Sheep to the Middle East
The RSPCA believes that the live export of animals for slaughter should be replaced with an increased trade in chilled and frozen meat products.
Three to four million sheep every year board massive cargo ships bound for the Middle East. For sheep earmarked for the live export trade, the journey from the farm to the port can be 1,000 km or more. They are crammed in pens, 3 sheep per square metre, for the 2 - 3 week journey. Some ships carry as many as 100,000 sheep.
Each year around 37,000 sheep die on board these ships - from starvation, disease, injury, heat stress and pneumonia.
Upon arrival in the Middle East
- Sheep are offloaded in countries with no or unenforceable animal welfare laws.
- They are feed-lotted for further fattening.
- They may be on-sold to individuals or merchants.
- Sheep may be subjected to rough, inhumane handling and transportation.
- They are slaughtered by having their throat cut, without being stunned first.
- They are killed in ways that would be illegal in Australia.
Exporting live animals for slaughter is cruel.
The return to the Australian economy of sheep exports to the Middle East was around $286 million in 2009-2010. In contrast, our global sheep meat exports in the same period were worth around $1.5 billion.
Help end the live export of animals for slaughter.
DONATE to help us end live export.
More information
- ACIL Tasman Report into the value of live sheep exports
- Live export facts
- Cattle to Indonesia
- Why is the RSPCA opposed to the live export trade?