Goat depot - Module 1 - Meat & Livestock Australiaensure the continued growth of the industry. What...

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Goat Depot

Introduction These guidelines have been developed withthe input of goat depot operators andextensive consultation with the Australiangoat industry. Their aim is to encouragebest practice within the sector and to helpensure the continued growth of the industry.

What is a goat depot?A depot is an essential tool in the Australiangoat industry. Its main function is toconsolidate significant numbers of goats formarketing purposes.

Goat depots vary in nature but can bebroadly defined as:

A holding area where goats are broughttogether or accumulated before they aretransported for slaughter, export ordistribution to other businesses.

A depot must be managed to includeproper husbandry practices and provideadequate shelter, feed, water and goodanimal welfare.

It is likely that animals will only remain at thedepot for a short time (four to ten days),however that is dependent on the marketand the capability of the depot.

Given this definition, a depot may undertakethe following:

• A depot does not farm goats but may beused to prepare animals to meet certainmarket requirements (specifications).

• A depot operator may arrange to harvestanimals or buy them from producers,harvesters or other sources.

Module 11 – Goat depots

Module 11 – Goat depots 1

This flow chart shows the key position of a goat depot in the supply chain of the Australian goat livestock andmeat products industry.

Red arrows – goat meat products Blue arrows – live animals

2 Module 11 – Goat depots

What to consider?Three key factors are critical to thecontinued development of the Australiangoat industry. These are also vital to thesuccessful establishment and operation of agoat depot. These are:

• Economic sustainability

• Animal welfare

• Quarantine and animal health

This module considers each of these factorsin the context of the day-to-day planningand operation of a goat depot.

The depot module has been developedfrom the collective experience andknowledge of goat industry members*across Australia and is presented underthree broad headings:

• Planning, design and construction

• Handling and husbandry

• Health, nutrition, and depot hygiene

* Goat industry members include farmers, harvesters, graziers, transport operators, depot operators, processors andexporters who are engaged in the Australian goat industry and their support industries.

Depot planning, design andconstruction

What to do?

How to do it?Plan to succeed. The key issues identifiedabove can be addressed throughappropriate planning. Depot planning,design and construction is as critical to yoursuccess as business planning. See Module1 – Property planning pages 1-12 andModule 2 – Financial analysis pages 1 -8.

Depot operators need to understand thattheir business’ profitability is driven by theircapacity to generate net income on aconsistent basis. Profitability can beexpressed in a number of ways and this iscovered in Module 2 – Financial analysispages 1-5 and Toolkit 2 pages 1-13.

Business planning is particularly importantin intensive farming situations, like goatdepoting, and should document the natureof the business, the sales and marketingstrategy, the financial background and aprojected profit and loss statement.


Economic sustainability • Depot profitability depends on efficiency of operation– maximise your efficiency.

• Your depot planning will significantly impact uponthe long-term profitability of your business – plan tosucceed.

• Depots should be a purely functional asset and beable to respond to market demand – maximise depotfunctionality.

Welfare considerations • The safety of people and animals at the depot isparamount – do not leave safety to chance.

• Depot design and construction impacts on animalwelfare – consider welfare in the design process.

Quarantine and health • Depot security is a key to maintaining biosecurity –make your facility intruder proof from unwantedanimals and people.

• Your clients along the supply chain demand healthyanimals – manage the health risks.


Your business plan will help you identify andmanage risk and assist you in developingmeasures to minimise risk. It will also assistyou in communicating your ideas and goalsto employees, stakeholders, your family andbusiness partners. Refer to Module 2 –Financial analysis pages 1-8 for moreinformation.

In the depot situation biosecurity is theprotection of the health of livestock bypreventing the transmission of diseasesthrough physical barriers and hygienicpractices. It can also be described as thesecurity process of preventing biologicalcontamination on the farm. For furtherinformation see Module 11 – Goat depotsToolkit 11 page 8.

A depot may choose to maintain a goat flowchart (GFC) that identifies thecharacteristics of each mob held in thedepot. This will assist in the development ofa quality assurance system and reduce thenumber of unacceptable goats beingincluded in consignments. Further, it willassist depots to deliver only goats thatmatch buyer specifications. A GFC showinga record of goat movement through a depotcan be found in Module 11 – Goat depotsToolkit 11 page 13.

Before considering the specifics of depotoperation, it is critical that you establishwho you will be supplying (ie what yourmarket is) and what they require. Refer toModule 8 – Marketing pages 1-8 and Toolkit8 pages 4-6.

Different markets have specificrequirements (specifications) for goats andfor pre-delivery management. You must beaware of these specifications.

The planning of the depot must also includeany regulations, in place or planned by local,state or federal governments or authorities.

Once your objectives have beenestablished, it is time to consider location,site selection, design and construction.

Location The location of a depot is central to itsviability.

• For practical purposes, your depotshould be located within a reasonabledistance of your suppliers and with goodaccess to processing and exportfacilities or other market options.

• All weather access to the depot is criticalto enable you to receive and dispatchgoats according to your commitments ina timely fashion.

• Environmental considerations need to bepart of the planning process. Workingwith your environment will help depotmanagement, reduce your costs andprotect your investment.

Site

How well you site the depot will directlyaffect your running costs.

• Understand your local weather patternand remember that water quality andwater flow are critical factors.

• Understand the basic qualities of thesite’s soil type and use the natural fall ofland and existing ground features,including vegetation, to best advantage.

• A well drained and flood-free location isessential.

• When choosing the site, consider theposition of the sun during the time of daythat you are most likely to be workinganimals to make management easier.

• Make sure your design fits the purposeand management requirements of thefacility.

Design

A well designed depot is essential forefficient operation and animal welfare.

