Ventilated Livestock Trailer Reduces Stress In Transport

Ventilated Livestock Trailer Reduces Stress In Transport LIVESTOCK Beef 23-2-18 A new concept for transporting livestock on the road is said to greatly reduce stress. A "mechanically vented" trailer was designed by ag researchers in England. One prototype has been built. The work was being done by the Silsoe Research Institute at Bedford, England. The United Kingdom already has regulations governing how many animals can be transported in a trailer, and more regulations are likely in the future. But researcher Peter Kettlewell of Silsoe says keeping animals comfortable in transport makes good business sense because they're in better condition when they arrive and are easier to handle. The 44-ft. trailer is fitted with six 12- in. extractor fans each capable of moving 1.6 cu. ft. of air per second. Driven by 24-volt batteries below the trailer bed, there are three fans per side. They draw air from the back of the trailer over the livestock and out the front. "We're still working on defining the ventilation requirements for different animals," Kettlewell says. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Peter Kettlewell, Silsoe Research Institute, Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedford MK45 4HS U.K. (ph 011 44 1525 860000; fax 861735: E-mail: peter.kettlewell@bbsrc.ac.uk).

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