Investigation of cattle deaths during sea transport from Australia

Summary

The live cattle trade from Australia to the Middle East has expanded rapidly since 1995. Although death rates have been low overall, there has been no scientific investigation into the causes of ill health or mortality or of the predisposing factors. Recent incidents of excessively high mortalities during sea transport have focused attention on the lack of scientific information about the live cattle trade. The present report describes an investigation into the health and welfare aspects of cattle during sea transport from Australia.

The investigation was conducted in three parts: analysis of ship Master’s reports; analysis of veterinary reports; and a voyage to North Africa. Ship Master’s reports for cattle voyages between 1995 and 1998 were examined to define the mortality during sea transport and to identify predisposing factors. Several shipments of cattle to the Middle East region were accompanied by a veterinarian or stockman in the latter part of 1998. The reports were examined for information about causes of ill health and mortality, and husbandry of the cattle during the voyage. A large shipment of cattle to North Africa was accompanied by a veterinary pathologist in December 1998. The purpose was to conduct detailed necropsies of cattle that died, and to investigate causes of ill health during the voyage.

Approximately 2.5 million cattle were exported live by sea from Australia between 1995 and 1998. The overall death rate was 0.22% during the shipping phase. The highest death rates were on long haul voyages; Mexico (0.80%), Middle East and North Africa (0.68%), North Asia (0.22%) and South East Asia (0.09%).

The investigation focused on the live cattle trade to the Middle East and North Africa because of the rapid expansion of this trade and concerns about the welfare of the cattle on voyages to this region. Although the live cattle trade to the Middle East and North Africa has doubled in size each year since 1995, the annual death rate has remained remarkably constant.

Fremantle was the major port of loading for voyages to the Middle East and North Africa followed by Darwin, Adelaide and Portland. The average death rate of cattle exported from southern ports was approximately 3 times that of cattle exported from northern ports (mean death rate 0.74% from southern ports and 0.26% from northern ports). A seasonal difference in death rates was identified. There were more deaths on voyages from southern ports than northern ports between May and November.

Several veterinary clinical observations indicated that Bos Indicus cattle coped better with the hot humid conditions encountered during sea transport than Bos Taurus cattle. Clinical signs of heat stress were observed in the Bos Taurus cattle, and they had higher respiratory rates and higher death rates than the Bos Indicus cattle. However, there was insufficient information to determine whether there are differences in the performance of various breeds of Bos Taurus cattle.

Several ships were identified as having relatively poor performance in terms of cattle death rates or animal welfare. On one ship, the same area of the animal house was identified as being a problem by different veterinarians on successive voyages.

Several veterinarians considered that poor ventilation predisposed to heat stress, however it was recognised that the problem is multi-factorial. Further, it was considered that lack of air flow was more important than temperature and humidity alone except in extreme conditions. There is a need to identify those cattle pens where air flow is minimal or nil, particularly on ships with a history of poor performance.

The voyage in December 1998 was a low mortality voyage. The main cause of death was from bacterial infections followed by lameness and/or trauma of the lower legs. Bacterial infections and lameness/trauma were also observed on other voyages, together with other conditions such as pink eye, bloat, scours, coughing and failure to eat. However, the relative importance of these conditions in causing cattle deaths or ill health during sea transport requires further investigation.

There are significant animal welfare problems involved during the unloading of cattle at some ports of discharge. Authorities at Egypt frequently impose a feed and water curfew on the cattle immediately before discharge from the ship. In addition, the unloading facilities used by some ships at Egypt are inadequate and may result in injury or death of cattle during discharge. The presence of cattle that are out-of-specification has resulted in Egyptian authorities requiring individual examination of many cattle on the ship, leading to additional stress and risk of injury to both cattle and stockmen.

A number of recommendations were proposed to improve the health and welfare of the cattle during live export or to seek further information. A protocol was proposed to ensure standard necropsy (post mortem) examination of cattle during sea transport. An essential additional step is to undertake laboratory examination of relevant samples, preferably under the supervision of the same pathologist to allow consistent interpretation of the findings.

The present report is considered as one step in an ongoing process to improve the health and welfare of cattle during live export. The recommendations in the report are based on current information. Additional studies are planned and it is likely that present recommendations may be modified and extra recommendations made in the light of new information.