Welfare of cattle transported from Australia to Egypt
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Aust Vet J Vol 81, No 11 November 2003 703 Scientific CORRESPONDENCE Welfare of cattle transported from Australia to Egypt N BROWN Livestock Services Manager, Middle East and Africa Region, Meat and Livestock Australia PO Box 5622, Bahrain W hat a particularly naïve and unhelpful letter from a pro- fessional colleague. 1 It fails to address the full scope of this significant topic and is a potential threat to work currently ongoing. The letter re-opens a debate on an international stage that most readers will realise does not go unaddressed by the export trade in the absence of exposure in the media. On behalf of my colleagues and myself I resent the allegations of inactivity, as well as the observations on animal welfare written in a style more suited to the pages of a Gothic horror novelette than under the heading of "Scientific" in your veterinary journal. A veterinarian myself with a very strong concern for animal welfare, I first started working in the Middle East in 1979 and have subsequently developed a definite philosophy on how to achieve objectives in the region. It differs considerably from the confrontational approach of the author. May I present a more complete view of this complex issue than a stark rebuff to the allegations. My predecessors and I work for Meat and Livestock Australia in a jointly-funded project with LiveCorp and thus already represent the producers of Australia and the export industry to the best of our specialist ability. There has been a regional representative since 1990. The letter seems to indicate both a dearth of action from, and a lack of contact with, LiveCorp and that the author is the only person active with this issue. She has met my predecessors and myself on several occasions, the Australian who designed and installed a new slaughtering control box there in early 2002 (he invited her contribution but she declined) and another specialist during his review of Basateen in February 2003 (she received a copy of his report). She knows that he is due to make six visits at least during this next year. Her claims that she is responsible for any changes in the livestock vessel are equally spurious. Last year my predecessor developed a training course in Meat Production (including animal welfare) in Cairo with three representative veterinarians subsequently hosted in Australia for further training. In September there was a Livestock and Meat Symposium with four speakers. I will not continue my descrip- tion of ‘inactivity’. When a private individual claims to negotiate terms with LiveCorp may I point out that she can only interpose between the Egyptian national authorities and a national organization (MLA and LiveCorp) that is collaborating with them due to goodwill from both sides. Cairo is home to 16 million people with significant human welfare issues - decades of major unemployment, abject poverty and an unwieldy infrastructure. Many people travel in open trucks just like cattle. Self-sufficiency in food is widely unattain- able and with the disparity in human and animal reproductive rates, the inadequacy will widen. For social and religious reasons, an entirely red meat trade is not feasible into many Muslim countries, including Egypt. The only alternatives to exports from western countries are local neighbours such as Sudan or Somalia, which have minimal, if any, control of diseases such as Rift Valley Fever, Brucellosis and TB To address the graphic observations about brutality is more difficult. I, too, have seen scenarios in several countries that would be unacceptable in UK and Australian abattoirs. However, I contend that they are neither officially accepted nor ubiquitous. This abuse occurs with both imported and local animals. I interpret what I have seen in several ways - ignorance, lack of ideal facilities, anger and downright brutality. I have also seen cases which fit into each of these categories in Europe and Australia. Islamic teachings go to great lengths to instil a sense of love, respect and compassion for animals. Islam is a more recent reli- gion than Christianity but with a similar number of adherents. Muslims, like some Christians, do not always follow the rules exactly. Some 1900 years after the birth of Jesus, the RSPCA was formed to try and instil more appropriate animal welfare practices into Christian civilization. Muslim countries are trying to do this about 1400 years after the birth of Mohammed. Following the Al-Azhar Conference we await the release of guidance documents covering the teachings of Qur'an, the infallible doctrine of Islam. Given the many different sects and nations which need to accept such edicts, a prolonged prepara- tory process is inevitable. The issues raised in the letter are a constant concern within the trade. Many aspects of meat production relating to both human and animal welfare are a major concern to the Egyptian authorities and Australian producers who send livestock to Egypt. Sadly the best attempts of Australian specialists to assist change, collaboration that has being going on for over a decade, risk being thwarted by the irrational interference of this letter. There used to be a time when interested parties worked together but the modern trend among many activists is to promote confrontation; collaboration has disappeared. The activist is an impatient beast. Thank you for the courtesy of this reply. I hope it identifies some of the difficult international issues surrounding livestock exports and the distribution of protein around the world. I can assure all readers that MLA/Livecorp does welcome collabora- tions which benefit animal welfare. Personally I believe that Aesop was right with his story of the Tortoise and the Hare.... 1. Sidhom PM. Welfare of cattle transported from Australia to Egypt. Aust Vet J, 2003;81:364-365.
