LIVE ANIMALS
Live Animal Transport
From poultry to exotic animals, family pets to thoroughbred horses, livestock to bees we have the experience, team and tools to take care of your live animal cargo. The safe transportation of Live Animals as air cargo is based on controlling three environmental factors: Temperature, Humidity level and Cargo compartment carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration. Each type of animal has unique environmental requirements that must be taken into consideration for optimal health. To ensure the health of the Live Animals, proper ECS settings, animal handling, packaging and loading procedures must be used:
- Airplane ECS control setting (Environmental Control System)
- Animal physiology
- Airport and on route environments
- Ground handling
- Adherence to IATA regulations
- Dedicated SOP’s and check lists
| ANIMAL* | DESIRABLE TEMPERATURE RANGE | RECOMMENDED RELATIVE HUMIDITY (RH) | RECOMMENDED CO2 |
| Beef cattle | 40–80 deg F (4.4–26.6 deg C) | 0–75% RH for swine/hog 0–80% RH for cattle/poultry | 0–0.5% for 1-day-old chicks 0–3% for most other animals |
| Dairy cows, mature, dry | 40–80 deg F (4.4–26.6 deg C) | ||
| Dairy heifers, pregnant | 40–75 deg F (4.4–23.8 deg C) | ||
| Dairy calves | 50–75 deg F (10–23.8 deg C) | ||
| Hogs: Over 15 lb | 50–75 deg F (10–23.8 deg C) | ||
| Hogs: Pregnant gilts | 50–70 deg F (10–21.1 deg C) | ||
| Horses | 40–80 deg F (4.4–26.6 deg C) | ||
| Poultry: Over 10 days old | 50–80 deg F (10–26.6 deg C) | ||
| Poultry: 1-day-old (unfed) | 90–100 deg F (carton) (32–37 deg C) | ||
| Sheep | 50–75 deg F (10–23.8 deg C) |