• Goats are intelligent animals and youneed to work with them. Goats like tomove to high ground in any situation and will seek an exit to any enclosedarea (eg a yard).

• Design the working area to incorporateshade and to allow ease of movementfor stockmen while working. Ensure alldrafting, loading and treatment races arewide (to account for varying animal sizesand for horns) and designed for efficientflow and handling. Both circular andbugle designs are ideal.

• Make sure you can adequately segregateyour animals by size, weight, gender andother considerations such as marketorders and transport demands.

• Design for an adequate number ofholding areas (paddocks or yards) toensure you will not overcrowd animals.This will be influenced by your plannedcapacity for goat numbers and thenumber of movements through thedepot. Each holding area must besupplied with both water and feed.

• Yard design needs to include stronglybuilt structures that are able to withstandpressure from animals. Minimise thenumber of corners in yards and paddocksto make it easy to work the animals.

• The design needs to minimise the affectsof adverse weather including wind andexcessive cold or heat. Design yourdepot to include sprinklers that can beused to suppress dust.

• Design paddocks to utilise land contoursand natural vegetation for windbreaks andweather protection. Windbreaks can alsobe constructed from materials such astimber, tarps, iron, hay bales and tyres.Make sure that the vegetation is protectedfrom excessive browsing by goats.

• The depot will require frequent (daily)monitoring by someone living close to oron-site. Remote sensor (camera)monitoring may be appropriate to assistdepot operation and reinforce welfareconsiderations.

• Feed storage, quarantine and hospitalpens, loading ramps, drafting facilities,laneways, feeding troughs, wateringpoints, store rooms for vet drugs andchemicals, tools and equipment all needto be considered in depot design.

• Existing cattle and sheep yards canoften be modified to be a suitable facilityto use as a goat depot.


This site in Western Australia has good drainage andweather protection for animals provided by naturalground features


“A well designed set of yards, equippedwith proper stock handling equipment, willimprove efficiency of time, reduce costs andgoat losses due to stress and improveoperator safety”,

Rick Gates ‘Burndoo Station’, Wilcannia, NSW

Construction

• Depot construction can use acombination of materials includingweldmesh, ringlock, hinge joint, barbedor plain wire, steel or timber posts andflat or corrugated iron; depending on theneeds for handling and holding.

• No fencing should be less than 1.2m inheight. Electric fencing can be usedsuccessfully in some depot situationsand may help reduce construction costs.More information on fencing can be seenin Module 4 – Infrastructure pages 3-4.

Well-designed and constructed depot yards will improve efficiency and reduce stress


Handling and husbandry

What to do?

Depot operators and their staff mustunderstand that transported goats may bestressed goats.

Consequently, it is essential that depotoperators take responsibility for goatmovements in and out of the depot andremove potential stressors. Operators arealso responsible for understanding theacceptable time for animals to be off-feedand water when travelling.

Always communicate closely with thetransport company to ensure that themovement of animals is carefully plannedand controlled by experienced truck drivers.

Depot operators are advised to insist upona minimum standard (specification) forgoats arriving at a depot that acknowledges‘fit to transport’ requirements. Anacceptable specification might includedetails about gender, size, weight andcondition.

Drafting and separating goats in secureyards is a key component of depot handlingbecause it reduces competition for space,food and water. Done properly, this shouldalso prevent bullying by the older andbigger bucks and dominance behaviorbetween bucks and does. Successfuldrafting will reduce stress levels in the herd.

Economic sustainability • Appropriate handling and husbandry will delivermore goats to market in better condition – understand your goats.

• All activity at the depot needs to be planned foroptimum efficiency to enhance your profitability –work with your goats, not against them.

Welfare considerations • All husbandry activities must include decisions tomaintain high standards of animal welfare – youneed to understand stress indicators.

• Correct feed rations and good quality water areessential to optimise animal performance – be awareof nutritional requirements.

Quarantine and health • Quarantine is about minimising risk – implement yourown procedures to reduce the risk of introducingillness or disease into your depot.

• All export markets have quarantine requirements –understand and keep current knowledge of yourmarket’s quarantine requirements.


Density per pen of goats must be carefullymonitored to ensure no over-crowding. Forfurther information refer to Module 11 –Goat depots Toolkit 11 page 4.

Traceability is an important requirment ingoat production. There is also a need to beable to quarantine goats and comply withgovernment regulations. Depot operatorsneed to be aware of their responsibilities inthese areas and ensure that they are up-to-date with current state and federalregulations. For further information refer toModule 11 – Goat depots Toolkit 11 page 2.

How to do it?Goat behaviour

• Successful handling of goats requires anunderstanding of the natural behaviourpatterns of the animal. Goats areintelligent, inquisitive, agile, alert andhave a nervous disposition.

• Low-stress stock handling strategies arecritical, especially in an intensive depotenvironment.

• Goats will maintain better condition iftheir feed, water and shelter is adequate.By reducing the stress associated withhigh stocking density in a depot, it islikely that goats will utilise their feedmore efficiently and suffer fewer healthproblems. For more information on thebehaviour and handling of goats refer toModule 6 – Husbandry pages 27-28.

Unloading and loading

• Goats must have access to feed andwater as soon as possible afterunloading.

• Unloading goats after dark should beavoided as this can be stressful.Operators need to be sure that the waterdeprivation timeframe (time withoutwater) has not been exceeded.

• Animals should be loaded as close tofirst light as practical, especially duringsummer, to minimise heat stress.

• Mature bucks and does should not bemixed together during transport to avoiddominance behaviour.

