Live export - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Live export is the transport of living farm animals usually across either state or national borders.

Animal charities say that thousands of animals die en route from disease, heat exhaustion, thirst, suffocation, and crush injuries. The National Hog Farmer reports that 420,000 pigs are crippled and 170,000 die each year in the U.S. on the way to the slaughterhouse.

European Union legislation

The rules for animals being transported within the European Union

European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

require rest periods, although the BBC reports that these are "routinely ignored." The rules say that unweaned

Weaning

Weaning is the process of gradually introducing a mammal infant, either human or animal, to what will be its adult diet and withdrawing the supply of its mother's milk.The process takes place only in mammals, as only mammals produce milk...

animals (still drinking their mothers' milk) are allowed to travel for nine hours before being given one hour's rest; pigs for 24 hours, with access to water, before a break; horses for 24 hours with access to water every eight hours; while cattle, sheep and goats may travel for 14 hours before being given one hour's rest and water.

The EU introduced new legislation in 2004 intended to improve conditions, which was planned to come into force in 2007. Agriculture Ministers from individual states who make up the Council however, have deferred decisions on a package of reforms, including journey times, until 2011. They have adopted some reforms that offer more training and certification for drivers by 2009 but there is no guarantee that these will be fully enforced in every country.

The original EU Transport Legislation that was put forward proposed that newborn animals would not allowed to be transported until their navel

Navel

The navel is a scar on the abdomen caused when the umbilical cord is removed from a newborn baby...

s have healed. Piglets under three weeks, lambs under one week, calves under 10 days, and horses under four months, may travel up to 100 km. Dogs and cats under eight weeks may be transported only with their mothers. Females may be transported one week after birth, and may not be transported just before birth.

The legislation was also written with the aim of covering better training for drivers, outlaws striking or kicking the animals, and requiring better loading and unloading facilities.

A 2008 report by Compassion in World Farming

Compassion In World Farming

Compassion in World Farming is a campaigning and lobbying animal welfare organisation, with headquarters in the UK, branches in eight European countries and international representatives in China, Australia and South Africa...

stated that each year, around six million farm animals are transported across Europe, some for slaughter, others for further fattening. Many of these journeys take over 30 hours; some take over 70 hours.

United Kingdom

Between 15 July 2002 and January 2004, around 200,000 lambs and sheep were exported for slaughter or further fattening abroad, mainly to France and Italy.

Australia

Australia is the world’s largest exporter of sheep and cattle. According to a report by Meat and Livestock Australia, 4.2 million sheep and 572,799 cattle were exported to markets in Asia, the Middle East and other countries in 2005. Most of the livestock are for meat but there is also an active trade in breeding stock, including dairy cattle.

The major market for Australian cattle is Indonesia, which takes 80 percent of annual exports. Other key markets include Israel, Malaysia, Japan, Mexico and China. The major markets for Australian sheep are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan. Other key markets are Bahrain, the UAE, Oman and Qatar. Australia’s main market competitors are from China, South America and North Africa.

The Australian Greens are opposed to the live export trade and have consistently placed pressure on the Australian government to outlaw the practice.

On 7 June 2011, Australia placed a temporary ban on live exports to Indonesia, following an expose by an animal-rights group of Indonesian slaughterhouses that was leaked to a major news organization.

Opponents of the live export trade in Australia are calling for a permanent live export ban in relation to all animals to all countries.

Those involved in the industry dispute the allegations of those opposed to live animal export and point to alternative independent work that indicates live export adds considerable value to both the Australian economy and the importers economy, value that cannot be replicated by a box beef trade. Additionally key indicators of animal welfare show that live export has improved the herd health of the North Australian herd. It should also be noted that mortality rates on livestock vessels sailing short haul voyages are much lower in comparison to road transport. Mortality rates in the offshore feedlots are lower in comparison to Australian feedlots.

New Zealand

In 2005, New Zealand exported NZ$217 million worth of live animals, mainly for breeding purposes. Exports included cattle, sheep, horses, deer, goats and day-old chicks. Because New Zealand is free of most exotic diseases most livestock shipments are for breeding or finishing purposes. Cattle are not exported for slaughter and the last export of sheep for slaughter was in 2003.

In November 2007, the New Zealand Government introduced the new Customs Exports Prohibition (Livestock for Slaughter)Order. Although not a blanket ban, the new legal requirement restricts live animal exports for slaughter unless the risks to New Zealand's trade reputation can be adequately managed.

Handle with Care coalition

A group of ten animal charities, including the RSPCA, the World Society for the Protection of Animals

World Society for the Protection of Animals

The World Society for the Protection of Animals is an international non-profit animal welfare organization and also a federation of such organisations and active in over 150 countries with more than 1000 member societies.- Organization :...

, and Compassion in World Farming

Compassion In World Farming

, formed the Handle with Care coalition in 2007 to lobby for change in the way animals are transported, arguing that live transport is both cruel and unnecessary.

A joint undercover investigation, during which coalition members followed and filmed lorries and ships transporting live animals, shows that animals are being driven across Europe for up to 70 hours without breaks, in violation of EU legislation.

The coalition says that Australia sends more than four million live sheep every year to the Middle East

Middle East

The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...

, a journey lasting 32 days, during which three sheep share one square metre of space in the ship's hold, and that 100,000 cattle are sent by truck from Brazil to Lebanon each year, with a reported mortality rate of ten percent. Until 2007, Canada was sending live pigs 4,500 miles to Hawaii, a journey lasting nine days with no rest period, so that the pigs could be sold there as "island-produced," but the Canadian government said it would end the transport after learning of the coalition's investigation into the practice.

European Union legislation

United Kingdom

Australia

New Zealand

Handle with Care coalition

Further reading