❓ A parliamentary question regarding the live export of cattle and sheep from Fremantle, specifically addressing weight gain and mortality rates during transport. The Minister acknowledges some awareness but lacks specific voyage details, highlighting generally positive outcomes while noting areas for potential improvement in animal welfare standards.
AnsweredQoN 972Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Is the minister aware that the live cattle that left Fremantle in October, among much protest from animal liberationists, improved in weight from 385 kilos at loading to 415 kilos at delivery? (2) Is he also aware that sheep deaths were half the approved limit of two per cent and that even the exported sheep put on three kilos each? (3) Is he aware that the latest official export figures show a delivery success of 99.25 per cent for sheep and 99.9 per cent for cattle? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for asking those questions. I was aware of some of those facts but I was not aware of the specific details for that voyage. (1)-(3) The degree to which cattle gain weight on a voyage is not unusual. Indeed, cattle on live export journeys frequently increase in weight. The only time it is unusual for them to increase in weight is during very short journeys; for example, between Broome and Indonesia. On gulf-bound journeys, weight increases are common. The reportable rate - I think that was the term Hon Robyn McSweeney referred to - of mortality in sheep is two per cent. That means that the mortality rate indicated in the sheep to which she referred is one per cent or less. That is a good figure. However, even that figure is above the benchmark. The industry average is now approaching, I think, 0.85 per cent. Indeed, it is not uncommon these days to have mortality rates down to 0.25 per cent. Apart from the fact that the two per cent reporting level is starting to look a bit old hat and we should perhaps revise that, the benefits of these higher levels of animal welfare standards are now kicking in and expressing themselves in not only those mortality figures but also in morbidity figures. That is what I am led to believe, but I do not have the facts to support that. There is less ill-thrift and less illness in sheep at subclinical levels. There are some good outcomes. I will be more than happy to gather some of those figures and make them more broadly available. Hon Bruce Donaldson : The rate is 0.75 only. Hon KIM CHANCE : Is 0.75 the median? That is very good.
(2) Is he also aware that sheep deaths were half the approved limit of two per cent and that even the exported sheep put on three kilos each? (3) Is he aware that the latest official export figures show a delivery success of 99.25 per cent for sheep and 99.9 per cent for cattle? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for asking those questions. I was aware of some of those facts but I was not aware of the specific details for that voyage. (1)-(3) The degree to which cattle gain weight on a voyage is not unusual. Indeed, cattle on live export journeys frequently increase in weight. The only time it is unusual for them to increase in weight is during very short journeys; for example, between Broome and Indonesia. On gulf-bound journeys, weight increases are common. The reportable rate - I think that was the term Hon Robyn McSweeney referred to - of mortality in sheep is two per cent. That means that the mortality rate indicated in the sheep to which she referred is one per cent or less. That is a good figure. However, even that figure is above the benchmark. The industry average is now approaching, I think, 0.85 per cent. Indeed, it is not uncommon these days to have mortality rates down to 0.25 per cent. Apart from the fact that the two per cent reporting level is starting to look a bit old hat and we should perhaps revise that, the benefits of these higher levels of animal welfare standards are now kicking in and expressing themselves in not only those mortality figures but also in morbidity figures. That is what I am led to believe, but I do not have the facts to support that. There is less ill-thrift and less illness in sheep at subclinical levels. There are some good outcomes. I will be more than happy to gather some of those figures and make them more broadly available. Hon Bruce Donaldson : The rate is 0.75 only. Hon KIM CHANCE : Is 0.75 the median? That is very good.
