Government Fines 2 Aussie Cattle Exporters for Using Substandard Indonesia Abattoirs

A day after the New South Wales government released strict guidelines in response to a video of a local abattoir that practiced animal abuse, the federal Agriculture Department announced that it fined two Australian cattle exports that used substandard Indonesian slaughterhouses.

The fines were the result of an investigation which confirmed that the International Livestock Exports and North Australian Cattle Company had 37 violations of new animal welfare standards.

The new live export rules were the offshoot of Four Corners video in 2011 which showed cattle abuse. However, despite the new rules, ABC showed another video by Animals Australia taken in January 2012 of continuing abuse which led to an investigation by the Agriculture Department.

Among the violations are the lack of proper restraints on the heads prior to the slaughter, not making sure the animals were dead and throwing water on the animal before confirming their death.

The department actually investigated four abattoirs, but found that two did not processed Australian cattle. Besides the fine on the two Australian exporters, the department will prevent it from using the slaughterhouses identified in the Animals Australia video.

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Phillip Glyde said if more animal welfare violations would occur in the supply chain, the Australian cattle exporters would face more penalties including the possible cancelation of their export licence.

"The department does not tolerate the mistreatment of animals and takes all allegations of animal welfare abuse seriously," Mr Glyde was quoted by Brisbane Times.

Besides penalising the erring Aussie cattle exporters, the department recommended that Chief Veterinary Office Mark Schipp review if the use of Mark 4 restraint boxes with no mechanical head and neck restraint complies with World Organisation for Animal Health benchmarks.

The department required the two exporters to ensure there are animal welfare officers present in all their abattoirs and these officers must be present at the time of the slaughter. The NSW also recommended the hiring by local abattoirs of animal welfare officer to prevent a repeat of similar abuses.