Table 1.
List of questions and answer categories in the questionnaire sent to Danish cattle farmers in order to examine their experience with assessment of fitness for transport.
| Questions | Answer categories | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Are you the owner of the farm or an employee? | A | Owner |
| B | Employee | ||
| 2 | How old are you? | ||
| 3 | What is your educational background? | A | Trained farmer |
| B | Trained animal keeper | ||
| C | Other education | ||
| D | No education | ||
| 4 | For how many years have you been working with cattle? | A | Less than a year |
| B | 1–3 years | ||
| C | 3–10 years | ||
| D | More than 10 years | ||
| 5 | How often do you ship animals? | A | Several times a week |
| B | Once a week | ||
| C | 1–4 times a month | ||
| D | Once a month or less | ||
| 6 | What type of animals do you most frequently ship? | A | Calves younger than 3 months |
| B | Calves and young animals between 3 and 24 months | ||
| C | Adult cattle | ||
| 7 | What is most often the purpose of shipping? | A | Fattening or breeding, national |
| B | Slaughter, national | ||
| C | Fattening or breeding, export | ||
| D | Slaughter, export | ||
| 8 | How familiar are you with the current legislation regarding cattle fitness for transport? | A | I am not familiar with the legislation |
| B | I am familiar with legislation, but do not remember any specific rules | ||
| C | I am quite familiar with the legislation and remember several specific rules | ||
| D | I am very familiar with the legislation and remember most rules | ||
| 9 | Do you find it difficult to understand the rules regarding cattle fitness for transport? | A | Very often |
| B | Often | ||
| C | Some times | ||
| D | Rarely | ||
| E | Never | ||
| 10 | How did you acquire you knowledge about cattle fitness for transport? | A | Through my education |
| B | I was taught by a colleague | ||
| C | I was taught by a livestock driver | ||
| D | I was taught by a veterinarian | ||
| E | It is self-taught | ||
| 11 | Do you think you lack knowledge regarding assessment of cattle fitness for transport | A | Very often |
| B | Often | ||
| C | Some times | ||
| D | Rarely | ||
| E | Never | ||
| 12 | On what do you base your assessment of fitness for transport? | A | An examination of the animal |
| B | Observation of the animal from a distance | ||
| C | Earlier observations | ||
| D | Earlier observations and an examination | ||
| E | I do not make an assessment | ||
| 13 | How often are you in doubt about an animal's fitness for transport? | A | Very often |
| B | Often | ||
| C | Some times | ||
| D | Rarely | ||
| E | Never | ||
| 14 | Have you ever shipped an unfit animal? | A | Very often |
| B | Often | ||
| C | Some times | ||
| D | Rarely | ||
| E | Never | ||
| 15 | What do you do with an animal if you doubt whether it is fit for transport? | A | Try to ship it anyway |
| B | Ask for the driver's opinion | ||
| C | Call the vet for an opinion | ||
| D | Place the animal the stable and wait for the next shipping opportunity | ||
| E | Place the animal in a sick pen and wait for the next shipping opportunity | ||
| F | Euthanize the animal | ||
| 16 | Which type of clinical condition are you most doubtful about? | A | Lameness |
| B | Body condition score | ||
| C | Wounds | ||
| D | Udder lesions | ||
| E | Other conditions | ||
| 17 | Do you feel able to assess whether the clinical condition a slightly ill or injured animal may worsen during transport? | A | Very often |
| B | Often | ||
| C | Some times | ||
| D | Rarely | ||
| E | Never | ||
| 18 | Do you have anything to add? |