Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Drought, disaster and rural support
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Levies and charges on agricultural products
    • Mouse infestation advice
    • Plant health
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    • Report a concern
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Plant Innovation Centre
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We enhance our agricultural industries and trade, and manage the threat of biosecurity risks to Australia.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Budget 2025-26

    Budget 2025-26

    The 2025–26 Portfolio Budget Statements were released on 25 March 2025.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Export
  4. Controlled export goods
  5. Exporting live animals
  6. Livestock
  7. Sheep exports to the Middle East

Sidebar first - Export

  • Livestock
    • Livestock exporters
      • Become a livestock exporter
      • Exporting a livestock consignment
      • Export licence
      • Approved Arrangements
      • Approved export program
      • Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS)
        • Apply, vary and maintain your ESCAS
      • Independent observers
      • Exemptions
      • TRACE
    • Accredited veterinarians (AAVs)
      • Current AAVs
      • Become an AAV
    • Registered establishments
    • Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock
    • Forms for exporting livestock
    • Phase out of live sheep exports by sea
      • Transition assistance
      • Support services
      • Co-design process
      • Transition Advocate
      • Decision and how it was made
      • News and updates
    • Reforming live animal exports
    • Regulating live animal exports
      • Independent observer reports
      • Published regulatory decisions
    • Compliance investigations
      • Notifiable mortality incident reports
      • ESCAS investigations

Sheep exports to the Middle East

Requirements for live sheep exports to, or through, the Middle East during the Northern Hemisphere summer were changed in 2020 after a regulation impact statement (RIS) process.

A prohibition period was introduced under the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Prohibition of Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East—Northern Summer) Order 2020. The order came into force on 1 May 2020.

Exporters were also required to comply with the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East) Order 2018; the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Export of Sheep by Sea to Middle East—Northern Winter) Order 2018. These requirements were implemented in addition to those set out in the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL).

On 28 March 2021, the Export Control (Animals) Rules 2021, replaced those Orders.

The requirements aim to reduce the risk of heat stress in sheep to a very low level, while supporting a sustainable live sheep export trade.

On this page

  • Prohibition period for the Northern Hemisphere summer
  • Additional prohibition periods for Qatar and Oman
  • Requirements for all voyages from 1 May to 31 October
  • Review process

Sheep exports prohibited between 1 June and 14 September

Live sheep exports to, or through, the Middle East are prohibited from leaving Australia between 1 June and 14 September.

Additional prohibition periods for Qatar and Oman

Additional prohibition periods apply for Qatar and Oman because these destinations reach higher Wet Bulb Temperatures (WBTs) earlier, and WBTs in Qatar fall later, than for other destinations. This increases the period during which exported sheep are at risk of heat stress.

Departures from Australia are prohibited to:

  • Qatar between 22 May and 22 September
  • Oman between 8 May and 14 September.

Requirements for all voyages from 1 May to 31 October

To manage the risk of heat stress in sheep outside the prohibition periods, in addition:

  1. there can be no more than 2 ports of discharge for voyages traveling through the Arabian Sea, or the Red Sea, north of latitude 11°N;
    1. arriving in the Middle East on or after 1 June in that year; or
    2. departing Australia between 15 and 30 September in that year
  2. sheep should be exported with the shortest wool or hair length possible and this must be not greater than 25mm for each animal as specified in ASEL.
  3. exported sheep must have a body condition score of 2 or more and less than 4, on a scale of 1 to 5. Details of this scoring system can be found in ASEL.
  4. all voyages must be monitored with automated environmental measurement devices and this monitoring reported to the department.

The review process

We conducted a comprehensive review of heat stress risks associated with the live sheep export trade in the Northern Hemisphere summer.

We considered information and feedback from:

  • a RIS process, which included extensive stakeholder consultation
  • Bureau of Meteorology data
  • previous reviews including the McCarthy Review and the Heat Stress Risk Assessment (HSRA) Review
  • animal welfare outcomes under 2019 Northern Hemisphere summer conditions
  • voyage and independent observer reports
  • meetings with animal welfare organisations, peak bodies, industry representatives and producers.

Read about the review process and submissions to previous consultations.

Future reviews

We are undertaking a formal review of the regulations for live sheep exports to or through the Middle East during the Northern Hemisphere summer after the 2021 Northern Hemisphere summer.

This review will:

  • consider voyage outcomes and the appropriateness of regulatory conditions
  • give us the opportunity to review new science and research.

Frequently asked questions

  • Read answers to some frequently asked questions.
Document Pages File size
Frequently asked questions on changes to the regulation of live sheep exports to, or through, the Middle East during the Northern Hemisphere summer PDF 5 193 KB
Frequently asked questions on changes to the regulation of live sheep exports to, or through, the Middle East during the Northern Hemisphere summer DOCX 5 127 KB

General enquiries

Call 1800 900 090

Contact us online

Report a biosecurity concern

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip
Page last updated: 06 May 2021

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.

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI

© Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Facebook X LinkedIn Instagram