• Operators should neither underload noroverload animals; this is a jointresponsibility between the depotmanager (or their nominee) and thedriver (the driver has the final word onwhether the company will transport theanimals). For additional information onthe movement of goats as applied todifferent states, refer to Module 3 –Industry obligations Toolkit 3 page 4.

Loading Densities1

Mean Minimum Number headliveweight floor area per 12.5m(kg) (m2/hd) 2.4m deck

20 0.15 200

30 0.17 176

40 0.22 136

50 0.25 120

60 0.28 107

1 The Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock – V2.1

Drafting

• Time in depot before drafting will dependon the next phase of the goat’smovement to market or processing andnecessary animal welfare factors. Drafton gender, size, weight and horns.Usually mobs of mixed goats are draftedon arrival at the depot.

• If young does arrive at the depot in anadvanced state of pregnancy thenkidding can cause problems and theseanimals will need to be separated.Operators should also isolate sick orinjured animals.

Stress

• Goats are stressed by unusual activity.When animals arrive at the depot, allowthem room to move in their newsurroundings and give them time tobecome familiar with the depot. Try tomaintain a routine and avoidunnecessary disturbance.

“If you wish to familiarise a mob of goatswith your depot then allow them to runthrough the yards including the races usedfor treatment or drafting without ‘forcing’them but allowing them to find their wayunder gentle pressure.”

Ian Firth ‘Oban’, Dirranbandi, Queensland

Quarantine requirements

• Overseas markets for live animals havespecific requirements for import healthconditions (protocols). These aremanaged by the Australian Quarantineand Inspection Service (AQIS) on behalfof the importing country. If you areintending to supply a particular liveexport market, it is advisable that youensure that you comply with all importing

country and AQIS requirements beforesourcing livestock. If you do not complywith the regulations, animals will not beexported. Operators not makingthemselves aware of the regulatoryrequirements can incur significantfinancial losses.

• Each export market has differentregulations. Depot operators need tomake themselves aware of these andkeep up-to-date with any changes inregulations that may occur and affecttheir operations.

• AQIS requires strict compliance withregulations regarding movement ofanimals for export. These regulationsaddress issues such as time off feed andwater prior to transport and inspectionrequirements. For further informationrefer to Module 11 – Goat depots Toolkit11 pages 2-3.

Record keeping and documentation

• All depots should have their own internalquality assurance (QA) system that can beused to monitor and record themovement, feeding and treatment of allgoats. This should include informationsuch as; date of movement, number ofgoats, gender, weights (if available),National Vendor Declaration (NVD) details,property identification code (PIC) or otherunique identifying marks or numbers,vendor’s details, agent’s details,transaction date, animal rejections, animalcondition scores, detail of injuries, recordsof all illness and treatments used.

• By keeping such records andmaintaining a QA system, not only areyou helping to ensure that yourmanagement system is sound, but youare also guarding against any possibledisputes that may arise with other parties.


• Keeping accurate records of whereanimals have come from and where theyare going is essential. The NationalLivestock Identification System (NLIS)and the National VendorDeclaration/Waybill (NVD) plays animportant role in biosecurity, food safetyand traceability and it is strongly advisedthat goats are not bought or sold withoutappropriate NLIS ear tags or fullycompleted NVD/Waybill. For furtherinformation see Module 11 – Goatdepots Toolkit 11 page 8.

• NVDs are an industry and market drivenrequirement and their use is supportedby the Agricultural Standards. It is anoffence to provide information that is notcorrect. For further information regardingthe use of NVDs refer to Module 11 –Goat depots Toolkit 11 page 8.

• The states and territories have differingregulations regarding documentation forthe movement of animals. Operators willneed to check with their local authoritiesfor what applies in their state or territory.

Market specifications

• Make sure you understand the animal ormeat product specification for each ofyour target markets and ensure that youprepare animals that the market requires.For further information refer to Module 8– Marketing.

Handling equipment

• Having appropriate equipment in theyards makes work easier, quicker andsafer. Safety for the animals and for thehandlers is important. A range ofhandling equipment to assist depotoperators is available. Some examples ofhandling equipment can be seen inModule 4 – Infrastructure page 8.


Appropriate handling equipment in the yards makes work easier, quicker and safer

Goat health, nutrition and depot hygiene

What to do?

Goat depots nearly always rely onsupplementary or full ration feeding.Consequently, it is important that enough ofthe right kind of feed be kept on hand tocater for immediate needs as well as extraprovisions to meet requirements in the eventof an emergency. Adequate supplies of cooland clean water are essential at all times.

Good animal health is particularly importantin goat depot operation and this begins withgood depot hygiene. As with all intensiveproduction systems, health issues canquickly arise and escalate, presenting majoranimal welfare issues and leading toproduction losses. Being proactive ratherthan reactive in addressing animal healthand depot hygiene can be the differencebetween success and failure.


Economic sustainability • Healthy animals are a key to profitability – monitorhealth on a regular and ongoing basis.

• Nutrition is a key to profitable depot operation; wellnourished animals mean more weight to sell –prepare a thoughtful feed budget using the mostrecent technical information available.

Welfare considerations • Managing depot hygiene helps maintain animalhealth which is central to good welfare practice –underpin your welfare activities with good depot hygiene.

• Good nutrition is about understanding the optimumfeed ration for your animals – know the value of thefeed in nutritional terms and match this to theanimal’s requirements.

Quarantine and health • Unhealthy animals cannot be transported orexported, are unwanted in the supply chain anddamage your reputation – manage goats to promotegood health.

• The quality of feed is critical – know the quality andsource of the feedstuffs you use.

How to do it?While Module 6 – Husbandry providesgeneral information relating to goat healthand nutrition, the following aspects areparticularly important to depots.

