Animals’ Angels attend cattle sale day where approx. 1.500 bulls, steers and calves are for sale. A row of several sale pens holding steers are without water; appears the tap was turned off and the animals went without until we advise the supervisor who turns on the tap so the troughs can fill.
In these same pens several very thin cattle that had travelled over 1.400kms or 15 hours the day before are for sale. They may have been given food and water after arrival but their Body Condition Score (BCS) of 1-1.5 indicates they have not had a consistent supply of food for many days. The Govt regulator also observes these cattle and 7 of the worst are held back from transport until after they are fed, watered and vet checked.
In several pens the numbers of cattle held in the pen prevents each animal from accessing the water trough. In one pen a steer is laying down; his head is on the ground under the lowest rail but outside the confines of the pen. He would find it very difficult to have the room to rise because of the numbers held. This incident is raised with the manager and the cattle are separated. We pass by and the steer is standing with lots more room.
In a pen we find a lone calf. He is a few months old and by his reactions when people walk by he is scared. We ask the calf be moved to a pen closer to another calf. No one seems interested.
