Report 228: MV Bahijah – Cattle exported to Israel in November 2022

Livestock: 5,602 cattle.

Vessel: MV Bahijah.

Loading location and date: Fremantle, 17 November 2022.

Vessel departure location and date: Fremantle, 19 November 2022.

Discharge location and dates: Eilat, Israel, 07 December 2022

Voyage length: 20 days.

Independent Observer (observer): Boarded at Fremantle and remained onboard until completion of discharge.

Voyage mortality rate: There were no mortalities on this voyage.

Notifiable mortality rate required to trigger a mortality investigation: 0.5 per cent for cattle.

This report summarises key observations of the implementation and effectiveness of exporter arrangements to ensure the health and welfare of livestock. The report has been approved by the observer who accompanied the voyage.

Exporter documentation

Relevant exporter documentation for the voyage was made available to the observer.

Loading

Exporter arrangements during loading were appropriate in managing livestock health and welfare.

Personnel

Based on observations made during this voyage, no issues impacting animal health and welfare were identified relating to personnel.

Daily routine

Based on observations made during this voyage, no issues impacting animal health and welfare were identified relating to the daily routine.

Feed and water

Based on observations made during this voyage, no issues impacting animal health and welfare were identified relating to feed and water.

Ventilation

Based on observations made during this voyage, no issues impacting animal health and welfare were identified relating to ventilation.

Pen conditions

The observer noted that:

1. At least three temporary pens on each of decks 5, 6 and 7 included in the load plan were not assembled at commencement of loading and hence were not available to receive livestock. This resulted in less pen space allocation than required by the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL). The observer alerted the Accredited Veterinarian (AAV) and LiveCorp accredited stockperson (stockperson) during a daily meeting on day 6. On day 9 of the voyage, all temporary pens, except for one on Deck 5, were assembled and livestock were reshuffled to occupy the pens. No direct effects on animal health were noted because of the failure to assemble the temporary pens and subsequent overstocking.
2. Livestock penned in the forward enclosed decks 1, 2, 3 and 4 were overstocked by a total of 14, 16, 18 and 20 head on each deck respectively, or by 1 head per pen. No direct effects on animal health or welfare were observed as a result of this overstocking.
3. Across the whole vessel, gates between pens were removed from day 6, creating one large pen from three smaller pens. This practice exposed metal hinges however, this did not lead to any observed animal health or welfare impacts on the cattle.

Health and welfare

No mortalities occurred on this voyage. During the voyage, the AAV reported 60 treatments for conditions including eye disease, respiratory signs, lameness and musculoskeletal conditions.

The observer noted that on Day 5 several animals were identified with scabbed and incompletely healed dehorning wounds, in contravention of ASEL standard 1.1.5. No negative health implications were observed for the cattle with incompletely healed dehorning wounds.

Discharge

Based on observations made during this voyage, no issues impacting animal health and welfare were identified relating to discharge.

The department required the exporter to review, amend and vary as required, their processes for the management of:

1. Sourcing of livestock with incompletely healed dehorning wounds
2. Stocking density and ensuring availability of temporary pens