title: Heat stress: a major contributor to poor animal welfare associated with long-haul live export voyages.
abstract: Recent investigations by the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry into high mortalities on live export voyages from Australia to the Middle East during the Northern hemisphere summer suggest that animal welfare may be compromised by heat stress. The live export industry has generated a computer model that aims to assess the risk of heat stress and to contain mortality levels on live export ships below certain arbitrary limits. Although the model must be complied with under Australian law, it is not currently available for independent scientific scrutiny, and there is concern that model and the mandated space allowances are inadequate. This review appraises the relevant literature on heat stress in sheep and cattle, including laboratory studies aimed at mimicking the ambient temperatures and humidity levels likely to be encountered on live export voyages. Animal welfare is likely to be very poor as a result of heat stress in some shipments.
authors.affiliation: Vets Against Live Export, Lady Barron PO, Flinders Island, TAS 7255, Australia. Electronic address: policy@vale.org.au.
authors.forename: Malcolm P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Caulfield
authors.affiliation: Vets Against Live Export, Lady Barron PO, Flinders Island, TAS 7255, Australia.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cambridge
authors.affiliation: Vets Against Live Export, Lady Barron PO, Flinders Island, TAS 7255, Australia.
authors.forename: Susan F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: McGreevy
mesh_terms: D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D003132:Commerce; D018882:Heat Stress Disorders / Q000401:mortality / Q000662:veterinary*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008877:Middle East; D012621:Seasons; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D012767:Ships; D014186:Transportation / Q000379:methods*; D014691:Ventilation
keywords: Animal welfare; Heat stress; Live export; Thermoregulation; Transport