February 2003
The Hon KM Chance MLC
Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Midwest , Wheatbelt and
Great Southern,
11 th Floor Dumas House
2 Havelock Street
West Perth WA 6005
Dear Minister ,
Live Animal Export Industry
On 20 January 2003 , I went aboard the live animal export ship, "MV
Bader III" which was docked in the port of Fremantle , loading sheep
and bound for Saudi Arabia . This was day three in port and day three
for some of the animals aboard. My guide was Mike Balsdon, Manager (West)
Maritime Operations, Australian Maritime Safety Authority ("AMSA"). Mike
is also the chief surveyor and a former ship's engineering Officer.
This animal cargo was approximately 100,000 sheep and approximately
800 cattle. My first question is "why approximately?" Doesn't AFFA, AQIS,
or AMSA know the exact numbers of animals on these ships? If they do
not know the loading numbers how do they know what the real mortality
rates are?
During the two hours aboard I noted many serious problems in regard
to the onboard management of the animals. As I walked around I made mental
notes and manually checked as much as I could in regards to the watering
and food systems setup, pen-stocking densities and the animals' appearances
and body condition.
I alerted Mike as I came across the problems listed below.
• Troughs too high for majority of sheep. Sheep under watered,
underfed
• Trough number totally inadequate for numbers of animals
in each pen.
• Watering system faulty and not in accordance with specifications
• Water and food troughs contaminated. Food quality very
poor.
• Many sheep in unhealthy condition
• Cattle underfed, under watered, pens overstocked.
• Stocking densities in pens too high
The details of each of these issues is listed below.
• Troughs too high for majority of sheep. Sheep under
watered, underfed
All the troughs are too high. Lambs, hogget's and small breed sheep
could not reach for water and food. The tallest sheep could just reach.
Different sized sheep were mixed together in the same pens. The crew
was aware of this and in one area had placed empty troughs upside down,
inside the pens in line with the outside water troughs to act as a step
for the small sheep. Sheep will not do this. Goats will. The "steps" were
in fact preventing all animals from getting to these water troughs.
• Trough number totally inadequate for numbers of
animals in each pen.
The numbers of troughs were totally inadequate for numbers of animals
in each pen.
• Watering system faulty and not in accordance with
specifications
Many troughs were bone dry. Others contained low levels of rusty water.
None of the troughs I saw were filled with clean water. The fact that
the troughs were dry and the troughs contained rusty water indicated
that the troughs had not been filled for three days while animals were
on this vessel.
The float switches were set too low in the water trough, which means
that the troughs would only fill to about half level. The ship's watering
system stated that the filling of the troughs is required to be automatically
operated. However, overhead to each trough was a valve connected into
the PVC water line which runs to each trough. This valve has to be turned
by hand to allow water to flow from the valve to the trough. This is
a manually operated system. All the valves that I saw had been turned
to the "off" position.
Mike and I turned on a number of valves. Only one allowed water to flow
to the troughs. The trough continued filing and overflowed because the
float switch was faulty. We had to turn off the manual valve to prevent
further overflow.
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• Water and food troughs contaminated. Food quality
very poor.
Both food and water troughs were polluted with faeces. The troughs were
filled with powder from pellets. A few handfuls of pellets were scattered
over the top of this. A handful crushed easily. They were either very
poor quality or very old. Good quality fresh pellets do not crush by
hand.
On one section of the foredeck of the ship I noticed a pile of stock
feed bags. They were unlabelled. A number were damaged, spilling the
contents. They contained poor quality rough cut oaten chaff. This is "bulk" food
only with very little nutritional value.
• Many sheep in unhealthy condition
The overall condition of sheep in pens appeared average to poor. Some
were quite bony. The actual condition of the sheep was probably a lot
poorer than they appeared as many of them had two to three month old
fleeces, which tend to hide the condition of the undernourished sheep.
Many sheep on the ship had dirty backsides. The last truckload, which
was still on the wharf, had dirty backsides also. Scouring can be caused
by stress, disease, or contaminated feed and water. Many sheep had signs
of dehydration.
