Application sector
Livestock and Animal Transportation
Transporters have a crucial role in preventing or reducing the spread of diseases during transportation at X-Tech Industries we provide persistent permanent photocatalytic technology to enable farmers and transporters to provide the highest hygiene and animal welfare standards in the industry. Diseases in livestock can lead to animal health, human health, and major economic consequences. X-PROTECT forms the core of your biosecurity measures to protect livestock from contracting or spreading diseases during transportation and minimize costs due to outbreak of diseases. During transportation, livestock are at risk of contracting infectious disease from exposure to infected cattle, other animals, carcasses and pests (such as rodents and insects) or contact with manure, bodily fluids and aerosols of infected cattle or contaminated trailers, equipment, and people.
Effective Risk Assessments and Biosecurity Management Protocols are essential for all forms of Livestock Transportation.
A strict chain of biosecurity measures is recommended to maintain the health and well-being of livestock at the place of loading, during transportation and at the destination site to mitigate the risk of foreign and domestic infectious diseases entering or spreading through an animal facility.
The application of X-PROTECT to your farm, stockyard and transportation vehicles is a critical element of your Biological risk management protocols to protect the herd and livestock enterprise from external threats and control the risks of infectious diseases.
Applied to your farm and your transportation vehicles X-PROTECT establishes a long-term effective prevention barrier to disease causing agents and other threats to your animal facility and livestock operations. Our photocatalytic technology harnesses light energy and works on a persistent basis.
- X-PROTECT should be applied to a clean vehicle;
- Farmers and Transporters should follow ‘Best Biosecurity Management Practices’ at all times;
- X-PROTECT should be applied to all internal and exterior areas of the transporter including the ramps, wheels and chassis of the vehicle;
- X-PROTECT can be combined with our PureLight system for optimal effectiveness of the photocatalytic system.
- As a persistent and permanent disinfection system:
- Animals are calmer and more settled during transportation;
- Turnaround times between transports are significantly faster and does not require separate sanitization procedures between loads. X-PROTECT saves Time and increases profitability:
- Significantly reduced Ammonia and Methane emissions from the vehicle. X-PROTECT eliminates more than 90% of harmful emissions.
In conjunction with the application of X-PROTECT farmers must still follow Best Management Practices, by taking adequate precautions for:
- Restricting and recording access of humans to the animal facility;
- Cleaning clothing and footwear, using foot baths and disposable boot covers;
- Hand Sanitization with X-MED.
X-Tech Industries works to provide the “Gold Standard of Hygiene Technology” so that rural and international road transport is safe, responsible, and productive, contributing to the strength of regional economies and communities.
Modes of Transportation where X-PROTECT should be applied:
- Any Road Haulage, or Road Train transporting Livestock;
- Equine Transport Vehicles and Trailers;
- Aircraft freight carrying animals;
- Airport Animal Cargo Freight facilities;
- Livestock Ships;
- Stockyards, Co-mingling and Rest Yard Facilities.
X-PROTECT is a ‘preventative’ protection technology, it is strongly recommended that transporters be aware of signs of disease and fitness for transport of animals.
X-TECH General Biosecurity Recommendations
- Plan your transportation event;
- Determine and follow biosecurity protocols for departure and destination sites. Respect and follow posted biosecurity signs;
- When accessing sites, avoid muddy or manure-contaminated pathways. Drive slowly to minimize contamination of the undercarriage of the trailer;
- Do not cross-contaminate between the transport unit and the sites. Establish a line of separation for clean and dirty sides at the sites. Do not cross that line unless you wear clean coveralls, gloves, and footwear;
- Whenever possible, select routes that avoid locations where a disease is identified. Follow disease outbreak updates provided by the provincial/territorial or state governments;
- Clean out (scrape) all organic waste, including bedding, feed, and manure at a designated scrape-out location or the destination site;
- It is recommended that transporters be aware of signs of disease and fitness for transport.
Biosecurity Best Practices
Only load livestock onto clean trailers
Dirty trailers can spread disease. To reduce this risk:
- Ensure that trailer surfaces are visually clean and free of all organic matter between transportation events;
- Before loading, inspect the trailer to ensure that it is dry and visibly clean;
- Utilize X-PROTECT in combination with the Purelight system inside the vehicle;
- Consult with X-Tech Industries to confirm product re-application schedule which varies due to the area of operation and intensity of use of the vehicle.
Avoid contact with other animals
Animals can appear healthy yet still shed pathogens (e.g. bacteria, viruses, and fungi) that can put other animals at risk of infection. To reduce this risk:
- Whenever possible, avoid transporting animals from multiple farms on the same trailer;
- Transport animals of equal health status. It is in the interest of the producers that their animals are appropriately vaccinated. It is recommended to vaccinate beef calves for respiratory infections a few weeks before transportation;
- At commingling sites, rest stations or other stops, park away from other livestock trailers or animals;
- As much as possible, prevent animals from your shipment from interacting with other livestock or animals throughout the transportation event, including at commingling sites.
People and equipment
People and equipment that have come into contact with diseased animals or their environment can pose a risk to your animals. To minimize this risk:
- Whenever possible, use designated equipment (e.g. shovels, rattle paddles and canes). Clean equipment after use;
- Do not share equipment with others or use it for other purposes;
- People who come into contact with the animals being transported must wear clean clothing and footwear;
- Always clean and sanitize hands before and after contact with cattle, other animals, or equipment;
- Discourage people not involved with transporting the animals from coming into contact with the animals in the shipment, equipment and trailer;
- Use bedding that is clean and free of contaminants. Do not reuse bedding;
- Keep the truck cab clean to prevent cross-contamination between transportation events. For example, remove dirty coveralls and footwear before entering the cab.
