October 4, 2006

Australia to resume live cattle exports to Egypt

Australia is ending a seven-month-ban on live cattle exports to Egypt after receiving assurances from the latter that its cattle would receive humane treatment before slaughter.

Australia's ban on live cattle exports to Egypt resulted after television footage showed gross cruelty to cattle at an abattoir in Cairo.

Australia has agreed to resume exports after two memorandums of understanding (MOU) were signed with Egypt in which assurances were given  from Cairo that it would treat Australian animals according to international standards.

Under the new agreement, three Egyptian abattoirs would be accredited to handle Australian cattle.

Cattle would be traced from the farm gate to Egyptian feed lots through their tags and would be audited independently.

Egypt had also agreed to make sure animals were unloaded quickly and humanely on arrival and provided with feed, water, shelter and veterinary care.

Veterinarians have welcomed the move to assure humane treatment of the animals, saying Australia needs to export its animal welfare standards to developing nations such as Egypt at the same time it is exporting live cattle. However, animal protection activists, such as the RSPCA, have criticised the safeguards as unrealistic.

The federal government suspended exports after footage was shown of cattle at Cairo's Bassatin abattoir being stabbed in the eye before the tendons in their back legs were cut.

Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran had insisted the cattle shown in the report were not from Australia.

Animal activists are concerned that Egyptian abattoirs would not bother to stun the animal to render it unconscious before slaughter as some may consider it non-halal. The procedure is compulsory in Australian abbattors. The use of stun-guns to render cattle unconscious has been certified halal by various Islamic bodies.