Stress

The management of stress is one of themost important factors in goat husbandryespecially, in a depot. As has been notedelsewhere in this guide, the aim is toprovide stress-free conditions for youranimals.

Stress can result in reduced productiveperformance and even fatalities. Low-stressstock handling principles need to bepractised. Such handling techniques oftenreduce stress on both the goats and thehandlers. For further information refer toModule 11 – Goat depots Toolkit 11 page 3.

Goats are highly intelligent animals that tendto stress under changing conditions so it isadvisable to maintain a constantenvironment within the depot.

Stressors that should be avoided includebad handling, poorly managed night-timework and inappropriate use of goads (iejiggers and prodders). Further informationabout stress can be found in Module 6 –Husbandry pages 6, 17, 27-28.

“Stress in goats can result from aninadequate supply of good quality food and water and the vagaries of the weather(eg extreme temperatures without shade, orcold and wet conditions in depots or on transport).

To minimise stress it is important that sound animal husbandry practices aremaintained.”

David Steadman, Perth, Western Australia

Food and feeding

The type of feed and the feeding environmentare important to successful depot operation.

The feed formula used in depots should takeinto account the planned sale or marketoutcomes. For example, goats being preparedfor live export should be backgrounded on thesame feed formula they will be fed duringtransport and following arrival at the exportmarket. This must at least meet themaintenance requirements of the individualanimals.

Always feed in troughs or other feeders. Theseshould be designed and positioned to preventcontamination with faeces or urine and must becleaned regularly. Goats will not eat if thefeeding area is contaminated and contaminationcan lead to the transmission of disease.

An important aim of the feeding regime is toavoid occurrence of diarrhea and stressailments. Refer to Module 11 – Goat depotsToolkit 11 page 5.

Always be alert for shy-feeders. These shouldbe isolated and treated; alternatively they couldbe sold off before they lose condition.

The export standards require that whenfeeding a ration there must be no less than5cm space per head when trough feeding. Forad lib feeding, there must be no less than3cm/hd. These measurements allow forsession feeding where only some of the goatsin a confined area are feeding at any one time.These regulations can also be used as a guidefor depots handling animals that are for theAustralian domestic market.2

For depot feeding of goats destined for export,regulations outline that during any or all ofMay, June, July, August, September andOctober, feeding must occur from fullysheltered feed troughs; with the exception ofareas of Australia north of latitude 26°, south.Refer to Module 11 – Goat depots Toolkit 11page 5 and Module 7 – Nutrition pages 1-14Toolkit 7 pages 1-31.


2 Export Standards http://www.daffa.gov.au/aqis/export

Water

An adequate volume of good quality, clean,cool water in a good trough system must beavailable at all times. Automated systemsare recommended to ensure a continualsupply.

Drinking facilities must be cleaned on aregular basis as goats will not drink iftroughs are contaminated with faeces orurine. For more information on water refer toModule 7 – Nutrition pages 2-3 and Module4 – Infrastructure pages 4-6.

Weather

Goats are susceptible to cold or wetweather and extreme heat. The provision ofshelter from wind and rain, as well as shadeand water to mitigate the effect of heat, areimportant aspects of depot management topromote good goat health. See Module 6 –Husbandry.

Disease management

Diseases such as respiratory illness pose aparticular threat within a depot environmentdue to the intensive nature of production.Once an outbreak has occurred, controllingthe spread of disease requires a quick

response, including the identification andquarantining of affected animals, tominimise production losses. See Module 6 –Husbandry Toolkit 6 pages 3-15.

Treatment and vaccination

Drenches are only likely to be necessary indepots if goats are held long-term or havebeen previously exposed to farmedoperations.

Vaccinations are generally based on exporthealth conditions (protocols) and are notusually needed or used for animals destinedfor the domestic market.

A major cost component in depot operationcan be veterinarian fees, especially fordepots focused on live export. You canminimise fees through good health andhygiene practices.

Always have adequate supplies ofveterinary drugs and medicines available forillnesses and diseases likely to affect goats.When using drugs or medicines ensure thatyou take into consideration any withholdingperiods (WHP) or export slaughter intervals(ESI). See Module 6 – Husbandry Toolkit 6pages 12-14.


Good animal health is particularly important in goat depot operations and this begins with good depot hygiene

Parasites

Goats should be monitored for evidence ofboth internal and external parasiteinfestation. Parasite treatment should becarried out immediately upon detection tominimise the spread of infection throughoutthe depot. Chemical treatments should beconducted in accordance with the chemicalmanufacturer’s instructions, animal welfarecodes and any chemical withholdingperiods (WHP).

Not all chemicals are registered for use ongoats. Only use agricultural and veterinarychemicals which are registered with theAustralian Pesticides and VeterinaryMedicines Authority (APVMA) or for whichthere is a minor use permit for use on goats.A veterinarian may also be consulted forsituations requiring the off-label use ofchemicals. See Module 9 - Parasite controland Module 6 – Husbandry Toolkit 6 page 6.

Predation

Predators, such as wild dogs, dingoes,eagles, pigs and foxes, will access a depotarea unless steps are taken to excludethem. For further information see Module 6– Husbandry pages 3-13.

Housekeeping

Depots should be cleaned regularly tomaintain a good level of hygiene. Specialattention should be paid to feeding andwatering points. Keep the yards as dry aspossible and ensure adequate drainage.

Ensure the depot is clean before any newgoats arrive. This will assist the control ofdisease. If practical, keep new arrivalsseparate from other goats for a day or two.

Animals that are brought to the depot directfrom the rangelands (ie from the wild)generally do not exhibit signs of illness orsuffer from worm burdens; however, thesegoats can also have reduced immunity oncemanaged in a confined depot environment.

