The movement of stock by trucks can produce significant amounts of stock effluent that require disposal.
It is no longer acceptable to the general public, district and regional councils and road controlling authorities to allow significant amounts of stock effluent to be spilt or dumped on roads from stock trucks. Such discharges are a potential hazard to motorists and motorcyclists, aesthetically unappealing and can reach waterways and degrade water quality.
Stand stock off pasture/crop (allow access to water) for a minimum of four hours before transporting. Dry feed (eg hay, grain, meal) can be used where standing stock is difficult or stock are being transported long distances. Allow the disposal of stock truck effluent to appropriate farm dairy effluent systems or to land (where the discharge will not reach water). Do not discharge stock truck effluent to water or on to land where it may reach water.
Farmers can play an important part in reducing the amount of stock truck effluent requiring disposal. The standing of stock before they are transported significantly reduces the amount of stock truck effluent that needs to be disposed of.
Good practice
Prohibited
Standing of stock benefits farmers as empty stock travel better, which leads to reduced stock stress and therefore improved meat quality. Standing stock off pasture or crops (but still with access to water) prior to transportation has minimal effect on the stock's carcass weights. In some instances, farmers may receive better prices for clean, well-presented stock.
Most stock carrying companies have effluent tanks fitted to their trucks.
Occasionally stock trucks may arrive at your farm with full or partially full effluent tanks. Farmers can allow the effluent from the tanks to be disposed of on their properties either by:
- disposal to a farm dairy effluent treatment system; or
- discharging to land where the discharge does not result or be liable to result in any of the effluent entering water.
The discharge of stock truck effluent to land, where the discharge will not reach any waterway, is permitted under the Resource Management Act.
However, the discharge of stock truck effluent directly to water or onto land where it will or is likely to reach water, is not permitted.