February 1, 2007

MLA welcomes Bahrain's decision to open livestock market

Meat and Livestock Australia welcomed Bahrain's recent announcement of opening up its livestock import market.

The move would bolster product diversity and quality for consumers, felt MLA livestock services manager Dr Nigel Brown.

He said that this healthy business decision was complemented by Australia's continued enhancement of animal welfare standards on their voyage to Bahrain.

The Australian authorities, along with state and territory governments, developed stringent livestock export standards, the initial draft for which has been developed by expert working groups including livestock producers, stock agents, livestock transporters, exporters, maritime safety experts and government regulators, he explained.

Livestock exporters in Australia also apply methods such as wetting cattle to minimise the detrimental effects of hyperthermia (heat stress).

A recent report by Alliance Resource Economics, commissioned by the MLA found that Australia had world-best livestock export standards when compared with the main exporting countries including Mexico, the US, China and South American or African countries.