Hauliers' perceptions and attitudes towards farm animal welfare could influence the operational and logistics practices in sheep transport

A survey of Mexico-based sheep hauliers was conducted in order to investigate perceptions and attitudes toward farm animal welfare (FAW) and their influence on operational and logistic practices (OLPs) in sheep transportation. The statistical analysis consisted in the application of 2-factor analyses (OLP and animal welfare attitudes), additionally a cluster analysis; the latter allowed a segmentation of hauliers according to their attitudes and OLP. The factor analysis gave 3 OLP factors: logistic issues, economic losses, and welfare losses. In the case of factor analyses about animal welfare attitudes, we obtained 4 factors: training and regulations, animal needs, welfare improvement, and sensibility. The cluster analysis of this study showed the existence of 3 haulier profiles; these were “efficient and concerned,” “efficient and not concerned,” and “not efficient and concerned.” Our results showed that hauliers' perceptions had a clear influence on the performance of their operative and logistic activities during the sheep transportation. This study highlights the individual hauliers' risk factors which can be considered to improve not only animal welfare but also indicates the need to consider the transportation as a whole because of potential factor combinations and confusions. The attitudes of sheep hauliers toward FAW are a strategic component that requires being considered when hauliers are trained. If it can be shown that modifying hauliers' attitudes leads to improved OLP, then there is an opportunity to develop specific training programs to modify certain haulier's animal welfare attitudes, with a subsequent improvement of sheep welfare.