The Inherent Cruelty of Live Exports

News reported in The Australian last week again throws up questions regarding the ability of live exporters to influence slaughter practices in importing countries.

The paper says: “The first independent audits of Indonesian abattoirs wanting to import and process Australian cattle have found local workers initially failed to meet animal welfare standards, killing cows incorrectly and using blades that were not sharp enough”.

Whilst the report states that corrective action was taken, I have to wonder how many more animals must suffer. Even if the knife does remain sharp, the fact that some animals are being slaughtered whilst fully conscious is simply unacceptable.

As WSPA has said time and time again to decision-makers and to the panel at both live export inquiries last year, the live trade is inherently cruel. It is fraught with animal welfare issues, from loading, to the long distance transportation and of course the slaughter issues in importing countries.

For example, it is very difficult to mitigate some of the animal welfare issues on board a three week boat journey to the Middle East.

We know that sheep transported to the Middle East experience immense suffering, including cramped conditions which results in injury and diseases such as salmonellosis and pink eye.


At an RSPCA Live Export forum last year, I learned of additional factors that cause suffering including the effects of high levels of humidity, problems associated with animals having to lie down in their own urine and faeces, how ship motion and noise and vibration cause stress, and how changes in lighting can be an issue. There is also a higher mortality rate among rams because of head-butting, aggression and mounting.

There is no such thing as humane live export, but there is a solution to the problem that will benefit Australian animals and the Australian economy. We can spend millions, trying to solve the unsolvable, or we can transition to an expanded chilled meat trade that supports jobs in regional and rural areas. WSPA will continue to work with the Government in 2012 to show them again that there is an alternative.

If you haven’t done so already, why not join 110,000 other like minded individuals and head to our website at www.humanechain.org and sign a letter to your MP. Every action shows that we will not accept the cruelty of live exports and helps educate others about the alternative.

WSPA Campaign Manager, Jodie Jankevics