Funny loading ramps group highlights serious issue

Alex McGorman created the ‘Crap Loading Ramps Australia’ Facebook group to drive important change around animal welfare and on-farm safety.

Four months since it was created, the group featuring photos of poor livestock loading ramps to encourage improvements in on-farm infrastructure has amassed 11,700 members.  

Alex owns and manages ‘Thornby’ at Sanderston, SA with his wife Fiona and their three boys. The enterprise employs 25 staff and incorporates 6,000 acres of broadacre cereal grains and hay, a feedlot finishing more than 100,000 lambs and a fleet of trucks.

“We started the transport side of things to carry our own sheep and occasionally transport for others as well,” Alex said.

While there are a lot of laughs at some of the setups featured on the group, the safety message is serious, with loading and unloading being the most dangerous part of livestock transport.

“Unsafe loading ramps are putting your life and the welfare of the animals at risk,” he said.

“A lot of the time all you need is a few modifications to make it safe – it doesn’t always have to be a big cost.”

Alex said he now refuses to transport for some producers if they don’t make the effort to provide a safe loading environment.

“Truckies and transport groups, we need to try and work together. I know it’s hard if people are worried about losing the work, but it’s the only way some of these situations are going to change.”

For people wanting to improve their set-ups, a simple chat to your regular carrier can make a big difference for everyone involved, Alex said.

“Ask your carrier – they’ll tell you what you can do,” he said.

“Sometimes it’s just a load of gravel so you don’t get bogged, or moving some obstacles out of the way so the truck can get in.

“One bloke installed a new ramp but didn’t think about the angle the truck has to reverse back to get into it.”

With a shortage of drivers and a consumer and community spotlight on animal welfare, there is a need for change and consideration of drivers, Alex said.

“We’re driving these million-dollar set-ups which are getting scratched up because some people won’t trim a few trees – half an hour on a chainsaw will change the job completely.”

Alex said the Facebook page is having an impact, with some producers re-thinking their set-ups.

“One bloke I regularly collect for has seen the page and asked me how he can make improvements.

“It doesn’t have to be perfect, but he has a plan and is trying.”

The Crap Loading Ramps Australia group is on Facebook. For best practice information and guidelines on improving yards and preparation for transport, visit mla.com.au/transport-hub.