Assessment of the Impact of Sea Transportation on Livestock welfare in Tanzania: A Case Study of Dar es salaam port

Martine Masunga; Msabaha Mwendapole

doi:10.71097/IJSAT.v16.i4.8891

Assessment of the Impact of Sea Transportation on Livestock welfare in Tanzania: A Case Study of Dar es salaam port

Author(s)	Mr. Martine Masunga, Dr. Msabaha Mwendapole
Country	Tanzania
Abstract	This study assessed how animals are treated at Dar es Salaam Port just before they board ships, and it focused on three things the port can actually control: how well staff handle the animals, how long the animals wait before loading, and whether the holding pens give enough shade and cool air. To do this, the team watched 84 real consignments of cattle, sheep, and goats across hot and cooler months, asked 96 people who work in the system to fill out a short questionnaire, and sat down for 20 interviews with handlers, supervisors, vets, shippers and officials. The goals were simple: check if better handling improves welfare, see how waiting time affects animals, and find out whether good shelter makes a difference. The results were clear and easy to grasp of the three, waiting time hurt welfare the most: every extra hour in the holding area made breathing problems more likely, and each extra 10 minutes spent queuing at the ramp also pushed risk up. Good handling mattered too calm, well-supervised work with proper equipment and no rough treatment cut injuries and slips and decent shelter helped by keeping animals cooler and more willing to move, especially when at least half of the pen floor was shaded and there was a breeze. Put simply: shorter waits, calmer handling, and solid shade meant healthier, quieter animals and fewer mishaps before loading. The study recommends a practical, low-cost playbook the port can start using right away: finish paperwork before animals arrive, use a simple board to show the loading order and keep things moving, shift loadings to night or early morning in hot weather, run a five-minute “toolbox talk” before each loading so everyone knows their job, keep a named supervisor at the ramp, make sure floors are non-slip and well lit, fix or add shade so at least 50% of the pen is covered, make sure air can flow, and place water troughs in the shade. Finally, track a few easy numbers for every consignment how long animals waited, whether shade and water were available, how carefully staff handled them, and the basic signs of animal stress and use a weekly chart to spot problems early and fix them. These steps don’t require big budgets and can quickly make ship days safer and kinder for animals at the port.
Field	Sociology > Tourism / Transport
Published In	Volume 16, Issue 4, October-December 2025
Published On	2025-10-24
DOI	https://doi.org/10.71097/IJSAT.v16.i4.8891
Short DOI	https://doi.org/g98ndd

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Assessment of the Impact of Sea Transportation on Livestock welfare in Tanzania: A Case Study of Dar es salaam port

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