Over 100 head of Australian cattle died on an export ship named the Brahman Express headed for Indonesia on March 14, according to numerous reports.
The cattle’s deaths are under investigation, and while some believe that the deaths may have been caused by disease, a department spokesperson with the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry has told news outlets that there was “no suggestion that exotic animal disease is involved,” such as foot-and-mouth disease or lumpy skin disease.
According to the department, Australia is free of lumpy skin disease and foot-and-mouth disease. However, the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council believes that the deaths may have been caused by botulism.
“Based on the evidence so far, we believe the cause of the death is botulism, but we are awaiting confirmation from the Department of Agriculture,” Mark Harvey-Sutton from the Australian Livestock Exporters Council told The Guardian.
Australian regulations require that exporters notify the government if a mortality rate of 0.5 percent or three heads of livestock die within 12 hours. The cattle are inspected before being shipped, and a government veterinarian declares them fit to travel when loaded. The vessel carrying the cattle self-reported the deaths in accordance with regulations.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a group that already opposes the live export of animals for slaughter, has lobbied for veterinarians to be required on board for cattle shipments.
“It’s tragic to hear of the deaths of hundreds of cattle from a live export ship to Indonesia, suspected to be due to complications of a bacterial infection, possibly from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum,” RSPCA spokesperson Suzie Fowler said on Tuesday.
In 2011, the Gillard government banned live cattle exports to Indonesia by boat. However, the federal courts found that decision unlawful. Shipping cattle from Australia is standard, with live exports reaching $1.2 billion last year, according to LiveCorp.