The livestock industry is being proactive when it comes to transporting beef cattle.

Associate Professor at the University of Guelph Derek Haley and his team studied cattle hauled form Western Canada into Ontario and Quebec, with rest stops in Thunder Bay.

Haley says cattle can legally be on a truck for 48 hours.

"For the loads that we surveyed, they were on route for, on average, 28 hours when they stopped for feed, water and rest. Cattle are being rested for, on average, just over 11 hours, where as the law requires five hours of rest. So the industry practice is more than double that amount of time."

Their research showed 61 per cent of loads were feeder calves, 21 per cent weaned calves, and 15 per cent were cattle at market weight.

Haley says it's important to know the provincial and federal legislation for transporting animals even if you've hired a professional carrier to transport your animals.

"After all, they are your animals. So be part of the conversation about how to get animals to their destination safely, and in the best shape possible. Know what animals can and cannot be loaded and what condition might preclude an animal from being transported, or what animals might require special provisions for being transported."

Steve Eby runs a backgrounding and feedlot operation in Ontario, and says working with the sellers and people loading the liner is key.

"So that the cattle are fed and water before they're loaded," Eby explained. "We want to make sure the trailer is well bedded. The suggestion that we have is 30 small square bales of straw, and we'll actually pull the weight back a little bit to where we got a little bit of extra room for those cattle to maneuver in the trailer."

Eby says they also look for quiet cattle handlers to load the liners, and ask truckers to keep them informed on their travels from Western Canada.

He adds it's important to have the pens prepared for the cattle before they arrive.