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Quality system Livestock Logistics (QLL) is the Dutch quality system which contains regulations concerning the transport and assembly of livestock. The system is managed by the foundation Stichting Kwaliteitssysteem Dierenlogistiek. QLL was set up to guarantee the animal welfare of livestock during transport and assembly, and to prevent the spread of animal diseases via transport or assembly of livestock. Besides the legal regulations several extralegal matters have been included in the regulation. Improvement of the image of the sector is one of the key points.

The main objective of the foundation Stichting Kwaliteitssysteem Dierenlogistiek is that companies that are involved with livestock transport or the organization thereof, and/or the assembly of animals on (export)assembly centers and cattle fattening farms, become participants of QLL.

The sector parties that managed the previously approved Dutch quality systems in the field of transport and assembly; Dierwaardig Vervoer, Veetrans, NBW-Q and KPD, have been very much involved in the development and realization of QLL. They endorse the set-up and content of the new quality system and have a seat in either the board and/or the central college of experts of the foundation (Stichting Kwaliteitssysteem Dierenlogistiek).

In addition to the general regulations, QLL contains several modules which are related to either transport, export or assembly of livestock. The participants must apply for the modules which are applicable to their activities.

The documents with the regulations of the quality system QLL can be found on the page ‘Guideline QLL' (www.q-ll.nl).

QLL aims to close the production chain so that in time all transport and assembly of livestock is monitored by QLL. As a start a connection has been made with the Integral Chain management systems operating in the pig and veal sectors (IKB Vleeskalveren, IKB Varken, IKB Nederland Varkens).

In terms of international cooperation for the year 2011 QLL and QS have a mutual recognition (gegenseitige Anerkennung) for the participants of the QS transport module. This means that QS transporters can for example transport IKB pigs and the QLL transporters can transport QS pigs. In 2012 a special module will be incorporated in QS, a so called QS plus module, that QS participants have to have in order to transport livestock to and from the Netherlands.

With QLL the Dutch private sector is showing responsibility in organizing and inspecting its own livestock transport and disease prevention systems.