I saw quite a few with a watery eye condition. I have never seen this
before. The staining and dried clumps of mucous on the faces of the sheep
indicated to me that they probably had this problem prior to coming aboard.
I also pointed out to Mike several cases of "pink-eye".
All the lambs and hoggets had long tails. This is bad farming practice.
Long tails are unhygienic in our climate and harbour bacteria. The Muslim
religion does not require animals to be in tact prior to slaughter. Whethers
have no testicles and have been exported to Muslims countries for 30
years.
• Cattle underfed, underwatered, pens overstocked.
Below deck where the cattle were penned it was hot and humid, even though
the ventilating system was operating. I did not see any outlet which
would allow the hot air to escape. In fact, the ventilation was just
re-circulating the hot air. It is no wonder that many cattle perish from
heat stress on these ships if this was any indication of the conditions.
The water troughs had low levels of water. The food troughs contained
powdered pellets and faeces. The number of troughs was inadequate for
the number of cattle in each pen.
This breed of cattle had broad muzzles. They would have had difficulty
in getting their muzzles into the troughs and getting to the water, especially
as the levels of water were low.
The cattle were too tightly packed. Having two less animals in each
pen would have allowed several to lie down and rest or sleep at a time.
It would also allow air to flow freely between the animals, reducing
their body temperature and help ward off heat stress (provided, of course
that the animals are ventilated with fresh cool air.)
Animals come in all shapes and sizes, common sense has to prevail when
stocking these pens.
I picked up several pads of faeces from a food trough. They were quite
small and well defined. This indicated that this animal was underfed
and under watered.
Some of the animals in the pen were lean, and were at an early stage
of dehydration. I could see that the animals were stressed and suffering
already and they were still in port.
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• Stocking densities in pens too high
The stocking density of the pens, especially the long pens was criminal.
The long pens contained wall to wall sheep. I calculated that each pen
held about 600. When a pen full of sheep were all pushed to the rear
of the pen the space left inside the pen was no more than about three
metres by four metres. This is not enough room to allow even 300 sheep
to move freely or get to food and water. It is not enough room to allow
the air to flow around their bodies to keep them cool, or allow them
to lay down to rest or sleep. Animals that chew their cud need to rest
for at least six hour a day so that their rumen acts effectively as a
digestion and fermentation unit.
Sheep have a naturally high body temperature. This high density of packing
the animals will create extra heat in each pen and especially in the
central pens. If the animals have wool the propensity to suffer heat
stress increases.
While the pens remain overcrowded, merely improving the ventilation
will not be sufficient to adequately address the heat stress suffered
by the animals.
Packing the pens this densely will also lead to high levels of airborne
bacteria, which leads to many gastrointestinal problems.
Reasons for high moralities.
Typically, industry mortality reports read: "the reason is not clear
as to why these animals have died, the majority of deaths occurred within
three to four days from port of loading, however tapered off from then
on."
Blind Freddy could see that the majority of deaths are caused by overstocking
the pens. These animals die of thirst and hunger because they cannot
get to feed and water, they die of heat stress because the air from the
ventilation does not circulate around their bodies to keep them cool.
Animals can also deteriorate from sleep deprivation because they cannot
lie down, adding to the mortality rates. I believe that they also die
from motion sickness which stops them from eating and drinking. Experiments
on rats and pigs have indicated that these animals suffer from motion
sickness like humans, but no research has been conducted in relation
to sheep, goats or cattle.
It is only when deaths occurs in vast numbers in each pen (and this
will happen within three to four days at sea from port of loading) allowing
the remainder to access food and water troughs, rest and keep cool, that
the mortality rates start to decline.
return to top of page The MV Bader III
The MV Bader III was a converted cattle ship manufactured in France
. The troughs were cattle height. The loading ramp and metal spiral ramps
which lead to every deck above and below were designed for large hooves.
Where was the "conversion"? It is still a cattle ship.
