Intensive farm animal production has led to a specialisation in breeding and fattening farms, where Australian cattle, goats and sheep are then live exported to slaughterhouses overseas. The centralisation of slaughterhouses in cheaper foreign countries, and the aim to minimise production costs have led to the demand for Australian animals sent alive for slaughter.

FOUR PAWS therefore calls for a ban for live animal exports.

Most live exported animals are sold for immediate slaughter once they reach destination ports. The way the animals are slaughtered in the countries Australia exports do not meet  best practice for animal welfare, align with Australian standards for slaughter, and most often, breach World Organisation for Animal Health standards.

There is no stunning before slaughter, which results in severe violence being used to make the animals defenceless before and when the throat is cut. Cruel and callous practices in an attempt to make the animals helpless before the slaughter cut, such as stabbing their eyes and cutting their leg tendons, have been documented regularly and published in veterinary journals. The suffering endured before the animal is finally dead lasts up to 30 minutes. 

In particular to live sheep exports, sheep suffer extremely poor welfare onboard these ships.  

Over the past decade, whistleblowers have given us disturbing insight into a previously un-seen industry. We have seen horrific footage of animals packed so tightly, they begin to trample those no longer able to stand. Even so they stand in piles of their own excrement, wide eyed and panting, unable to breathe through ammonia-heavy air and being slowly ‘cooked alive’ in 40-degree heat onboard these transport ships. Those who do survive the shipping process then disembark in hot temperatures, to be sold off for slaughter, where the slaughter practices do not meet Australian standards.

Exporting and importing countries want to make the most profit from the animals. Importing countries profit from the hides, the milk, the calves, and the meat. Some of the countries claim to aim at building their own breeding population. But in fact, no stable breeding population has been built up so far in the importing third countries even though trade has been going on for decades.

In reality, many of the animals are slaughtered soon after arrival because the feed resources are not available in most countries. High yielding cows imported from Australia need high quantities of water and feed to stay healthy. This is mostly not available in the importing third countries, leading to cows being slaughtered soon. Ritual slaughter without stunning is also a major reason for importing live animals⁴.

97% of Australian farmed animals are predominantly live exported by sea. The remaining 3% by air.

In 2021, the DAFF issued livestock export permits for cattle, sheep, goats, alpacas, and buffaloes. Prior to 2019, Australia used to live export camels in small numbers.

They were exported primarily for immediate slaughter (50%) and as feeder animals prepared for eventual slaughter (41%). A small proportion were exported for breeding purposes (9%).

In 2021, Western Australia is the largest live exporter in Australia, responsible for 57% of Australia's total live exported animals. They are followed by Northern Territory (21%), Queensland (13%), Victoria (7%) and New South Wales (1%). South Australia had a four-year hiatus of live exports, but since November 2022, sadly, their live export industry has since resumed.

Animals destined for slaughter are often transported for several days or weeks in disastrous conditions. Numerous animals sustain serious injuries and many animals suffer and die during the journeys. This is an expected part of this trade, with allowable mortality rates set for voyages depending on the animals being exported. Animals destined for breeding purposes also suffer from terrible conditions on these journeys that often last several days and even weeks.

In addition, many animals are bred, reared and slaughtered in different locations, resulting in several journeys that an animal has to undergo during their life.

• The maximum loading density is exceeded and does not allow animals to rest in a normal position. This is well documented with sheep exports, with footage showing sheep so tightly packed onto decks that they cannot sit at all, but are pressed tightly against one another for the entire duration of the voyage, up to three weeks. 
• Insufficient height inside vehicles transporting them to and from vessels, especially during the transport of cattle in double-decker truck.
• Unsuitable loading ramps (e.g. too steep, slippery).
• Transport vehicles lacking suitable equipment for feeding and watering (esp. when transporting young, un-weaned animals).
• Transport of animals being unfit for transport (sick animals and those with broken limbs), transport of highly pregnant animals.
• Fights between animals originating from different stables within the vehicles.
• Rough handling of animals during loading and unloading, leading to fear and serious injuries of the animals.
• Poorly trained or inexperienced staff, badly paid drivers, reckless driving.
• Missing control posts (resting stations) in third countries to enable legally required resting intervals.
• Temperature limits within the vehicle/vessel exceeding acceptable temperature (> 30°C and < 5°C), the animals suffer from heat and cold, numerous animals die of heatstroke or freeze to death.
• Empty or frozen water supply leads to severe suffering and deaths.
• Lack of bedding or any manure removal onboard vessels.

Trade with foreign countries has to shift from live animals to a trade in meat and carcasses and genetic material only. FOUR PAWS is advocating for community-based, restorative and sustainable agricultural practices that promote local farming, rearing and slaughter. Decentralisation of farms and locating abattoirs and slaughterhouses within a short distance from the farms is an important aspect to achieve an end of long-distance transports.