(3) Is he aware that the latest official export figures show a delivery success of 99.25 per cent for sheep and 99.9 per cent for cattle? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for asking those questions. I was aware of some of those facts but I was not aware of the specific details for that voyage. (1)-(3) The degree to which cattle gain weight on a voyage is not unusual. Indeed, cattle on live export journeys frequently increase in weight. The only time it is unusual for them to increase in weight is during very short journeys; for example, between Broome and Indonesia. On gulf-bound journeys, weight increases are common. The reportable rate - I think that was the term Hon Robyn McSweeney referred to - of mortality in sheep is two per cent. That means that the mortality rate indicated in the sheep to which she referred is one per cent or less. That is a good figure. However, even that figure is above the benchmark. The industry average is now approaching, I think, 0.85 per cent. Indeed, it is not uncommon these days to have mortality rates down to 0.25 per cent. Apart from the fact that the two per cent reporting level is starting to look a bit old hat and we should perhaps revise that, the benefits of these higher levels of animal welfare standards are now kicking in and expressing themselves in not only those mortality figures but also in morbidity figures. That is what I am led to believe, but I do not have the facts to support that. There is less ill-thrift and less illness in sheep at subclinical levels. There are some good outcomes. I will be more than happy to gather some of those figures and make them more broadly available. Hon Bruce Donaldson : The rate is 0.75 only. Hon KIM CHANCE : Is 0.75 the median? That is very good.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for asking those questions. I was aware of some of those facts but I was not aware of the specific details for that voyage. (1)-(3) The degree to which cattle gain weight on a voyage is not unusual. Indeed, cattle on live export journeys frequently increase in weight. The only time it is unusual for them to increase in weight is during very short journeys; for example, between Broome and Indonesia. On gulf-bound journeys, weight increases are common. The reportable rate - I think that was the term Hon Robyn McSweeney referred to - of mortality in sheep is two per cent. That means that the mortality rate indicated in the sheep to which she referred is one per cent or less. That is a good figure. However, even that figure is above the benchmark. The industry average is now approaching, I think, 0.85 per cent. Indeed, it is not uncommon these days to have mortality rates down to 0.25 per cent. Apart from the fact that the two per cent reporting level is starting to look a bit old hat and we should perhaps revise that, the benefits of these higher levels of animal welfare standards are now kicking in and expressing themselves in not only those mortality figures but also in morbidity figures. That is what I am led to believe, but I do not have the facts to support that. There is less ill-thrift and less illness in sheep at subclinical levels. There are some good outcomes. I will be more than happy to gather some of those figures and make them more broadly available. Hon Bruce Donaldson : The rate is 0.75 only. Hon KIM CHANCE : Is 0.75 the median? That is very good.
I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for asking those questions. I was aware of some of those facts but I was not aware of the specific details for that voyage. (1)-(3) The degree to which cattle gain weight on a voyage is not unusual. Indeed, cattle on live export journeys frequently increase in weight. The only time it is unusual for them to increase in weight is during very short journeys; for example, between Broome and Indonesia. On gulf-bound journeys, weight increases are common. The reportable rate - I think that was the term Hon Robyn McSweeney referred to - of mortality in sheep is two per cent. That means that the mortality rate indicated in the sheep to which she referred is one per cent or less. That is a good figure. However, even that figure is above the benchmark. The industry average is now approaching, I think, 0.85 per cent. Indeed, it is not uncommon these days to have mortality rates down to 0.25 per cent. Apart from the fact that the two per cent reporting level is starting to look a bit old hat and we should perhaps revise that, the benefits of these higher levels of animal welfare standards are now kicking in and expressing themselves in not only those mortality figures but also in morbidity figures. That is what I am led to believe, but I do not have the facts to support that. There is less ill-thrift and less illness in sheep at subclinical levels. There are some good outcomes. I will be more than happy to gather some of those figures and make them more broadly available. Hon Bruce Donaldson : The rate is 0.75 only. Hon KIM CHANCE : Is 0.75 the median? That is very good.
