Poland - Germany | Highway | Animal Transports

We are driving on the highway in Poland in direction of Germany, following a transporter with unweaned calves from Lithuania. At 4:00 at night, the truck stops to change drivers. Talking to them we learn that the calves are two to eight weeks old. They keep all ventilation flaps closed because of the cold temperatures, but will open them later when it gets warmer outside. The drivers say that it is +4°C in the lorry and +3.5°C in the trailer. After a break of 15 minutes, they continue driving. According to the EU animal transport regulation, the calves should have been supplied with liquid after 9 hours of transport. However, the transport regulation is not workable in practice with regard to unweaned calves, as it is not possible to supply them with milk replacer or electrolytes on board the vehicle. At 5:50, the truck crosses the German border. After Braunschweig, a second team takes over and follows the truck to a control post in Ibbenbüren, where the animals are rested for 24 hours in closed stables and are finally given liquid. Before arriving at Ibbenbüren, the drivers make a short stop to control the ventilation and internal temperature of the truck. The outside temperature is 2°C. It is the first time we see the animals, as all flaps have been closed until now. The calves look fine, but we observe one with a hairless lesion and another with nasal discharge. They are mooing, as they have not received anything to drink during the whole transport.