Raising livestock is an important part of the agriculture sector. Also, it is one of the successful businesses in India, helping to earn high profits. In this business, livestock is used for rearing and are treated as an asset giving monetary value. Livestock include pigs, cattle, buffalo, horses, mules, sheep, etc. India is a huge market for livestock farming; many different kinds of livestock are raise in India.
An industry of such colossal size includes many operations of different amplitudes and for multiple purposes. Therefore, there are several aspects included in this industry. One such industry is the livestock transportation industry dealing mainly with livestock transportation from one place to another for various purposes through rail, ship and roads.
Important Tips For Starting Livestock Transport Business
The livestock transportation business requires high care and proper knowledge as it is a highly risky business. Also, you have to understand and go through various important laws for this business. This transportation business requires you to be well known with the transportation’s ground realities. With this, you have to understand how this business works.
So, the first step you have to take is investing your time in this business by connecting with someone already in the business. Work with the person for some time to get to know the business in detail and learn about different aspects of the business. It will also help you be proficient in some transportation aspects such as permits and licenses, essential requirements for livestock, dealing with clients, making networks live driving requirements, driver and the assisting person, managing profit, overall management, managing livestock while driving and expanding business.
This blog gives you some guidelines, but the actual knowledge about the business, especially the details that can be acted upon, can only come from working and gaining experience.
Important Permits, Licence & Legal Aspects
You need to go through the necessary Permits, Licence & Legal Aspects for starting any business. To avoid legality problems in future, you have to take all essential permits and licenses. Also, you have to handle legal aspects related to the business.
Not going into the basic factors to start a livestock transportation business with a tax ID, business type, registration, etc., and directly getting into the livestock-related aspects of the business.
You have to take some essential permits:-
- Animal Transporter Registration
- Certification of Standard regarding humane handling of animals, their care, treatment, transport and safety.
- Animal dealer license
Some crucial standards which you have to follow:-
- Contingency planning
- Health certification
- Recordkeeping on handlers and intermediate carriers
- Appropriate identification of animals
- Holding periods and facilities thereof
You are also required to receive a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection from an establishe and well-known veterinarian who has a license from the state for your livestock before transport. The inspection varies depending upon location, distance, nature of the vehicle, animal and weather.
Identifying Cattle Before Transporting Them
Before transporting cattle, you have to identify them. It is an essential step, and for this, you have to use some good strategies. Using the strategy, you can identify the cattle before you transport them.
You can identify cattle using the following:
- Nose printing
- Ear tags
- Tattoos
- Hot Branding
- Cold branding
- Neck chains and
- Printing
Use the points mentioned above to the cattle for identification.
Vehicle For Transportation Livestock
The other most important step for transporting livestock is choosing a large and good quality vehicle. India is a huge country that involves many industries, and the automobile industry is one of them, one of the largest industries in today’s time. The industry involves many different types of vehicles such as trucks, tippers, tractors and many more. Many excellent truck models are available in the market, like Eicher Pro and others. Get powerful and efficient vehicles that safely and comfortably transport livestock. To find an efficient vehicle or truck, you have to start researching from the initial stage of business. Choosing of vehicle depends on the livestock, their numbers and travelling distance.
For example:-
If you are transporting small livestock, then use the small truck. It would be cheaper and easy to manage. But with this truck, you are not allowed to load large size cattle, and also, it is not used for long distances.
If you have large livestock, you can use large-sized trucks, but it may be costlier. But the best thing about this truck is that it can travel long distances and accommodate much small livestock.
The choice of vehicle or truck is based on your requirement, budget and feasibility. Along with this, you can rent or lease huge transport than buying new.
Time Limit For Transporting Livestock
A time limit is set for transporting cattle that restricts the time period. The time taken, including the time taken for the shipment, is 28 hours. Hence, you must plan according to your contingency.
If your destination can be covere within this time frame, it is ok, but if it takes more time to reach the place, you have to unload the cattle and give them at least 5 hours rest with food and water.
It is advisable to have two drivers and an intermediate arrangement in between where you can put your cattle to rest for a longer duration. The regulation is quite strict, so it is advisable to follow it with proper attention.
Transportation in Cold and Hot Weather
Handling extreme weather is difficult for everyone, whether human or animal. Animals also can not live in severe hot or cold weather. So, you have to follow proper guidelines in this regard. Cover the carrier well with non-permeable sheets of plastic to ensure insulation for both purposes.
Similarly, you must insulate the bed in the cold by using a straw, while water can be sprinkled on the bed to keep it cool in summer. With this, you have to cover the second carrier with jute sheets sprinkle with water and the roof to be adequately covered.
It is most important to follow the guidelines when loading cattle onto your carrier. The given things have to be done before boarding cattle.
- Weighting the carrier
- Cleaning the carrier comprehensively
- All gates have to be appropriately fix and firm in place
- The roof has to be fully cover, especially in the summer and monsoon season
- The chute must be safely anchore
- The bedding must be place appropriately
Methods of boarding the cattle on the carrier:-
- Put accurate paddles and wooden inclines to support the animal board the vehicle or truck
- If no option is available, airlift them using the right methods
- If necessary, chain them at respective places with appropriate chain space to stand and sit. The chain shouldn’t be tight.
Feed them properly and make some food available during the trip and water. For long-distance travel, you have to clean the carrier as much as possible to prevent wet bedding.
The information pertains to the management of livestock and their transport. Now we require to focus on the livestock transportation business dynamics. What are other requirements?
Driver & Staff
To run this business, you require one driver while another staff manages affairs and assists the driver. Therefore, you have to ensure that both are well-skille and traine in driving. Also, they have all vital knowledge about travelling with livestock.
These are some essential steps for doing the livestock transportation business. To read more such informative and beneficial blogs, you have to stay tuned with us.
