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Live Export Trade
The Issues Humane Alternatives How you can help
The Issues
Each year, Australia sends over 4 million sheep, 600,000 cattle and 25,000 goats on a torturous sea journey of up to three weeks to the Middle East and South East Asia, where most are slaughtered.
Raised by Australian farmers, these animals are transported long distances within Australia to holding yards or feedlots. From there, they are taken and loaded onto enormous ships with as many as 60,000 animals on one vessel.
Often packed so tightly that they cannot lie down, many animals are trampled to death, or starve if unable to reach feed troughs. At the very least, they face exposure to exhaustion, disease, excessive temperatures, humidity, hunger, thirst and suffocation.
Tens of thousands of Australian animals die every year on these journeys, while countless more suffer as a result of these conditions.
Once docked outside Australian territory, the Australian Animal Protection Legislation no longer applies to the animals. Conditions and treatment can be so bad that in some cases unintentional mortalities after unloading are higher than during transportation. Furthermore, the Australian government cannot ensure that the animals are slaughtered humanely, as there is no requirement at their destination to stun the animals to render them unconscious before being slaughtered.
The live export trade is an inherently cruel practice that denies the animals their basic rights to the RSPCA’s Five Freedoms. RSPCA Qld is opposed to the export of live animals for slaughter or further fattening, and strongly advocates that such exports be replaced by a chilled and frozen meat-only trade.
The export of live animals for slaughter is completely unnecessary
What makes this situation even more reprehensible is that the live export trade for slaughter is completely unnecessary. Overseas markets that currently accept livestock from Australia will accept chilled meat that has been slaughtered in Australia according to their religious and cultural requirements. Currently, there are 123 Halal-certified abattoirs in Australia that could slaughter livestock to meet these requirements.
The live export trade costs jobs
Not only is the live export trade cruel, it also costs Australians valuable jobs. A lack of work is causing abattoirs throughout Australia to close down, yet Australian livestock continue to be exported for slaughter abroad. Exported livestock could be humanely slaughtered in Australian abattoirs, creating jobs and building stronger, more resilient economies in rural and regional communities.
Long distance transport
Regardless of whether they are exported overseas as live animals or slaughtered within Australia, many Australian livestock endure long distance transport within Australia. The long distance transport of livestock is an inherently stressful process and can result in considerable suffering and mortality due to overcrowding, stress, dehydration and exhaustion. Livestock should only be transported in a way that avoids injury and pain, and minimises suffering or distress. Journey times must be kept as short as possible, and all livestock must be humanely slaughtered as near as possible to the point of production.
For more information on the live export trade, please visit RSPCA Australia at www.rspca.org.au.
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