title: Development phases of long distance transport vehicles for cattle in Finland.
abstract: The development and research work on long distance road trains (transport times of 814 hours) was done in three phases: 1991-1993 (1st generation vehicles), 1997 (second generation vehicles) and 2000-2001 (third generation vehicles). During this time, vehicle design, materials and equipments were improved significantly. As a result of this developments, cattle can be transported for 8 to 14 hours with new, special equipped vehicles without transportation having any significant effect on animal welfare, stress level, carcass or meat quality.
authors.affiliation: Finnish Meat Research Institute, P.O. Box 56, FIN-13101 Hämeenlinna, Finland.
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Honkavaara
mesh_terms: D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000592:standards*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D013997:Time Factors; D014186:Transportation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards