Live cattle suppliers are frantically trying to piece together news that more than a hundred cattle have died on a ship that left Darwin, destined for Indonesia.
The government regulator received the report of the deaths over the weekend.
A statement on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website said the regulator was notified by a commercial exporter of an incident involving cattle deaths on a live export vessel, the Brahman Express, exporting to Indonesia.
An exporter must notify the government if a consignment's mortality rate is greater than 0.5 per cent or three head of cattle.
Prior to departure, the department undertook pre-export inspections to ensure that the livestock met requirements under the Export Control Act 2020 and importing-country requirements, it said.
"There is no suggestion that exotic animal disease is involved. We are investigating the incident as per normal procedures and as a matter of priority," the statement said.
The department reiterated Australia remained free of exotic animal diseases such as Lumpy Skin Disease and Foot and Mouth Disease.
Industry sources said they were also gathering information. They have referred all inquiries to the Department of Agriculture.
The last time the mortality rate for a shipment of cattle reached similar levels was in 2017, when 95 head died aboard a ship bound for Brunei and Malaysia due to ineffective non-slip flooring on a livestock vessel's maiden voyage.
This would be the third highest cattle mortality rate aboard a vessel on record since 2006, behind a 2016 shipment to Mexico that saw 155 head die of Bovine Respiratory Disease and a 2014 shipment that saw 165 head of cattle and 1654 head of sheep die mainly from ruminal acidosis after a sudden change in fodder after mechanical failure extended the voyage.
Late last year, AAP reported a ship named the Brahman Express was turned back after leaving Darwin when its engine room caught fire. It was carrying 3000 head and there were no animal or human injuries in that incident, with the fire extinguished promptly.
The vessel is 21 years old and was sailing under the flag of Luxembourg.
ACM has been unable to confirm if it is the same vessel involved in this incident.
More to come.
Shan Goodwin
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
