Guided by a real case, this paper efficiently proposes a new metaheuristic algorithm based on Simulated Annealing to solve the Heterogeneous Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows to deliver fresh meat in urban environments. Our proposal generates an initial feasible solution using a hybrid heuristic based on the well-known Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP) solution and, subsequently, refining it through a Simulated Annealing (SA). We have tested the efficiency of the proposed approach in a company case study related to the planning of the transportation of a regional distribution center meat company to customers within the urban and rural perimeter of Bogotá, Colombia. The main goal is to reach a service level of 97% while reducing operational costs and several routes (used vehicles). The results show that the proposed approach finds better routes than the current ones regarding costs and service level within short computing times. The proposed scheme promises to solve the refrigerated vehicle routing problem.

Global warming is a problem that threatens humanity, with livestock being one of the causes. A systematic literature review was carried out by using some appropriate elements of the PRISMA statement to identify disciplines that work to mitigate the effects of the livestock industry by organizing them according to their approach to addressing this problem. The main objective is to find information and classify the disciplines, papers, literature review methodologies, research gaps, authors, and journals developing the management of the cattle supply chain. This paper could analyze and mitigate the adverse effects on society and the environment generated by the industry, organizing them according to their approach. Twenty databases were consulted between March and May 2020, from which 146 review documents were chosen. The papers reviewed were published between 2003 and 2020. The eligibility criteria for selection were open access to the full text, publication in an indexed journal, and a focus on any discipline related to cattle. The unselected papers did not have DOIs or duplicates, and those focused on other types of meat and book chapters. Subsequently, the information in the selected papers was described and consolidated, and these papers had 602 authors and were from 99 journals. Next, a discipline categorization was proposed. The results were organized, showing that among all the analysis criteria, the category of veterinary medicine had the best results in terms of indicators; therefore, additional research is needed on the other disciplines, especially in culture, technology, management, quality control, tanneries, and transportation, as there was less research within these disciplines. It is recommended that research on a mix of the different proposed disciplines be conducted. The proposed categorization’s main contribution is to identify and group the cattle supply chain’s different disciplines and the definition of research gaps organized under a structure organizational management model. Finally, a multicriteria selection methodology must be used that prioritizes the discipline categories proposed in this review to guide future research.