Livestock Transport (National Livestock Transport & Safety Group)
Preparation for PICA Declaration
Industry asked for PICA declarations to be added to the Animal Status Declaration. RTF and the National Livestock Transport and Safety group achieved that through protracted and robust lobbying. With June 14 implementation fast approaching the advice in this advisory will assist transporters and livestock presenters prepare for that.
Preparation for PICA Declaration Advisory
Backrub – A Preventable Injury
Backrub is a serious injury which can cause:
- Deep bruising to the back/rump of an animal
- Skin abrasions or damage to the coat where rub has occurred
- Blisters that are evident on the skin
Click here to find out how farmers and transporters are working together to prevent backrub and what you can do to make sure it doesn’t happen.
Changes Improve NAIT
RTF and NLTSG’s submission on the National Animal Identification and Tracing Amendment Bill (No 2) has significantly improved the NAIT tagging system and alleviated transporters concerns…READ MORE
Mycoplasma bovis – MPI advice
Advice and fact sheets about Mycoplasma bovis, including for transporters is available here.
New Zealand Livestock Transport Assurance Programme
For the NZLTA Programme website and the register of approved trainers click here
The New Zealand Livestock Transport Assurance (NZLTA) programme’s purpose is to ensure that all livestock being transported to processing plants are treated humanely and with proper regard for their welfare, meeting the requirements of the New Zealand Code of Animal Welfare.
The NZLTA has been set up at the instigation of some of New Zealand’s major processing companies: AFFCO New Zealand, South Pacific Meats Ltd, Canterbury Meat Packers, Riverlands Meats, Ovation New Zealand and Silver Fern Farms.
From December 31 2013 all trucking operators transporting stock to these company’s plants must be a member of the NZLTA. Their drivers must be trained by an NZLTA-approved trainer and registered with the NZLTA. Drivers who have completed the CMP Transport Quality Assurance Programme or the Alliance Transport Accreditation Programme do not require further training.
The driver training programme has been developed by the Road Transport Forum and the trainers are approved by the NZLTA administrators. Preference is given to suitably experienced livestock operators and industry participants as trainers.
To ensure that operators and drivers continue to meet the NZLTA’s standards, audits of drivers, vehicles and animals will be carried out at processor sites by the processing company and AsureQuality staff. Transport operators will be audited by AsureQuality every 18 months.
Transport Operators joining the NZLTA Programme must complete and submit anapplication form along with a current driver training register that includes:
• Driver first name and surname
• Colour photocopy or image of driver’s licence
• Training record including date of training and approved trainer details
NZLTA Programme driver trainers need to meet the trainer criteria and complete the trainer commitment to the NZLTA Programme principles. For the register of approved driver trainers click here
RTF/NZLTA QR Coded Tags (Click here)
Programme Booklet (Click here)
Terms and conditions and driver trainer commitment form (Click here)
Sets out the programme ethics, information about reporting breaches of standard and the commitment form for driver trainers
Trainer criteria (Click here)
Details the qualifications required to be a trainer
Driver training and assessment guide for trainers (Click here)
Specifies the knowledge drivers must have to be accredited to the programme
Truck driver criteria (Click here)
Sets out the criteria for assessing a driver’s competence and knowledge of equipment, stockmanship, contingency planning, occupational health and safety and documentation
Stock Crate Code – For the latest edition of the Stock Crate Code click here
Documents
Minutes from NLTSG Meetings
Minutes of the Road Transport Forum New Zealand National Livestock Transport & Safety Group meeting held at Miramar Golf Club on 12 February 2021 (Click here)
Minutes of the Road Transport Forum New Zealand National Livestock Transport & Safety Group meeting held at Miramar Golf Club on 31 July 2020 (Click here)
Minutes of the Road Transport Forum New Zealand National Livestock Transport & Safety Group meeting held at the Miramar Golf Club on 6 March 2020 (Click here)
Refusal to transport unfit animals form (Click here)
This form may be used by livestock transporters to aid in the refusal of unfit livestock presented for transport.