Australia bans some live trade after cattle deaths
Date: 17-Jul-02
Country: AUSTRALIA
Agriculture Minister Warren Truss, who confirmed the much higher figure from the 300 deaths initially reported, said stringent new restrictions would be placed on cattle shipments to parts of the Middle East.
"I have ordered a halt to shipments to the Arabian Gulf of bos taurus breeds of cattle (herefords, angus etc) sourced from areas south of 26 degrees latitude," he said.
Twenty-six degrees latitude falls on the border of South Australia and the Northern Territory.
Bos indicus cattle, such as brahmans and droughtmaster, could be sent to the Arabian Gulf, but no more than 500 head could be transported in any one shipment, Truss said.
The 900 deaths occurred during a shipment of 1,995 cattle on board the MV Becrux on its recent maiden voyage to Saudi Arabia.
Initial estimates were that 200 cattle died from extreme heat on the way to Saudi Arabia while a further 100 died after Saudi refused to accept the remaining animals.
UNACCEPTABLE
"Industry sources have confirmed today that close to 900 of the shipment of cattle died during the voyage or shortly after being unloaded," Truss said.
"While the tropical bos indicus cattle travelled well, the loss of life among the colder climate cattle was appalling."
Australia is the world's largest exporter of live cattle, shipping 826,000 head worth A$545 million in 2001. More than 250,000 went to the Middle East.
The latest loss of life among animals exported by Australia has aroused strong opposition to the live trade by international animal rights activists.
"This tragedy is clearly unacceptable to government and industry," Truss said.
The minister said he had instructed the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) and Livecorp, the industry body that oversees livestock exports, to conduct an urgent and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatalities.
"It is particularly alarming so many animals should have died on this voyage, especially as the Becrux is a speedy, purpose-designed vessel," Truss said.
Mortality rates on live shipments had been decreasing steadily over recent years, to 0.3 percent last year when about 250,000 cattle were exported to the Middle East, from 0.7 percent a few years ago.
But Truss said the Becrux deaths had to be kept in perspective.
Another vessel left southern Australia the day after the Becrux, carrying 1,200 head to Saudi Arabia on a similar passage.
That voyage, and other recent trips, did not experience unacceptable mortalities, he said.