Dust can be minimised using sprinklers;however, care should be taken not to overwater. In extreme conditions, dusty yardslead to eye problems in both animals andtheir handlers. The addition of hardaggregate on the ground (eg gravel orstones) could be a useful alternative,provided drainage is not affected.

Undertake daily health monitoring andisolate any sick or scouring animals.Scouring is a critical health factor andresults in a loss of condition.

Injured or diseased goats should behumanely treated or destroyed. Formethods of humane destruction, refer toModule 11 – Goat depots Toolkit 11 page 6.Remove and dispose of carcases at theearliest possible occasion.

AcknowledgmentsMeat & Livestock Australia acknowledge thecontribution of the State of Queenslandacting through the Department ofEmployment, Economic Development andInnovation in the production of the GoatDepot module.


Toolkit 11.1 Finding further information (page 2)

Toolkit 11.2 Hints for managing goats in depots (page 4)

Toolkit 11.3 Tips on feeding and health (page 5)

Toolkit 11.4 Humane treatment of animals needing to be destroyed (page 6)

Toolkit 11.5 Hints to help your business and avoid pitfalls (page 7)

Toolkit 11.6 National Livestock Identification System (page 8)

Toolkit 11.7 Depot designs – depot operator’s experiences (page 9)

Toolkit 11.8 An example of documentation (page 13)

Case studiesCase Study 1 Design and construct the depot to suit your needs

Rick and Jo Gates (page 14)

Case Study 2 Goat management and protection using Marema dogsLaurie and Rosemary Bere-Streeter (page 16)

Case Study 3 Goats as part of a mixed farming enterprise Ian and Julie Firth (page 18)

Toolkit 11 – Goat depot

Module 11 – Goat Depot Toolkit 11 1

2 Module 11 – Goat Depot Toolkit 11

Tool 11.1

Finding further informationUseful contacts

Credible sources of information include:

• Departments of agriculture or primaryindustries – seek out goat specialists orexperienced animal husbandry officers,some of them will have experience withthe full range of goat industry issues.

• Private consultants – there are a smallnumber of experienced animalconsultants in Australia that havespecialist expertise with goat husbandryand the commercial goat industry.

• Veterinarians – some vets havespecialist knowledge of small ruminantanimals. In addition, the AustralianSheep Veterinarians (ASV) is a specialinterest group from the AustralianVeterinarian Association and is the peakbody for advice on small ruminant healthin Australia. The ASV has members whoare willing to advise on goat health andmanagement issues. [email protected] for details.

References

Goat farming for the Future. McGregor, G.Abud, D.Cunningham, H. Osborn, J.Jensen, D. Booth, W. Scott, and Esson.P. 2007. Meat & Livestock Australia.

Meat Products in Thailand. McGregor, G.Abud, D. Cunningham, H. Osborn, J.Jessen, D. Booth, W. and Howes, K. 2003.Department of Primary Industries,Queensland.

Minimising mortality risks during export oflive goats by sea from Australia. More, Sand Brightling, T. 2003. Meat & LivestockAustralia and Livecorp.

Goat Meat for Export – A workshop.Twyford-Jones, P. Slack, P. and Mills, T.1998. Department of Primary Industries,Queensland.

Commercial Goat Production. Wilkinson,J.M and Stark, B. A. 1987. BlackwellScientific, Oxford.

Preparation of goats for Export. Williams, S.2009. Meat & Livestock Australia.

“Is it Fit to Load?” 2008. Meat & LivestockAustralia.http://www.mla.com.au/NR/rdonlyres/4E686A63-D59B-46D8-8EA3-225BA753ADE4/0/Fittoloadnational2006.pdf

Australian model code of practice for thewelfare of animals – the goat.http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/22/pid/368.htm/

Australian model code of practice for thewelfare of animals – feral livestock animals.http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/22/pid/370.htm

Courses and workshops

Low Stress Stock Handling Schoolwww.Iss.net.au.

Websites

Refer to Module 1 – Property planningToolkit 1 page 5 for instructions on how toconduct an effective web search.

The following site provides information onmany issues involving the goat industry:Meat & Livestock Australiawww.mla.com.au

The following site provides information onthe use of chemicals including minor usepermits and withholding periods forchemical treatments:

Australian Pesticides and VeterinaryMedicines Authority (APVMA)www.apvma.gov.au

The following sites provide information onthe export of live animals:

www.aqis.gov.au/animex/asp/home.asp

www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-heatth/welfare/export-trade/

The following sites provide information onwelfare issues:

Australian model code of practice for thewelfare of animals – the goat.www.publish.csiro.au/nid/22/pid/368.htm

Australian model code of practice for thewelfare of animals – feral livestock animals.www.publish.csiro.au/nid/22/pid/370.htm

The following sites provide information onbiosecurity issues:

www.farmbiosecurity.com.au andwww.daff.gov.au/ba

The following sites provide information onmost aspects of farming and animal healthincluding regulations regarding differentrules across the states of Australia:

Industry & Investment NSWwww.industry.nsw.gov.au

South Australia Research and DevelopmentInstitutewww.sardi.sa.gov.au

Primary Industries and Resources of SouthAustraliawww.pir.sa.gov.au

Department of Agriculture & Food, WesternAustraliawww.agric.wa.gov.au

Queensland Primary Industries andFisherieswww.nt.gov.au

Department of Regional Development,Primart Industries, Fisheries and Resources www.dpi.nt.gov.au

Department of Primary Industries, Parks,Water & Environment, Tasmaniaww.dpiw.tas.gov.au

Department of Primary Industries, Victoriawww.dpi.vic.gov.au

Animal Health Australiawww.animalhealthaustralia.com.au

Rural Industries Research and DevelopmentCorporationwww.rirdc.gov.au



Tool 11.2

Hints for managing goats indepots

Design and construction

• Portable panels are useful to test differentconfigurations and ideas before you buildpermanent fencing.

