Carriage of livestock by sea

[Peter F Chard]

During my time at sea we carried a whole range of livestock and since coming ashore I have been involved with loading surveys for all types of livestock. I have now been asked by the Dept. of Ag and Fish here in NZ to sit in on an upcoming seminar regarding the carriage of Race horses on long sea voyages, ie longer than 4 days. Apparently very little research has been done on the effects of a long sea voyage on the health of the animals. I have my own thoughts on this trade but have any of the members any comments they would like to make. During my time with P&O in the late fifties and early sixties we carried race horses from the UK to Singapore and HongKong -- the horses would be on board for anything up to six weeks or longer but apart from being a bit wobbly in the knees when first landed on the wharf they seemed to recover very quickly. Regards Peter F Chard, Auckland.

[happy daze john in oz]

Doubt it would do the horse any good. I am opposed to the life animal trade where cattle nad sheep are carried across the world.

[Les Woodard]

I to recall that we used to ship horses from the UK to either NZ or Oz and that there used to be a handler come along with them to make sure that they where kept in comfort and well looked after. Much like having your own personal valet. Logic dictates that if you where to ship a race horse that is worth a lot you would also insure that it was well looked after otherwise it would be shipped in a tin can would it not. We also used to have other animals aboard as well and I am talking four legged ones. Mainly family pets or breeding stock.

[j.sabourn]

Carried 4 or 5 carriage horses on deck Halifax to Bermuda. Were in special stalls fitted by shore carpenters on Deck. Horse remained standing on passage as had no room to do anything else. I was supplied with a humane killer with which to kill the horse if necessary.Was a fairly short passage to Bermuda so never had to use thank goodness. Also carried sheepdogs to N.Z. from Liverpool 4 of them for breeding. They were in kennels on funnel deck. However the cook took one, me another and other crew members the others and kept in cabin, got quite attached to them on 6 week passage, used to take mine on watch with me. The cook used to feed his with mutton chops, so God help the sheep if they were ever put to work in NZ. Cheers John Sabourn. P.S. Saw an elephant once being discharged in Halifax from a Harrison boat. the sling under its belly got entangled with its private parts, you should of heard it trumpeting on the end of a derrick as it was landed ashore. Cheers JS

[robpage]

The Union Castle Mail ships had kennels and used to carry quite a few dogs to South Africa , They were walked and fed well . The Steward used to get a little dropsy to make sure the prize pooch only got the best chicken etc . I think it was a good earner for the steward who ran it . Carried Elephants and Water Buffallo once with an African Handler , the majority of the crew lived aft , the Animals were caged by No4 hatch aft of midships , so the smell used to fill the accomodation . How King Line won friends and influenced people !

[Captain Kong]

When I was on the Parthia, Cunard, we went to Dublin and loaded around twenty horses, also a lot of Irish Army chaps.
They were the Irish Army Equestrian Team going to perform in the States.
We had stalls on the after deck and a team of Army men looked after them, but I saw many of the hoses being Sea Sick, they were not very happy being bounced around the Western Ocean,.
On the URMSTON GRANGE, we went to some Islands in the Beagle Channel near Cape Styiff, and loaded Guanacos, and LLamas, for several Zoos in Europe, One Guanaco was in a box on the boat deck away from the others on the after deck, it was only a baby and we had to feed it with a babys milk bottle every four hours round the clock, A new job for the Farmer of the watch. He was bound for Whipsnade Zoo.
Cheers
Brian

[j.sabourn]

Rob, I live close to Fremantle. As you know there is a regular trade to the middle East with live animals. I also know there is a hue and cry about these shipments one can always see lorryloads of sheep on passage to the Docks. Of course there is a smell whenever one of these vessels is in port, but wouldnt say it was especially strong. The sheep before being shipped are usually placed in free range fields near the docks before being shipped, probably for health reasons to see they are well enough to be shipped. As long as people eat meat this is going to happen, I am totally against animal cruelty of any kind but believe the animals are looked after on passage as far as possible. What happens to them at the other end is really up to the consignee, and if one is in this trade has to accept, the only other alternative is to stop the trade altogether, which would have bigger ramifications for all sorts of people. Regards John Sabourn.

[alf corbyn]

hi john. on ucl we used to carry passengers dog on the poop deck next to the spud locker. some of the castle boats were put on the mecca run, taking cattle, oops ******s to mecca and other holy places. i believe there was an actual rating of farmer in the MN for the purpose of looking after the transport of cattle etc.

[j.sabourn]

Hi Alf, beleive these ships carry sheep hands who travel all the way with them. Cheers John Sabourn

[gwynfor]

in the fifties, worked on the cattle boats running Dublin Hollyhead. One trip ran into bad storm, one would fall and and gett trampled. Never forget the carnage that occured. The blood was pouring from the scuppers. Nothing we could do. Slaughter men waiting when we eventually docked with humain guns. Made the headlines.