Above	12.5	Square Metres an d Above
70	100	50	60	25

• Rule 74
  • No railway wagon shall accommodate more than the following number ofthe sheep or goats
  • Adequate ventilation shall be provided in every wagon. Upper door of one side of wagon shall be kept open and properly fixed and closely welded mesh to prevent burning cinders form the engine.
• Rule 75
  • Goods vehicle of capacity of 5 or 4.5 tons shall carry not more than forty sheep or goats.
  • Partitions at every 2 or 3 mts across width in large wagons.
  • Separate panels for young ones.