• Weld mesh and netting should be usedwith caution as goats can become caughtby their heads or horns and break legs insuch structures. For further informationsee Module 4 – Infrastructure page 4.

Quarantine requirements

• Some prescribed goods (including liveanimals) intended for export must beprepared at registered premises. Thismeans that your premises must beconstructed, equipped and operate in aneffective and hygienic manner and beapproved by the Australian Quarantineand Inspection Service (AQIS). To registeryour premises, you must first submit anapplication form to AQIS, refer to theAQIS website:www.aqis.gov.au/animex/asp/home.asp

Animal density

• Simple ‘rule of thumb’ calculations forhow many goats can fit comfortably intodifferent holding, loading or treatment andtransport situations1:

Holding yard density 1 goat/square metre

Forcing yard density 3 goats/square metre

Transport density* 5 goats/square metre

*This equates to 160 goats/deck for 12metre crate for transport.

• The Model Code of Practice – The Goat,states that goats require – sufficientspace to stand, turn around, stretch, liedown and move to feed and water.

• The Australian Standards for the Export ofLivestock indicates the following spacerequirements2:

Goats (liveweight – 54kg) held in sheds for10 days or more:

Pens for 8 hd = 0.9m2

Pens for 9-15 = 0.8m2

Pens for 16-30 = 0.6m2

Pens for 31+ = 0.5m2

Goats (liveweight – 54kg) held in sheds forless than 10 days:

Pens for 8 hd = 0.6m2

Pens for 9-15 = 0.53m2

Pens for 16-30 = 0.4m2

Pens for 31+ = 0.33m2

These can be used as a guide even thoughthe reference relates to goats being housedin sheds.

1 Wilson, T.S. and Browne, J. (1988). Yard design for goats. In “Australian Goat Notes”. Australian Cashmere GrowersAssociation.

2 The Australian Standard for the Export of Livestock Version 2.2.


Tool 11.3

Tips on feeding and healthTim Johnson, Goat Industry DevelopmentOfficer with the Department of Agricultureand Food in Western Australia, shares someof his experiences on maintaining healthand hygiene at depots and providing basicgood management.

Tim refers to research conducted byWestern Australia’s Department ofAgriculture and Food during the 1990s3:

The final report concluded:

• Feedlot hygiene must be of the higheststandard, thereby removing any risk offaecal contamination in the feed andwater.

• The confinement period for live exportgoats be reduced from 21 days to 10 days.

• Rangeland goats with 8 adult incisorteeth should be excluded from export.

• Poor goats (body condition score 1)

should not be exported and need to befinished on high quality diet before beingsent to any market.

• Goat behaviour is such that bucks shouldbe drafted and maintained in groupsaccording to body size and age.

Tim stresses that “considerable attentionmust be directed towards the composition offeed at the depot (the right balance of energyand protein in the ration offered to goats).Pellets fed to export goats need to beformulated for quality (same pellets asprovided on the ship).”

An important aim of the feeding regime is toavoid occurrence of diarrhoea and stressailments. This can be achieved by initiallyoffering roughage (hay) with the concentratediet (grain or pellets), then gradually reducingthe hay component until the diet becomessolely based on pellets.

3 Hawkins, C. (1997) ‘Development of management strategies to improve the live weight, survival and welfare of goats duringexport by sea.’ Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia.


Tool 11.4

Humane treatment of animalsthat need to be destroyedSick, diseased or injured animals need to beassessed for priority treatment.

Treatment needs to be provided as soon aspossible. If the judgement is made thattreatment is not likely to return the animal toa healthy state or relieve its pain thenhumane destruction of the animal may benecessary. The local veterinarian couldprovide this service or the depot maychoose to undertake this action.

Note: (A) indicates the frontal method and(B) indicates the poll method. The dotsindicate the point of aim and the arrowsindicate the direction of aim for thepositions.

Recommended methods of humanedestruction include4:

i) for goats over six months old —firearm, captive bolt, lethal injectionor bleeding-out.

ii) for kids — firearm, captive bolt, lethalinjection, bleeding-out or blunttrauma; however, blunt trauma shouldonly be used when there is no otherrecommended option for humanedestruction and can only be used onkids that are less than 24 hours old.

The poll method is the preferred method ofhumane destruction for goats (see figure).

A firearm should deliver at least the muzzleenergy of a standard 0.22-long rifle cartridge.

If necessary, use of blunt trauma onnewborn young of goats less than 24 hoursold should be followed by bleeding-out oranother technique while the animal isunconscious, to ensure death.

4 Standing Committee on Agriculture – Animal Health Committee, The Australian model code of practice for the welfare ofanimals – the goat. 1991 (2003 online). CSIRO.


Tool 11.5

Hints to help your business andavoid pitfalls

Do’s

• Successful depot operators build a good relationship along the supply chain and maintain profitability through the supply chain.

• Always prepare animals the market wants.

• Always use low-stress handling techniques.

• Look after your staff and suppliers. Makethem your responsibility and, when you getpaid make sure they get paid regardless ofany other considerations.

• Maintain an internal QA system thatincludes good record keeping practices.

• Develop a sound business plan withregular reviews and updates to reflect thecurrent circumstances.

• Do your best to understand theenvironment and climate and use thisinformation to better depot operations.

• Start your thinking at the market, not at thefence and work back from there. A wellstructured approach and business plan isvital.

• Maintain your standards through goodquality products and consistency of supply.

