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Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Export
  4. Controlled export goods
  5. Exporting live animals
  6. Animal welfare in livestock exports

Sidebar first - Export

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Animal welfare in livestock exports

Animal welfare is important to Australians and the international community. We ensure that it remains a priority in the way we regulate livestock exports.

What we do

Under the Export Control Act 2020 we regulate animal welfare in livestock exports. We set, maintain and review the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL) and Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS).

To support our policies and regulations, we analyse:

  • animal welfare data before, during and after the export process
  • existing domestic and international standards
  • the latest science and industry research.

We put in place ways to measure livestock welfare and we track mortality rates. This informs the practices we use to support and promote livestock welfare. These practices protect livestock during export and in the importing country.

How we support and promote livestock welfare

We:

  • engage with stakeholders and consider their feedback
  • perform and publish reviews
  • commission independent reviews and technical reports
  • review voyage outcomes
  • advise on welfare issues and proposals for export livestock
  • support research on remote collection of livestock welfare information
  • work on a systems verification and validation program
  • conduct investigations and act when needed.

Our stakeholders

We engage with stakeholders to promote transparency and information-sharing. These include:

  • industry stakeholders
  • state and territory regulators
  • other regulators
  • animal welfare organisations
  • researchers
  • the community.

See more

  • Animal welfare in Australia
  • Livestock export welfare reviews

Contact us

  • GPO Box 858, Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
  • animal.welfare@aff.gov.au

General enquiries

Call 1800 900 090

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Page last updated: 16 September 2022

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

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