Livestock Transportation for Animal Welfare

Most livestock transportation for inter-island crossings in Indonesia still uses cargo ships, so it does not pay attention to the animal welfare factor. Because cattle are forced to swim to and from the shore, the ships use nets, and the space is narrow. As a result, cattle experience stress/depression and are prone to injury.

In response to this, the government has made improvements to livestock transportation to encourage regions to increase self-sufficiency in beef and buffalo. As well as supporting the distribution of meat between islands and improving animal welfare (animal welfare).

ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) embodies the government’s efforts by providing livestock transport ships with several facilities. Among them are a blower system (ventilator to neutralize ammonia gas from feces), sewage system, feeding system, water system (giving drinking water automatically), medical and quarantine rooms for sick cattle, passenger room accommodation, and embarkation doors. And animal debarkation (portable ladders for access to livestock adapted to the port’s tides).

The Vice President conveyed the statement for Commercial PT. ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero), Hendriawan Nur Kuncoro as a speaker at an online guest lecture at the Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Brawijaya (Fapet UB), Friday (28/05/2021).

According to him, the operational mechanism for transporting livestock between islands is the first to be breeders to sell livestock to collecting agents. Then the Plantation and Animal Husbandry Service check the livestock. Then the collecting agent communicates with the operator for bookings and makes delivery payments.

Upon arrival at the port, the cattle are loaded onto the ship and checked by the quarantine team. During the voyage, the cattle were cared for and cared for by one shepherd. Furthermore, at the destination location, the cattle are transported by truck.

“The transportation of livestock by applying the principles of animal welfare can reduce the depreciation of the live weight of the livestock.“Said Hendriawan

” Hopefully, this material can add insights and knowledge for the students of Universitas Brawijaya animal science about the transportation of cattle transport between islands,” he concluded (dta)