Livestock Inspection and Transportation LSS

Travel Documentation Required for Livestock in Saskatchewan

Livestock transportation is regulated provincially through The Animal Production Act and The Animal Production Regulations. Documentation is required for transporting livestock species as outlined in the legislation, in the form of manifests or inspection certificates.

Livestock Services of Saskatchewan (LSS) is a not-for-profit organization that provides manifests and inspection services for cattle and horses in Saskatchewan.

Inspection fees are:

• $2.75 per head for all legislated inspections, or
• $65 per hour (plus mileage, meal and accommodation at public service of Saskatchewan rates) for specially requested inspection.

When transporting livestock in Saskatchewan a livestock manifest or inspection certificate is required, unless:

• the livestock is being transported from outside of Saskatchewan and the transporter has a document comparable to a livestock manifest or inspection certificate issued by the jurisdiction of origin;
• the livestock are transported to or from a veterinary clinic; or
• between properties:
  • that are located within Saskatchewan;
  • that are each owned or fully controlled, including by way of lease agreement, by the owner of the livestock; and
  • in which the animals do not intermingle with animals belonging to another livestock owner.

Livestock Manifest

A manifest is a transportation document that is completed by the producer and signed by the owner or owner’s agent and includes:

• the date the livestock are to be loaded or shipped;
• the name and address of the owner or owner’s agent and contributor;
• species, sex and number of livestock;
• if the livestock are cattle or horses, the colour description of the livestock;
• if applicable, the description and location of all brands and other marks of ownership on each animal; and
• the name and address of the vehicle owner and licence numbers of vehicle and trailer.

A manifest is required for:

• livestock transport within Saskatchewan where an inspection isn’t necessary;
• transporting livestock to a sale; or
• livestock transported to an inspection site out of province (for example, an auction market in Alberta or Manitoba where cattle will be inspected upon arrival).

There is no cost for livestock manifests to producers.

As of 2024, an electronic version of a manifest is available for non-inspected livestock transportation. MyLivestock offers this online tool, which complies with provincial and federal livestock transportation requirements.

Inspection Certificate for Cattle and Horses

An inspection certificate (formerly called a livestock permit) is issued following an inspection of cattle or horses by a livestock inspector, verifying ownership through an animal identifier (i.e. brand).

An inspection certificate is required:

• if livestock (cattle or horses) are inspected prior to transport within Saskatchewan (for example, following an inspection at an auction market); and
• prior to livestock being moved into a feedlot within Saskatchewan.

There are two types of inspection certificates:

1. Single use: is valid for seven days after issuance by LSS (this is the document for one-way, one-time movement of inspected animals). There is no fee associated, beyond the initial inspection fee of $2.75 per head.
2. Annual: is valid for multiple transportation events for a full year from the day it is issued (this is useful for recreation and competition purposes, such as rodeos and exhibitions where individual cattle or horses are moved multiple times a year). The fee is $8.50 plus $2.75 per head for inspection.

For more information on transporting cattle and horses, contact Livestock Services of Saskatchewan by phone at 306-546-5086, by email or online.

For additional details on the electronic manifest, visit MyLivestock’s website.