Transporting Livestock

All livestock transported within and out of Alberta must be accompanied with the appropriate transportation documents.  The Livestock Identification and Commerce Act prescribes the documents that must accompany cattle, horses and sheep when they are transported within and out of Alberta.   For the transportation of swine please contact Alberta Pork Producers (www.albertapork.ca).   For the transportation of all other livestock see the Bill of Lading and Conditions of Carriage Regulation under the Traffic Safety Act. 

Transporting Cattle

Cattle being transported or driven within Alberta must be accompanied with either a Livestock Manifest or on of the following permits:

• Livestock Permit
• Pedigree Cattle Permit
• Rodeo and Exhibition Permit

Cattle being transported to a destination outside of Alberta must be inspected, and can be accompanied with one of the permits listed above.

As an exception, cattle being transported directly to an inspected auction market in Saskatchewan or inspected auction market in Dawson Creek, British Columbia can be accompanied with a Livestock Manifest.

Transporting Horses

Horses being transported within Alberta do not require a Livestock Manifest or Livestock Permit, unless the horse is being transported for sale or slaughter, or to the following inspection sites: country sale, auction market, livestock assembling station, provincial abattoir or a federal packing plant.

Horses transported to a destination outside of Alberta must be inspected and can be accompanied with one of the following permits:

• Annual Horse Permit
• Lifetime Horse Permit
• Rodeo and Exhibition Permit
• Livestock Permit

If a horse is being transported to another province for the purpose of sale or slaughter, then the horse must be accompanied with a Livestock Permit.

Transporting Sheep

Sheep being transported within Alberta or to a destination outside of Alberta are required to be accompanied with a Livestock Manifest. For more information visit the Alberta Lamb Producers website.

Livestock of more than one owner

When livestock of more than one owner is being transported together, the person transporting the livestock must ensure that there is a separate Livestock Permit or special permit in respect of the livestock of each owner. The livestock of each owner also has to be distinctly identified so that the livestock belonging to one owner can be readily distinguishable from the livestock belonging to another owner.

Delivery of Livestock on a Livestock Manifest

A person who transports livestock under a Livestock Manifest must deliver the livestock described on the Livestock Manifest to the person named on the Livestock Manifest or that person’s agent and to the destination indicated on the Livestock Manifest.

The owner of the livestock or the owner’s agent may change the destination of the livestock on a Livestock Manifest. If the destination is changed:

• the person transporting or driving the livestock; and
• the owner of the livestock or the owner’s agent,

must change the destination in Part B on all copies of  the Livestock Manifest in their possession as soon as the information is known.

Delivery of Livestock on a Livestock Permit

A person who transports livestock under a Livestock Permit must deliver the livestock to the person named on the Livestock Permit, or that person’s agent; and to the destination indicated on the Livestock Permit.

The person who is issued a Livestock Permit may change the person or destination for the delivery of the livestock under a Livestock Permit. If the person or destination for the delivery of the livestock changes,

• the person transporting the livestock and the person who was issued the Livestock Permit must change the information in Part B on all copies of the Livestock Permit in their possession as soon as the information is known; and
• the person who was issued the Livestock Permit must provide the Livestock Inspector with the updated information within two business days of the date the
  destination was changed.