• Depots need to be set up with a purposein mind – that is, the depot must have acommercial orientation.

• When making decisions, do not just think of the immediate situation, always plan forthe future.

Don’ts

• Do not buy goats without completeddocumentation (ie NVD* and NLIS*),especially through the saleyards.

• Do not lose sight of commercial reality.

• Do not ignore any animal welfare or health issues. Act quick to address any problems.

• Do not undertake or support any activitythat might lead to negative publicity for thegoat industry.

• Do not neglect any issues that might arisein regard to quarantine and biosecurity.

• Do not forget to continue evaluating exportrisks and that of your buyer(s). Thisincludes mode of payment, politics,exchange rates and sudden changes inimport requirements.

• Do not stop educating yourself about newtechnology and skills, measures toimprove output and reduce costs and themeans to keep your business strong whenthe economy gets tough.

* National Vendor Declaration. For further information see Module 3 – Industry obligations Toolkit 3 page 9.

* National Livestock Identification System. For further information see Module 11 – Goat depots Toolkit 11 page 10.


Tool 11.6

National Livestock IdentificationSystem (NLIS) NLIS is Australia’s system for theidentification and tracing of goats forbiosecurity, food safety, product integrityand market access purposes.

Throughout Australia, producers arerequired to know where the goats undertheir management have come from andwhere they are going.

This means:

• All managed goats must be identifiedwith an NLIS ear tag before leaving theirproperty – be they destined for asaleyard, abattoir, sale over-the-hooks(OTH) or another property with adifferent Property Identification Code.

• All transported goats, not just managedgoats, must be accompanied byaccurate and fully completed movementdocuments, generally a National VendorDeclaration (NVD).

There are some state-based exemptions oradditional requirements for dairy goats,show goats and unmanaged (feral orrangeland) goats.

Contact your state department of primaryindustries or agriculture for specificrequirements or visit:www.mla.com.au/NLISforGoats

New South Wales

Industry & Investment NSWPhone: 1300 720 405www.industry.nsw.gov.au

Livestock Health and Pest Authoritywww.lhpa.org.au

Tasmania

Department of Primary Industries & Water Phone: 1300 368 550www.dpiw.tas.gov.au

Northern Territory

Department of Regional Development,Primary Industries, Fisheries and Resources www.nt.gov.au

Victoria

Department of Primary Industries Phone: 1800 678 779 www.dpi.vic.gov.au/nlis

Queensland

Queensland Primary Industries andFisheries Phone: 13 25 23www.dpi.qld.gov.au/nlis

Western Australia

Department of Agriculture and FoodPhone: 08 9780 6100www.agric.wa.gov.au/PC_91950.html?s=1001

South Australia

Primary Industries and Resources of SouthAustralia Phone: 1800 654 688www.pir.sa.gov.au

NLIS Helpdesk: 1800 654 743Email [email protected]

Tool 11.7

Depot designs – Depot operator’s experiences: Depot 1: Gemma Cripps, Gladwyn Holding Yards, Geraldton, Western Australia

This depot design demonstrates the importance of planning and design in depotconstruction. A significant amount of time was spent before any actual construction wasundertaken to ensure adequate holding areas were available and to ensure animals couldbe moved easily and efficiently.


Yard plan

Truck access

Pellet storage

Loading drafting yards

Loading drafting yards

Office

2200 m2

2200 m2

2200 m2

1500

m2

1850 m2

1500

m2

1500

m2

1500

m2

1500

m2

1500

m2

1500

m2

1500

m2

1500

m2

1500

m2

1500

m2

1650

m2

Facility boundary

Property boundary

Feed trough

Water trough

Self-feeder (covered)

Gate

Pen fencing


Depot 2: Justin Steadman, ‘Wooramel Pastoral Company’, Carnarvon, WesternAustralia

This depot highlights the importance of site and location when deciding where a depotshould be built. Not only does it ensure adequate space for the efficient movement andloading of goats, but it also considers all weather access and access for large trucks. Seeover for detail.

1.5 m mesh fence

Barb and hinge joint fencing

Quarantineyard 1

Holding compound 2

Quarantineyard 2 & 3



Holding paddock

Wooramel River

Fodder storage shed

North-westcoastal highway

Carnarvon 120 kmNearest neighbour 6 km

Geraldton 350 kmNearest neighbour 25 km

Entry/exit

Electric fence

Holding compound 1

See inset for detail

Depot 2: Justin Steadman, ‘Wooramel Pastoral Company’, Carnarvon, WesternAustralia

INSET


l Company

G n Australia

W design and layout

Isolation yard

Receivals yard

Drafting race

Quarantine yard 2 and 3

Quarantine yard 1

16 m

16 m

12 m

40 m



Processing race

Loading/unloading race

Hay feeder stands (180 kg)

Railed water troughs

Export pellet feeder troughs (300 mm wide)

Shade cloth16 m

Depot 3: Laurie and Rosemary Bere-Streeter, ‘Chevredor Boer Goats’, Miles, Queensland

This depot design has evolved over time. As the business has grown so too has the goatdepot. This highlights the importance of future planning when you are choosing your goatdepot site and the importance of flexibility in your original design.


Yard access laneway

Drafting race

Scales Goat handler

Covered working area

Loading ramp

Perimeter fence

Yard panels

Gates

Four gates capable of 360 degree rotation allowing multiple movement options

Perimeter of yard area = 20 m wide x 30 m long

Goat depot yards are the working heart of the

depot. The whole depot is in excess of 20 hectares.


Tool 11.8

An example of documentation

Document 1: Goat Depot Flow Chart

A depot can maintain a goat flow chart (GFC) detailing each mob in the depot, their history and their future movement.


