Live export

Live export is an agriculture term referring to the international transport of livestock.

Live exports and Europe
Each year around 3 million farm animals are transported across many countries in Europe and the journeys can take 70, 90 or more hours. Current EU rules specify a 14 hour limit on the road, with a one hour rest, followed by a second 14 hours of travel

Live exports from the United Kingdom
Between 15 July 2002 and January 2004, around 200,000 lambs and sheep were exported for slaughter or further fattening abroad. Mainly to France and Italy. 

Live exports from Australia
Australia is the world’s largest exporter of sheep and cattle. According to a report by the Meat and Livestock Australia organisation, in 2005 a total of 4.2 million sheep and 573,000 cattle were exported to markets in Asia and the Middle East. Most of the livestock are for meat but there is also an active trade in breeding stock, including dairy cattle.

According to the Meat Livestock Australia the major market for Australian cattle is Indonesia, which takes over 60% of annual exports. Other key markets include Israel, Malaysia, Japan, Mexico and China. The major markets for Australian sheep are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan. Other key markets are Bahrain, the UAE, Oman and Qatar.

Australia’s main market competitors are from China, South America and North Africa.

Live Exports and Animal Welfare
Concerns over the welfare of livestock being transported long distances have led to animal welfare groups such as Compassion In World Farming and RSPCA Australia to call for a ban in live exports in favour of a trade of meat. They cite the conditions during transportation as justification for a ban. 

The concerns relate to the lack of adequate welfare laws in the destination country, the duration of the journeys, and the general lack of adequate concern for basic welfare needs of the animals, such as to be protected from cold or hot weather and to be given access to suitable bedding, food and water.

In recent years the port town of Dover in the United Kingdom, has become a flashpoint for protests against Live Exports. In May 2006, the temporary BSE-related ban on live exports of cattle to the european continent from the UK was lifted, allowing the transportation of calves to be used in veal production, a practice illegal in the UK itself. 

In 1995, activist Jill Phipps was killed when she was ran over by a cattle truck whilst protesting outside Coventry Airport against the export of live calves to the veal crates of Europe. 

Animal rights groups internationally have also voiced their opposition to live exports. US-based PETA, has highlighted the treatment of livestock during live export and the treatment they receive upon arrival to slaughter as part of their campaign against Australian wool. 

Animals Australia, runs a campaign against Live-exports from Australia to the Middle East. 

Live Export Shame maintain a website and news forum  with information, facts and figures on the live export industry in Australia and overseas.

Compassion In World Farming, PETA , and Animals Australia  all provide video evidence of animal suffering during and after live exports.

In 2004, 58 prominent Australians, including Nobel prize winning author John Coetzee called on the Prime Minister John Howard and opposition leader Mark Latham, to ban live exports from Australia to the Middle East if either was elected into office. They argued:

''"Australia has strict laws to protect the welfare of animals - developed on the back of scientific research and community expectation. It is therefore ethically unacceptable to export Australian animals to countries where they will endure practices and treatment that would be unacceptable or illegal in Australia.

It is time to end this trade and in doing so restore Australia's reputation as a compassionate and ethical nation.

Advocates of Live Exports
Adocates respond to the claims made by animal welfare campaigners by arguing that live exports have clear economic benefits to the host and recipient countries. The Australian government claims  'In 2005 the value of live animal exports to the major Muslim markets was around $557 million, including approximately $320 million to the Middle East.'  LiveCorp the body which represents the interests of the live export industry claims is $840 million is generated and 9,000 jobs are sustained through the live export industry. 

Adocates of animal exports also claim that there is already sufficient legislation to protect animals and extensive animal suffering is not apparent.  The Australian government says  'There have been significant improvements in animal welfare in regards to transportation, handling and slaughter practices in overseas markets.

''Ultimately these issues are the responsibility of the country importing the livestock but the Federal Government and industry are working with countries cooperatively to address welfare concerns and to upgrade their infrastructure for disembarking animals and slaughter facilities.  ' It also claims  'the need for trade in live animals continues because some markets have a strong cultural preference for freshly slaughtered meat.' ''  Indicating the alternative put forward by some animal welfare groups for a trade in meat is not suitable.