Live Animal Export Trade

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The following information contains graphic images that may upset some viewers.

The Australian Government and the live export industry say
they care about Australian sheep and cattle.

The Australian Government and the live export industry already
know these practices have been going on for decades.

What do you think?

This is what is happening to Australian sheep		This is what will happen  to Australian cattle
	The export of live animals for slaughter is inherently cruel. The entire live export journey � from farm-gate to point of destination � involves stressful and painful experiences for the animal. And these images are an example of the fate that awaits millions of Australian sheep and cattle at the end of this journey, every year. Improved export standards and general welfare lower mortality rates on voyages but do not take eliminate the suffering of many individual animals. On-board mortality rate is a crude measure of animal welfare and doesn�t account for the suffering of animals that survive. Plus, Australia�s standards do not apply as soon as the animals reach their point of destination.
	Our livestock export standards can not influence cruel handling and slaughtering practices in importing countries. Australian animals in some importing countries are subjected to incompetent and inhumane animal handling practices. Inhumane slaughtering methods in some importing countries include cutting leg tendons and eye stabbing of cattle to cripple them, followed by rough throat-cutting and a slow agonising death. Sheep are also killed without pre-stunning, have their throats roughly cut and bleed to death. All while other animals look on with absolute fear. The best way to influence inhumane animal handling and slaughtering practices in importing countries is to stop trading with them. Such diplomatic and trade sanctions are internationally accepted, and have been used effectively in the past, for example, to change unacceptable practices such as apartheid and to denounce countries that support terrorism. Participating in the trade does not help to improve welfare standards in the destination countries.

In fact, by continuing to send Australian animals to suffer such cruelty and abuse , we also send the message to the international community that Australia not only allows but approves of such practices. Continuing to participate in this cruel trade so we can �educate� the perpetrators is like Australia trying to teach the Japanese how to better kill whales.

The Australian Government and live export industry must support domestic livestock
producers and meat-processing industries.
The Australia Government must, as an absolute priority, invest in the infrastructure required to
expand the chilled and frozen meat trade so it can replace live animal exports. Expanding domestic processing capacity and increasing export markets for chilled and frozen meat, will save Australian animals form this fate and provide jobs for people in rural and regional Australia.

Lean more about the Live Animal Export Trade

The export of live sheep, goats, and cattle for slaughter has become a multi-million dollar industry for Australia. In 2001 alone live exports brought in $918,000,000 in trade. But this trade is at the expense of animal welfare. Several welfare problems arise from live export some related to transport conditions themselves, and others to a lack of control over what happens to animals once they reach the importing countries.

The export of live sheep, goats, and cattle for slaughter has become a multi-million dollar industry for Australia. In 2001 alone live exports brought in $918,000,000 in trade. But this trade is at the expense of animal welfare. Several welfare problems arise from live export some related to transport conditions themselves, and others to a lack of control over what happens to animals once they reach the importing countries.

RSPCA's stated and longstanding policy  is that it is opposed to the export of live food animals for immediate slaughter and advocates the adoption of a "carcass only" trade. However, the RSPCA has also taken the view that whilst maintaining opposition to any form of animal abuse, it must also work towards improving the conditions for those animals until such time as Government finally adopts the RSPCA policy position. RSPCA Australia calls for the urgent implementation of an effective system of legally enforceable regulations for live animal export built around appropriate and acceptable animal welfare standards.

Livestock exported from Australia face a journey of up to 11 weeks from the farm-gate to their overseas destination and eventual slaughter. The RSPCA has long maintained that livestock should be slaughtered as close as possible to the point of production because of the suffering associated with their transport. The trade in livestock exports from Australia, which requires the transport of millions of animals over thousands of kilometres in journeys lasting several weeks, could not be further from this ideal.

Whether deaths due to suffocation aboard unseaworthy vessels or deaths from overheating during the northern summer, there have been repeated tragedies aboard live transport vessels. In 1998 50% of the cattle carried by the Charolais Express either suffocated during transport or were too ill to land at their destination and were slaughtered at sea. In 1999 83% of the cattle aboard the Temberong died under similar circumstances to those aboard the Charolais Express. In 2002 50% of cattle carried by the MV Becrux died as a result of overheating when they were shipped from the cool of the Victorian winter to the heat of a Middle-Eastern summer. Initial reports to the public have often vastly underestimated the number of animals involved in these kinds of incidents. In the case of the MV Becrux it was 14 days before the true extent of the disaster was revealed to be 5 times that quoted in the original reports. In addition to the 880 cattle that died on the MV Becrux, 1,400 sheep also perished. During July and August 2002 a further four shipments resulted in the deaths of another 14,500 sheep.

Even if they survive the voyage, once livestock reach their port of destination and are unloaded they are outside of the control of Australian law and there are no controls to ensure that they are slaughtered humanely. In Australia the slaughter of livestock is strictly regulated to ensure humaneness. Animals intended for slaughter must first be rendered insensible, then killed before they can regain consciousness. There is no such guarantee of humane killing in some overseas destinations.

For more information, or to find out about recent developments please check our media releases.

Please help the RSPCA to achieve effective regulation of the live animal export trade by making your views known to the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy, and your State Minister for Agriculture, asking them to take up the RSPCA's recommendations.

 � Read more about our Fair Go For Farm Animals Campaign