(1)-(3) The degree to which cattle gain weight on a voyage is not unusual. Indeed, cattle on live export journeys frequently increase in weight. The only time it is unusual for them to increase in weight is during very short journeys; for example, between Broome and Indonesia. On gulf-bound journeys, weight increases are common. The reportable rate - I think that was the term Hon Robyn McSweeney referred to - of mortality in sheep is two per cent. That means that the mortality rate indicated in the sheep to which she referred is one per cent or less. That is a good figure. However, even that figure is above the benchmark. The industry average is now approaching, I think, 0.85 per cent. Indeed, it is not uncommon these days to have mortality rates down to 0.25 per cent. Apart from the fact that the two per cent reporting level is starting to look a bit old hat and we should perhaps revise that, the benefits of these higher levels of animal welfare standards are now kicking in and expressing themselves in not only those mortality figures but also in morbidity figures. That is what I am led to believe, but I do not have the facts to support that. There is less ill-thrift and less illness in sheep at subclinical levels. There are some good outcomes. I will be more than happy to gather some of those figures and make them more broadly available. Hon Bruce Donaldson : The rate is 0.75 only. Hon KIM CHANCE : Is 0.75 the median? That is very good.
Hon Bruce Donaldson : The rate is 0.75 only. Hon KIM CHANCE : Is 0.75 the median? That is very good.
Hon KIM CHANCE : Is 0.75 the median? That is very good.
(2) Is he also aware that sheep deaths were half the approved limit of two per cent and that even the exported sheep put on three kilos each? (3) Is he aware that the latest official export figures show a delivery success of 99.25 per cent for sheep and 99.9 per cent for cattle? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for asking those questions. I was aware of some of those facts but I was not aware of the specific details for that voyage. (1)-(3) The degree to which cattle gain weight on a voyage is not unusual. Indeed, cattle on live export journeys frequently increase in weight. The only time it is unusual for them to increase in weight is during very short journeys; for example, between Broome and Indonesia. On gulf-bound journeys, weight increases are common. The reportable rate - I think that was the term Hon Robyn McSweeney referred to - of mortality in sheep is two per cent. That means that the mortality rate indicated in the sheep to which she referred is one per cent or less. That is a good figure. However, even that figure is above the benchmark. The industry average is now approaching, I think, 0.85 per cent. Indeed, it is not uncommon these days to have mortality rates down to 0.25 per cent. Apart from the fact that the two per cent reporting level is starting to look a bit old hat and we should perhaps revise that, the benefits of these higher levels of animal welfare standards are now kicking in and expressing themselves in not only those mortality figures but also in morbidity figures. That is what I am led to believe, but I do not have the facts to support that. There is less ill-thrift and less illness in sheep at subclinical levels. There are some good outcomes. I will be more than happy to gather some of those figures and make them more broadly available. Hon Bruce Donaldson : The rate is 0.75 only. Hon KIM CHANCE : Is 0.75 the median? That is very good.
(3) Is he aware that the latest official export figures show a delivery success of 99.25 per cent for sheep and 99.9 per cent for cattle? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for asking those questions. I was aware of some of those facts but I was not aware of the specific details for that voyage. (1)-(3) The degree to which cattle gain weight on a voyage is not unusual. Indeed, cattle on live export journeys frequently increase in weight. The only time it is unusual for them to increase in weight is during very short journeys; for example, between Broome and Indonesia. On gulf-bound journeys, weight increases are common. The reportable rate - I think that was the term Hon Robyn McSweeney referred to - of mortality in sheep is two per cent. That means that the mortality rate indicated in the sheep to which she referred is one per cent or less. That is a good figure. However, even that figure is above the benchmark. The industry average is now approaching, I think, 0.85 per cent. Indeed, it is not uncommon these days to have mortality rates down to 0.25 per cent. Apart from the fact that the two per cent reporting level is starting to look a bit old hat and we should perhaps revise that, the benefits of these higher levels of animal welfare standards are now kicking in and expressing themselves in not only those mortality figures but also in morbidity figures. That is what I am led to believe, but I do not have the facts to support that. There is less ill-thrift and less illness in sheep at subclinical levels. There are some good outcomes. I will be more than happy to gather some of those figures and make them more broadly available. Hon Bruce Donaldson : The rate is 0.75 only. Hon KIM CHANCE : Is 0.75 the median? That is very good.