Tendons slashed in live exports horror

A new video allegedly showing Australian cattle being slaughtered inhumanely in Egypt has triggered fresh calls to ban live exports. Courtesy: 7:30 Report

• Horrific video shows an animal being stabbed at and its tendons slashed
• Restraint boxes also shown not to work
• Live exports to Egypt were suspended late last week

A SICKENING new video allegedly showing Australian cattle being slaughtered inhumanely in Egypt has triggered fresh calls to ban live exports.

Video broadcast by ABC's 7.30 program showed the cattle being abused late last year in two Egyptian abattoirs that process Australian cattle.

In one incident, one of the animals had their leg tendons slashed and eyes stabbed in an attempt to kill them after escaping from a slaughter box, breaking its leg in the process.

Restraint boxes failed to work and one animal was also found walking around the abattoir with a gaping neck wound after its throat was cut.

The public broadcast of the footage came after after the live export industry suspended trade with Egypt last week after viewing the film on Friday.

Australian and Egyptian regulators have immediately launched an investigation but there are already calls for tougher action following the earlier Indonesian live exports controversy.

Joining calls from the Greens for an end to the trade, Tasmanian Independent MP Andrew Wilkie said the latest case must trigger an end and vowed to move a motion in parliament next week.

"The latest shocking revelation of cruelty to Australian animals, this time in Egypt, surely must sound the death knell for Australia's live animal export industry," Mr Wilkie said.

Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig defended the system, saying 99.9 per cent of live export animals were not abused - but struggled to explain where the figure came from.

He initially said it related to complaint numbers but then said it was reflective of his confidence.

"We are investigating," he said.

"The community should have confidence in the system."

Animals Australia Campaign Director Lyn White said: "The question must be asked, if the Australian government and live export industry consider cutting the leg tendons of conscious animals to be appalling enough to stop trade, why then are they not equally appalled by the fact that exported animals routinely have their throats cut while fully conscious?"

The industry has moved to launch a pre-emptive strike against critics, unveiling reform proposals including asking the government to absorb Egyptian trade into the unified Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System.

Australian Livestock Exporters Council chief executive Alison Penfold said it shared the concerns of all Australians and wanted to improve animal welfare.

The industry also committed to provide additional training and staff in the Egypt facilities and ensure only qualified staff undertook slaughters.

"We are convinced that these abuses by incompetent individuals can be more directly and effectively controlled under ESCAS, and Australian-led training programs will deliver improved welfare outcomes," Ms Penfold said.

Industry representatives - including the National Farmers' Federation, Cattle Council of Australia and ALEC - are now calling on the federal government to include Egypt in the Australia-wide ESCAS.

This would mean Australian animals remain the responsibility of the Australian exporter, even after ownership changes hands in foreign ports.

Industry representatives have proposed measures exporters could take to improve conditions at facilities in Egypt that receive Australian livestock.

They include stationing animal welfare officers there, proving more training for all feedlot and abattoir workers, and ensuring only suitably trained stock handlers or veterinarians undertake emergency slaughter of injured livestock.

Cattle Council of Australia chief Jed Matz said producers would be "absolutely horrified" when they saw the footage and would want to make sure that sort of cruelty never happened again.

Nationals senate leader Barnaby Joyce will on Tuesday attend a beef cattle forum with cattle producers from Queensland's gulf country in Richmond in northwest Queensland.

-with wires

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