More than 100 Australian cattle have died on board a live export ship headed to Indonesia.
The Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry said it was investigating the deaths.
It is understood the cattle were likely shipped from Darwin and were declared fit to travel by a government vet when loaded on the boat.
If an exporter finds that more than 0.5 per cent of the animals in a shipment or three cattle have died, they have to tell the government within 12 hours.
A department spokesperson said there was ‘no suggestion that exotic animal disease is involved’ such as foot and mouth disease or lumpy skin disease.
‘We have been notified by a commercial exporter of an incident involving cattle deaths on a live export vessel exporting to Indonesia,’ the spokesperson said.
‘Australia remains free of exotic animal diseases such as Lumpy Skin Disease and Foot and Mouth Disease.’
More than 100 Australian cattle have died on board a live export ship headed to Indonesia
In 2011, the Gillard Labor government temporarily banned the shipment of live cattle to Indonesia by boat, a decision that was found to be unlawful by the Federal Court in 2020.
Since then, only the lead claimant. the Brett Cattle Company, had received compensation
In January, the federal government declined the proposal from the 215 remaining claimants to settle the case for $510 million, in addition to covering costs and interest. This decision could have led to a total settlement exceeding $800 million.
