CALGARY, (Jan. 28, 2005) — Well, BSE and the U.S. border will likely be a topic of conversation for sure. But this year, the Alberta Farm Animal Care international conference’s true focus will be on commercial transport of North American livestock.

The major livestock association has extended a special invitation to livestock truckers, feedlots and auctions. The livestock trucking workshop will be held in Calgary May 4. The cost is $75 US.

Topics will include protecting your assets, risks, liabilities and insurance, reducing transport stress, and a health and safety code of practice for handlers during transport.

By law, only fit, healthy animals are to be loaded onto vehicles. In Canada, the very size of our country and, in some cases, the distance to an abattoir means livestock can be hauled great distances. All of this is governed by laws that dictate time in travel and rest stops for feed and water.

Given Canada’s extreme weather conditions, extra care steps must be taken to ensure livestock well-being while in transit. And this conference will help trucks do just that.

Taking care of animal loads on North American routes and a discussion of overloading compared with overcrowding , transport of slaughter horses, dealing with transport accidents, and current issues facing the industry will be included.