CARRIAGE OF LIVESTOCK (ROAD VEHICLE STANDARDS FOR JORNEYS EXCEEDING EIGHT HOURS) REGULATIONS *

CARRIAGE OF LIVESTOCK (ROAD VEHICLE STANDARDS

FOR JOURNEYS EXCEEDING EIGHT HOURS)

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 439.05

CARRIAGE OF LIVESTOCK (ROAD VEHICLE

STANDARDS FOR JORNEYS EXCEEDING

EIGHT HOURS) REGULATIONS *

30th September, 2003

LEGAL NOTICE 262 of 2003, as amended by Legal Notice 426 of 2007.

(1) The title of these regulations is the Carriage of

Livestock (Road Vehichle Standards for Journeys exceeding Eight

Hours) Regulations.

(2) The scope of these regulations is to implement the

provisions found under European Union Council Regulation 411/

98/EC on additional animal protection standards applicable to road

vehicles used for the carriage of livestock on journeys exceeding

eight hours.

(3) Where the journey time of eight hours laid down in Chapter

VII 48 (2) of the Annex to European Union Council Directive 91/

628/EEC is exceeded, road vehicles used for the transportation of

domestic solipeds and animals of the bovine, ovine, caprine and

porcine species within trade between the territory of Malta and

trading partners must comply with the additional requirements set

out in the Schedule.

(4) For the purpose of these regulations the words "trading

partner" shall have the same meaning as provided in article 2 of the

Veterinary Services Act and shall include Member States of the

European Union.

Additional standards for road vehicles used for carriage of livestock

on journeys exceeding eight hours

1. BEDDING

Without prejudice to the provisions of Chapter l, provision 2, of the Annex to

European Union Council Directive 91/628/EEC, animals must be provided with

appropriate bedding material which -

(a) guarantees their comfort; the quantity may vary depending on -

(i) the species and the number of the animals being transported,

(ii) the journey time,

(iii) the weather;

(b) ensures adequate absorption and dispersal of animal urine and dung.

2. FEED

Where, because of the species and categories of animals being transported and the

journey times set out in Chapter VII point 48 (4) of the Annex to European Union

Council Directive 91/628/EEC, the animals must be fed during the journey, the

following provisions apply

(a) the vehicle used for the journey must carry a sufficient quantity of

appropriate feedingstuff for the feeding requirements of the animals in

question during the journey concerned;

(b) during the journey, the feedingstuffs must be protected from the weather

and from contaminants such as, in particular, dust, fuel, exhaust gases

and animal urine and dung;

(c) where specific equipment (troughs, receptacles or any other appropriate

means of distributing feedingstuffs) must be used for the feeding of

animals, that equipment must be transported in the vehicle, be

disinfected after each journey;

(d) be so designed that it does not injure the animals and can, if necessary,

be attached to a specific part of the vehicle to prevent its being

overturned. When the vehicle is moving and when the equipment is not

in use, it must be stored in a part of the vehicle separate from the

animals.

(1) Subject to the provisions of these regulations and of the

Animal Welfare Act, a person who infringes any of the provisions

arising from these regulations, shall, on conviction, be liable to a

fine (multa) of not less than eleven thousand and six hundred and

f o r t y - s i x e u r o a n d e i g h t y - s e v e n c e n t s ( 11 , 6 4 6 . 8 7 ) an d n o t

exceeding thirty-four thousand and nine hundred and forty euro

and sixty cents (34,940.60).

(2) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-regulation (1),

the Court may also order any person who is found guilty of

committing an offence under these regulations, to pay for the

expenses incurred by the Veterinary Services as a result of the said

offence, the revocation of the permit issued under these regulations

and the confiscation, retention and disposal of the corpus delicti.

* These Regulations have been repealed by Legal Notice 143 of 2023.

CARRIAGE OF LIVESTOCK (ROAD VEHICLE STANDARDS

FOR JOURNEYS EXCEEDING EIGHT HOURS)

ACCESS

Vehicles used for transport must be equipped so that at all times there can be direct

access to all the animals being transported so that they can be inspected and given all

appropriate care, including feeding and watering in particular.

VENTILATION

The vehicle must be equipped with an adequate ventilation system to ensure that

the welfare of the animals being transported is permanently guaranteed, taking into

account in particular the following criteria

(a) the planned journey and its duration,

(b) the design of the vehicle used (open or closed),

(c) the inside temperature and the outside temperature resulting from

atmospheric conditions which may occur during the planned journey,

(d) the specific physiological needs of the various species transported,

CARRIAGE OF LIVESTOCK (ROAD VEHICLE STANDARDS

FOR JOURNEYS EXCEEDING EIGHT HOURS)

(e) the loading densities provided for in Chapter VI of the Annex to

European Union Council Directive 91/628/EEC and the space available

above the animals.

The system must also be designed in such a way that -

(f)

it can be used at any time when the animals are in the vehicle whether it

is stationary or moving,

(g) it ensures the efficient circulation of unpolluted air.

To that end, operators must provide -

(h) either a forced ventilation system,

(i)

or a ventilation system which ensures that a range of temperatures from

5°C to 30°C can be maintained within the vehicle for all animals, with a

+5°C tolerance depending on the outside temperature. This system must

also be equipped with an appropriate monitoring device.

The possibility of choosing between these two systems shall not prejudice the

principle of the free movement of the animals.

PARTITIONS

(a) The vehicle must be fitted with partitions so that separate compartments

may be created.

(b) The partitions must be constructed in such a way that they can be placed

in different positions so that the size of compartment can be adapted to

specific requirements, and to the type, size and number of animals.

WATER SUPPLY

(a) The vehicle must be equipped for connection to a water supply during

stops.

(b) The vehicle must be equipped with fixed or movable devices

appropriate to the different species, e. g. troughs, bowls or nipples, in

order to water the animals on board the vehicle. Those devices must be

so designed that the animals cannot injure themselves.

(c) Without prejudice to the provisions laid down in paragraphs (a) and (b),

vehicles transporting pigs must, depending on their capacity, the

number of animals transported and the stops planned during the journey,

be fitted with one or more water tanks of sufficient capacity so that the

animals may drink at will during the journey. Such water tanks must be

so designed that they can be drained and cleaned alter each journey and

must be fitted with a system allowing their water level to be checked so

that they can be refilled at any convenient moment during the journey.

They must be connected to drinking devices within the compartments

maintained in good working order so that pigs may have access to water

at any time. In addition, a system such as spraying for hydrating pigs

may be used in parallel with the above system.