Case studyDESIGN AND CONSTRUCT THE DEPOT TO SUIT YOUR NEEDS

NAME: Rick and Jo Gates

PROPERTY NAME: ‘Burndoo Station’

PROPERTY LOCATION: Wilcannia, New South Wales

PROPERTY SIZE: 25,000ha

NUMBER OF GOATS: Turn off over 100,000 goats per year

MAIN GOAT ENTERPRISE: Meat

TARGET MARKET: Domestic and export

Rick and Jo Gates operate one of Australia’s key commercial goat depots. Rick has built a setof yards designed to suit his purpose and the environment at Wilcannia. In light of his growingmarket, he plans to build another set of yards in the future. A well designed set of yardsincludes appropriate stock handling equipment that will improve efficiency and reduce lossesdue to stress.

Goats come from repeat suppliers who are situated within a 250km radius of his property. Rickand his customers have built good relationships over the years and this guarantees that hecan consistently buy healthy rangeland goats.

Rick commented that one of the major reasons they are able to supply a high volume of goatsto his markets every year is that they have adequate paddock space surrounding the depot.Further, by maintaining a good set of yards, working with the goats is made easier on him andthe goats. Surplus stock are always kept handy to avoid supply shortages.

When asked to identify the key factors that contribute to an effective and efficient depotoperation, Rick emphasised:

• A well designed and properly constructed set of yards – this makes the work quick andeasy, causes less stress to animals and allows you to operate smoothly at full capacity.

• The yards should have all the necessary stock handling equipment that you might need.

• The ‘Burndoo Station’ set of yards has the capacity to handle up to 2,500 goats at anyone time. Equipment required to handle a big number of animals over a short timeincludes:

- Scales which can do group weighings of more than 30 goats;

- Stock-lift handling machine which is used for tagging and earmarking and canhandle more than 1,000 goats in an hour; and

- Adjustable loading ramp that can wind up to each deck of the truck in a short time.This shortens the waiting time for trucks at the depot.

Time and money spent designing the depot and purchasing good equipment has been morethan made up through improved efficiency and animal welfare.


Case studyGOAT MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION USING MAREMA DOGS

NAME: Laurie and Rosemary Bere-Streeter

PROPERTY NAME: ‘Chevredor Boer Goats’

PROPERTY LOCATION: Miles, Queensland

PROPERTY SIZE: 500ha

NUMBER OF GOATS: 2,500 head

MAIN GOAT ENTERPRISE: Meat and dairy goats for export

TARGET MARKET: Breeder goats for export

The Bere-Streeters’ run a successful Boer stud and export purebred Boer and Boer crossgoats to the Malaysian and the Philippines markets. They operate a depot which is also a pre-export quarantine facility licensed with AQIS. Laurie’s philosophy is to maintain a quiet andhealthy herd of goats with reduced stress levels. At the depot, goats are segregated in yardsand adjacent paddocks under the various marketing groups and a specialist guard dog isallocated to look after them day and night. The dog permanently stays with the goats.

Laurie has a great depth of knowledge about goats and their behaviour, including how theyreact to things they like and to threats. Goats are sensitive and intelligent animals. Lauriecommented; “As people in the goat business we must be smarter than our goats and we mustthink ahead of them all the time”.

Laurie indicated that uncontrolled dogs can be the greatest threat to goats as they will flee orattempt to fight if a strange dog is threatening them. The smell and sight of dogs can separatethe herd and distort their social order and this causes significant stress which may result indeath.

According to Laurie, some dogs can, however, be trained to befriend and guard goats fromthreats including dingos, wild pigs, birds and other dogs. A breed that specialises in livestockherd protection is the Marema. Laurie cautioned that such dogs must not be introduced to anew mob of goats on their first day in a depot, there is a process to introduce specialist dogsto the goats.

Today the Bere-Streeters have 30 Marema dogs and each of them has a duty to the securityof the goats and the property. The goats are happier seeing these dogs than any strangers.


Boer goat and Marema

Maremas


Case studyGOATS AS PART OF A MIXED FARMING ENTERPRISE

NAME: Ian and Julie Firth

PROPERTY NAME: ‘Oban’

PROPERTY LOCATION Dirranbandi, Queensland

PROPERTY SIZE: 10,000ha

NUMBER OF GOATS: 1,200 breeding does

MAIN GOAT ENTERPRISE: Production of meat goats

TARGET MARKET: Meat for domestic or export markets

Ian and Julie Firth operate a mixed livestock enterprise comprising beef cattle and meat goats.These two activities allow for better utilisation of their grazing land and complement eachother as sources of income. Ian said that he drafts saleable goats from his domesticated flockof rangeland and Boer goats. He also harvests goats from the wild when they are availableand these supplement his flock’s production.

Dual purpose yards for cattle and goats are not all that costly as long as you can changeexisting structures to suit your purpose. When he bought this property 10 years ago it had twodifferent sets of yards; one was for sheep and the other was for cattle. The old sheep yardshave been modified to handle goats by moving and increasing the height of some of thepanels and by the addition of solid panels to encourage the goats to keep moving towards theend of the races and yards where they can see an exit. This is where drafting, tagging,drenching and other major husbandry activities are carried out.

The cattle yards are over 20 years old and well maintained. The steel cattle yards are used forloading and unloading both cattle and goats. Work has been done on the cattle yards toaccommodate goats. This includes closing the gaps between the bottom railings on two holdingpens and the forcing yard leading to the loading ramp. One notable feature about this cattle/goatyard is its capacity to withstand harsh animal treatment because of its solid structure.

The modifications to the cattle yards were achieved with minimal capital outlay and Ianbelieves they will last for many years.


Goat yards

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IT 11

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