Japan slaughters 80,000 livestock with FMD

Stock losses in Japan are expected to exceed 80,000 head, as the country continues to slaughter livestock with foot-and-mouth disease.

 

It's now far more severe than Japan's previous case 10 years ago, when about 700 animals were killed. The future of the country's exclusive wagyu beef breed is under threat.

 

But despite the severity of the outbreak, Glen Feist, from Meat and Livestock Australia's Japan office, says there's no evidence that shoppers are turning away from beef.

 

"They're still trying to get their head around the actual effect that it is going to have. Certainly, in terms of consumer consumption, it's had no effect," he says.

 

"I've talked to a lot of people in the trade and a lot of people in the trade press and they're all saying that it's having no effect there. The press in fact are playing down this whole issue when it comes to consumer information," he added.

 

Australian cattle producers are hoping for increased beef exports to Japan, if the Japanese start to avoid their own beef.

 

New South Wales livestock agent Tim Schofield says Australia is prepared to sell clean, disease-free beef into Japan.