Transcript of Welfare of cattle transported from Australia to Egypt
Aust Vet J Vol 81, No 11 November 2003 703
Scientific
CORRESPONDENCE
Welfare of cattle transportedfrom Australia to EgyptN BROWN Livestock Services Manager,
Middle East and Africa Region,Meat and Livestock Australia PO Box 5622,Bahrain
What a particularly naïve and unhelpful letter from a pro-fessional colleague.1 It fails to address the full scope of
this significant topic and is a potential threat to work currentlyongoing.
The letter re-opens a debate on an international stage thatmost readers will realise does not go unaddressed by the exporttrade in the absence of exposure in the media. On behalf of mycolleagues and myself I resent the allegations of inactivity, aswell as the observations on animal welfare written in a stylemore suited to the pages of a Gothic horror novelette thanunder the heading of "Scientific" in your veterinary journal. Aveterinarian myself with a very strong concern for animalwelfare, I first started working in the Middle East in 1979 andhave subsequently developed a definite philosophy on how toachieve objectives in the region. It differs considerably from theconfrontational approach of the author.
May I present a more complete view of this complex issuethan a stark rebuff to the allegations. My predecessors and Iwork for Meat and Livestock Australia in a jointly-fundedproject with LiveCorp and thus already represent the producersof Australia and the export industry to the best of our specialistability. There has been a regional representative since 1990.
The letter seems to indicate both a dearth of action from, anda lack of contact with, LiveCorp and that the author is the onlyperson active with this issue. She has met my predecessors andmyself on several occasions, the Australian who designed andinstalled a new slaughtering control box there in early 2002 (heinvited her contribution but she declined) and another specialistduring his review of Basateen in February 2003 (she received acopy of his report). She knows that he is due to make six visits atleast during this next year. Her claims that she is responsible forany changes in the livestock vessel are equally spurious.
Last year my predecessor developed a training course in MeatProduction (including animal welfare) in Cairo with threerepresentative veterinarians subsequently hosted in Australia forfurther training. In September there was a Livestock and MeatSymposium with four speakers. I will not continue my descrip-tion of ‘inactivity’.
When a private individual claims to negotiate terms withLiveCorp may I point out that she can only interpose betweenthe Egyptian national authorities and a national organization(MLA and LiveCorp) that is collaborating with them due togoodwill from both sides.
Cairo is home to 16 million people with significant humanwelfare issues - decades of major unemployment, abject povertyand an unwieldy infrastructure. Many people travel in opentrucks just like cattle. Self-sufficiency in food is widely unattain-able and with the disparity in human and animal reproductiverates, the inadequacy will widen. For social and religiousreasons, an entirely red meat trade is not feasible into manyMuslim countries, including Egypt. The only alternatives toexports from western countries are local neighbours such asSudan or Somalia, which have minimal, if any, control ofdiseases such as Rift Valley Fever, Brucellosis and TB
To address the graphic observations about brutality is moredifficult. I, too, have seen scenarios in several countries thatwould be unacceptable in UK and Australian abattoirs.However, I contend that they are neither officially accepted norubiquitous. This abuse occurs with both imported and localanimals. I interpret what I have seen in several ways - ignorance,lack of ideal facilities, anger and downright brutality. I have alsoseen cases which fit into each of these categories in Europe andAustralia.
Islamic teachings go to great lengths to instil a sense of love,respect and compassion for animals. Islam is a more recent reli-gion than Christianity but with a similar number of adherents.Muslims, like some Christians, do not always follow the rulesexactly. Some 1900 years after the birth of Jesus, the RSPCAwas formed to try and instil more appropriate animal welfarepractices into Christian civilization. Muslim countries are tryingto do this about 1400 years after the birth of Mohammed.Following the Al-Azhar Conference we await the release ofguidance documents covering the teachings of Qur'an, theinfallible doctrine of Islam. Given the many different sects andnations which need to accept such edicts, a prolonged prepara-tory process is inevitable.
The issues raised in the letter are a constant concern withinthe trade. Many aspects of meat production relating to bothhuman and animal welfare are a major concern to the Egyptianauthorities and Australian producers who send livestock toEgypt. Sadly the best attempts of Australian specialists to assistchange, collaboration that has being going on for over a decade,risk being thwarted by the irrational interference of this letter.
There used to be a time when interested parties workedtogether but the modern trend among many activists is topromote confrontation; collaboration has disappeared. Theactivist is an impatient beast.
Thank you for the courtesy of this reply. I hope it identifiessome of the difficult international issues surrounding livestockexports and the distribution of protein around the world. I canassure all readers that MLA/Livecorp does welcome collabora-tions which benefit animal welfare.
Personally I believe that Aesop was right with his story of theTortoise and the Hare....
1. Sidhom PM. Welfare of cattle transported from Australia to Egypt. AustVet J, 2003;81:364-365.