It was taking three days to load and the last semi -load of sheep were
being forced out of the truck by being vigorously jabbed everywhere on
their bodies by metal cattle prods by the truck drivers. They were reluctant
to move from the makeshift sheep ramp to the cattle ramp. The leading
sheep were jabbed ferociously to get them moving. However, once the leaders
moved, the rest followed racing up this ramp at a pace that would have
caused many injuries. They would have also sustained injuries from hitting
the walls of the spiral ramps as they encountered each bend.
Mike said, "There they go, and totally stressed to begin with." I re-named
this ship the "MV Bad III". I left this vessel very angry, appalled and
distressed and decided to fax the captain to let him know about the conditions
that I saw on his ship. I sent the attached fax on 21 January 2003 .
I would like to believe that my actions have prevented many premature
deaths and prevented much suffering for these animals. It was obvious
that the crew of the MV Bader III had no idea how to care for animals.
Thousands could die from their lack of commonsense, ignorance and lack
of supervision.
There was no vet or stockman to rectify these problems and who is to
blame? Everyone in the industry is to blame:
• the Captain, Officers and crew of the ships;
• the exporter;
• ALEC, LiveCorp and MLA;
• AFFA;
• AQIS;
• AMSA; and
• The farmers.
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So what are you going to do about this, Minster, to ensure that these
animals get more humane treatment and their welfare is addressed? What
action are you going to take after reading my letter and fax?
You certainly have not scored any "brownie points" in regard to that
statement you made to the press recently when you were in Dubai . This
statement outraged many people
in WA, including myself.
(We refer to quote from Minister Kim Chance "Adverse public reaction seems to have to died down, maybe the public accepts it is simply trade and they are not offended - horror stories of large-scale death and suffering on sheep ships are just bloody awful and nobody regrets them more than the trade.")
If you had the "ticker" you would follow the progress of the MV Bader
III to the point of flying several officials to the port of destination
in Saudi Arabia to inspect this ship and its cargo prior to the animals
being unloaded. This would tell you the whole story, and you could read
the captain's report first hand.
I believe that rubbery figures from the industry (ship agents, the exporter)
are sent to the government departments. Each of the departments (AQIS,
AMSA) have trouble agreeing to the facts (mortality rates, causes of
death, etc), The departments then have to consult each other and settle
on what figures will be released. This is why it takes almost six months
to get the figures to the public, and why they are not reliable.
Minister, would it be possible for you to go aboard one of these ships
to see for yourself? I ask that you go unannounced; otherwise much sprucing
up will occur prior to your arrival. I also suggest that you go when
the animals are still being loaded.
I have a copy of the IRG October 2002 report. I have also read the recommendations
and attachments. I also have a copy of the Action Plan for the Livestock
Export Industry and I am aware that another committee, the ICC, has been
formed. The ICC seems mainly concerned with eastern states problems.
The IRG Report recommends that "all states and territories that have
not already done so should ensure a consistent legislative basis on agreed
national animal and welfare standards to underpin industry initiatives
and this be given priority." What
action is your Ministry taking in regard to this recommendation?
The Report also recommends a definition for animal welfare for the livestock
industry: "the welfare of animals for export can be assured by considerate
husbandry on farm and to destination, high health standards and by provision
for conditions suitable to express normal behaviours and allow freedom
from suffering." Is this the standard
that you require for the Western Australian industry?
In conclusion, I believe that, for maximum effect in reducing mortality
and suffering of the animals, the officials should target the ships at
first instance. I believe that some of the problems could be rectified
immediately by ensuring that independent vets and stockmen are mandatory
on each voyage, the cost of this should be recouped from the industry
by a levy.
I await your reply.
Yours sincerely,
_____________
TRISH BROWN
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ADDITIONAL NOTES
In 2001:
• 6,712,332 sheep were exported from Australia ; 4,300,234
of these were exported from Fremantle.
• 72,620 goats were exported from Australia ; 50,942 of these
were exported from Fremantle.
• 794,496 cattle were exported from Australia in 2001. It
is estimated that 25% for these were exported from Fremantle.
These figures were taken from "Live 206: Live Export trade from Australia
. Summary Information" published by Department of Agriculture Western
Australia . April 2002.
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