Live Export of Cattle and Sheep to the Middle East
- some new rules.
>From the "NEWS" section of "Animals Today"
an ANZFAS publication Volume 6 Number 2 May-July 1998
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Recent information received at Animals Australia on the high
suffering and mortality of cattle and sheep on the Middle East run
was provided to a meeting of the Livestock Advisory Committee
(LAC) - a committee chaired by the Australian Maritime Safety
Authority (AMSA) and consisting of Commonwealth Government
officers (DPIE & AQIS), live export industry and NCCAW
representatives (Dr Wirth of RSPCA Aust.). AnimaLs Australia had
been reliably informed of `rejection' rates for cattle on some
shipments to the Middle East of between 3-5%, usually because the
animals had become ill or injured during the voyage. When rejected
by the buyers these animals are killed at sea on the return journey.
The rejection figures, when compared to, and added to, the `offcial'
mortalities of less than 1% during the voyage, are outrageous. The
LAC is yet to formally report actions decided at the meeting in late
May, but we are informed that several interim measures will:
� reduce loading densities for cattle over 450kg during the
Northern Hemisphere summer (May to September
inclusive);
� provide straw and/or sawdust bedding for cattle (to reduce
injuries and ammonia buildup), and provide chaff to
supplement the processed fodder; and
� prevent the export of `fat' sheep (which die at twice the
rate) during the Northern Hemisphere summer.
A LiveCorp (formerly AMLC) funded 6 month study will
commence immediately to track heat and humidity and ventilation
problems and to make further technical recommendations to LAC.
Other changes include the mandatory carrying of a veterinary kit on
all ships, a new accreditation/training regime for livestock offcers
who accompany our sheep and cattle, the mandatory carriage of
captive bolt pistols (to kill injured or ilt animals) on a11 livestock
ships, and a reduction in the `trigger' mortality rates for cattle, sheep
and goats when an official investigation of the cause of high
mortalities must occur (2% for cattle and goats, 1% for cattle on
voyages more than 10 days, 0.5% for short voyages). Animals
Australia has also made recommendations for the tightening of
requirements under the Livestock Export Accreditation Program
(LEAP).
Slaughter of Sacrifice
>From the "NEWS" section of "Animals Today"
an ANZFAS publication Volume 6 Number 2 May-July 1998
******************************************************
A peaceful candlelight vigil marched through the streets of
Fremantle, Perth on 7 April to coincide with the Slaughter of
Sacrifice, part of the Islamic Eid ul-Adha Festival.
The sacrifice of a living animal, which is usually a sheep, cow, goat
or camel is part of the Muslim religious celebration of making the
haj. According to Islamic teachings the Prophet Ibrahim was directed
by Allah to sacrifice his first-born son. After Ibrahim demonstrated
his willingness to do so, Allah relented and directed Ibrahim to
sacrifice a sheep instead.
PACAT, who organised the vigil stated "It is not our intention to
criticise Islam, which is one of the world's great religious faiths.
Rather, we are urging concerned people to consider how Islamic
countries in the Gulf region are supplied with huge numbers of West
Australian sheep for this mass sacrificial slaughter ....What we object
to is the part Australia plays in the inhumane transportation of these
animals."
PACAT has received past reports that the thousands of sacrificed
animals have been buried en masse.
China to take many thousands of our cattle
- just to kill them!
>From the "NEWS" section of "Animals Today"
an ANZFAS publication Volume 6 Number 2 May-July 1998
*****************************************************************
Unfortunately in April the Australian cattle industry and the
Federal Minister John Anderson celebrated a new contract to supply
our cattle live to China. The new deal has been forged only after
disease status (bluetongue) issues had been resolved. It is expected
that the first shipments may leave Australia as soon as July. Some
30,000 cattle per annum will be sent, soaring to a huge 500,000 per
year as infrastructure in China is built - that is holding yards,
transport, feedlots, slaughterhouses and boning rooms.
Regrettably it is said to be cheaper for the Chinese to undertake
this building program, operate slaughter facilities, and to pay the
costs of live export, rather than have the cattle killed in Australian
slaughterhouses and then import the carcases!
While our cattle are to leave from northern ports (especially
Darwin and Townsville), they may first travel large distances from
the southern parts of Western Australia, Northern Territory and
Queensland. The cattle sent wiLl be a mix of `feeder' cattle and
`slaughter' cattle, meaning some will go into a feedlot to be fattened
on local fodder or industry byproducts (as in Asia), while the others
will be slaughtered soon after arrival. A feedlot is currently being
built, and a small cattle abattoir (killing about 100 cattle each day)
has been built to an Australian design near Foshan, just 200km north
of Hong Kong. The Australian Meat and Livestock Corporation have
been assisting with the establishment of local infrastrncture.
Two ports are to be used initially, one some 25 minutes from the
feedlot, the other up to two hours away by road. Most Chinese
Iivestock trucks are primitive, carrying about a dozen cattle each. We
are advised that livestock expertise such as handling and feeding will
not be readily available and Australian authorities intend to provide
assistance.
Animals Australia opposes this massive expansion of the live
export trade and fears for the welfare of the cattle both during the
export stages and once they arrive in China, a country without the
expertise to handle barely domesticated large animals.
ACTION:
Please write to The Hon. John Anderson
Minister for Primary Industries and Energy
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
and express your opposition to the live export of cattle to China
(and elsewhere!).
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