When we think of
Australian farming, we tend to think of cheerful stockmen and healthy
sheep roaming free across miles of grazing land. However, the sad
truth is that some seven million animals are exported live from
Australia each year, mainly sheep and cattle, but also goats, pigs,
camels and deer, mainly to the Middle and Far East. These voyages take
weeks, and during this time animals die from disease and starvation.
This was highlighted in the summer of 2003 when the sheep on board the
Cormo Express were rejected by Saudi Arabia because of disease and
spent some three months at sea. |