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for asking those questions. I was aware of some of those facts but I was not aware of the specific details for that voyage. (1)-(3) The degree to which cattle gain weight on a voyage is not unusual. Indeed, cattle on live export journeys frequently increase in weight. The only time it is unusual for them to increase in weight is during very short journeys; for example, between Broome and Indonesia. On gulf-bound journeys, weight increases are common. The reportable rate - I think that was the term Hon Robyn McSweeney referred to - of mortality in sheep is two per cent. That means that the mortality rate indicated in the sheep to which she referred is one per cent or less. That is a good figure. However, even that figure is above the benchmark. The industry average is now approaching, I think, 0.85 per cent. Indeed, it is not uncommon these days to have mortality rates down to 0.25 per cent. Apart from the fact that the two per cent reporting level is starting to look a bit old hat and we should perhaps revise that, the benefits of these higher levels of animal welfare standards are now kicking in and expressing themselves in not only those mortality figures but also in morbidity figures. That is what I am led to believe, but I do not have the facts to support that. There is less ill-thrift and less illness in sheep at subclinical levels. There are some good outcomes. I will be more than happy to gather some of those figures and make them more broadly available. Hon Bruce Donaldson : The rate is 0.75 only. Hon KIM CHANCE : Is 0.75 the median? That is very good.
I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for asking those questions. I was aware of some of those facts but I was not aware of the specific details for that voyage. (1)-(3) The degree to which cattle gain weight on a voyage is not unusual. Indeed, cattle on live export journeys frequently increase in weight. The only time it is unusual for them to increase in weight is during very short journeys; for example, between Broome and Indonesia. On gulf-bound journeys, weight increases are common. The reportable rate - I think that was the term Hon Robyn McSweeney referred to - of mortality in sheep is two per cent. That means that the mortality rate indicated in the sheep to which she referred is one per cent or less. That is a good figure. However, even that figure is above the benchmark. The industry average is now approaching, I think, 0.85 per cent. Indeed, it is not uncommon these days to have mortality rates down to 0.25 per cent. Apart from the fact that the two per cent reporting level is starting to look a bit old hat and we should perhaps revise that, the benefits of these higher levels of animal welfare standards are now kicking in and expressing themselves in not only those mortality figures but also in morbidity figures. That is what I am led to believe, but I do not have the facts to support that. There is less ill-thrift and less illness in sheep at subclinical levels. There are some good outcomes. I will be more than happy to gather some of those figures and make them more broadly available. Hon Bruce Donaldson : The rate is 0.75 only. Hon KIM CHANCE : Is 0.75 the median? That is very good.
(1)-(3) The degree to which cattle gain weight on a voyage is not unusual. Indeed, cattle on live export journeys frequently increase in weight. The only time it is unusual for them to increase in weight is during very short journeys; for example, between Broome and Indonesia. On gulf-bound journeys, weight increases are common. The reportable rate - I think that was the term Hon Robyn McSweeney referred to - of mortality in sheep is two per cent. That means that the mortality rate indicated in the sheep to which she referred is one per cent or less. That is a good figure. However, even that figure is above the benchmark. The industry average is now approaching, I think, 0.85 per cent. Indeed, it is not uncommon these days to have mortality rates down to 0.25 per cent. Apart from the fact that the two per cent reporting level is starting to look a bit old hat and we should perhaps revise that, the benefits of these higher levels of animal welfare standards are now kicking in and expressing themselves in not only those mortality figures but also in morbidity figures. That is what I am led to believe, but I do not have the facts to support that. There is less ill-thrift and less illness in sheep at subclinical levels. There are some good outcomes. I will be more than happy to gather some of those figures and make them more broadly available. Hon Bruce Donaldson : The rate is 0.75 only. Hon KIM CHANCE : Is 0.75 the median? That is very good.
Hon Bruce Donaldson : The rate is 0.75 only. Hon KIM CHANCE : Is 0.75 the median? That is very good.
Hon KIM CHANCE : Is 0.75 the median? That is very good.
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