Over 100 Australian cattle have died aboard a live export vessel en route to Indonesia, marking one of the highest mortality rates ever recorded on an Australian livestock shipment.
The Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry disclosed that the incident was reported over the weekend by a commercial exporter.
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However, they reassured the public that there is currently no indication of involvement in exotic animal diseases.
The vessel is believed to have departed from Darwin, with the cattle declared fit for travel by a government veterinarian at the time of loading.
A departmental spokesperson declined to specify the exact number of casualties but claimed that investigations are underway.
“We have been notified by a commercial exporter of an incident involving cattle deaths on a live export vessel exporting to Indonesia,” the spokesperson said.
Prior to departure, pre-export inspections were conducted to ensure compliance with both Australian regulations under the Export Control Act 2020 and the importing country’s requirements.
“Australia remains free of exotic animal diseases such as Lumpy Skin Disease and Foot and Mouth Disease.”
According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics provided by LiveCorp, the value of cattle live exported from Australia reached $1.2 billion last year.
However, In 2022, Indonesia reported cases of foot and mouth disease and lumpy skin disease, two livestock conditions that, if detected in Australia, could pose significant risks to the billions of dollars worth of meat and dairy exports.
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