“Space
allocation per animal must be based on allometric principles and increased by
at least 30% for sheep that weigh 40 to 60 kg (based on a k-value of 0.033).
The typical sheep sent to the Middle East is an adult Merino wether in this
weight range. This increase in space (k = 0.033) is the minimum amount needed
to alleviate adverse welfare outcomes, and must be implemented across all body
weights and all months of the year…. Irrespective
of stocking density, thermoregulatory physiology indicates that sheep on live
export voyages to the Middle East during May to October will remain susceptible
to heat stress and die due to the expected extreme climatic conditions during
this time. Accordingly, voyages carrying live sheep to the Middle East during
May to October cannot be recommended.” [Submission
from the Australian Veterinary Association, May 2018]
Between January and September 2018 Australia exported 973,651 live sheep.Dep of Ag admitted at #Estimates hearings (p.70) that their recent decision to increase stocking densities will mean only 50% of sheep can lie down at same time over 3-4 week voyage. They're either expecting sheep to timeshare their lying arrangements or lie on top of each other. pic.twitter.com/HxdiCf6uzu— Jed Goodfellow (@JedGoodfellow) October 26, 2018
The majority of these sheep were exported by sea for slaughter at destination and, the size of each sea shipment ranged from 498 animals up to 68,039 animals.
It is not unusual for sheep deaths on these voyages to number in the hundreds.
Overall sheep mortality for the first 6 months of the year ran at 0.61% as of June 2018.
That represents almost 6,000 sheep which died due to the stress of the sea voyage and conditions on board the export vessel from January to June.
One can reasonably expect sheep mortality rates to rise given the Morison Government's recent decision to increase sheep density numbers on board export vessels.
A decision it apparently arrived at after the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources & Nationals MP for Maranoa David Littleproud had announced that the government had accepted all 23 recommendations in the Review of conditions for the export of sheep to the Middle East during the northern summer report.
From 1 November 2018 the floor space per adult sheep will be reduced by 11.5% going into projected November temperatures ranging from 22 to 37 degrees Celsius across Middle Eastern destination ports.
It is worth noting that the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) has not published any analysis of current animal welfare standards in the last 5 years and the version of Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock in operation to date appears to be the 2011 version.
Australian media now report that the Morrison Government is stalling on legislating tougher penalties for exporters who breach live export regulations and, that Nationals MP for New England and disgraced former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce claims that 99.7% of sheep arrive at their export destination in the same or better condition than when they left.
So according to Barnaby only 0.3% of exported sheep suffer a loss of condition.
An interesting claim, given official sheep mortality is calculated at 0.61% of the live cargo being transported.
It seems that some of Barnaby's sheep are miraculously born-again sometime during those sea voyages,
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