The pictures that shocked Australia from the sheep and cattle ships transporting live animals to the Middle East ensure that some sort of change is now inevitable. There is no doubt that this form of travel is cruel and that even in good times a percent of the animals do not survive the journey. In rough weather and when extreme heat conditions occur a high proportion of dead sheep are tossed overboard and fed to the sharks.
This live animal trade revolves around the special ships designed and built for the purpose. They are multi decked and not enclosed to allow the free passage of air and the animals are tightly packed and forced to stand for the entire journey. Troughs containing food and water are provided, but because of the density many animals would fail to access any nourishment. A weakened animal would be engulfed in the herd and trampled to death.
Obviously, the economics of the trade apply. The shipping companies are in the business of transporting as many animals as possible at the cheapest possible rate and the casualty rate varies from trip to trip depending on the weather. The sea journey from Australia to the Middle East is measured in weeks.
This live sheep and cattle trade is an important component of the Australian economy. It employs a lot of people from the pasture companies that breed the animals to the huge transport network that moves them from the country to the docks. This distance to the Middle East is just part of the equation. We also ship sheep and cattle to our near neighbour Indonesia and other nearby markets. There is both a political and a humanity movement that wants to shut down this industry and we should remember the disaster that caused when Julia Gillard suspended all shipments in 2011.
The crux of this problem is how the animals are packaged for the journey. The problem of excessive heat passing through the tropics would be better served if the animal decks were enclosed and the ship air conditioned but that would not solve the problem of journeys in unexpectedly rough weather. These are animals that are used to a firm surface under foot and a ship rolling and pitching in a gale needs the animals to be in close proximity to one another to enable them to retain their balance.
It is likely that pack density will become subjected to legislation. The numbers permitted in a given area should allow animals sufficient freedom to access food and water, and yet provide sufficient density to cushion them against their neighbours in rough seas. Live animals are valuable merchandise and it is the responsibility of the shipping companies to ensure that they arrive at market - both alive and in saleable condition.
A legislative change will not be welcomed by the ship owners. It will probably reduce the numbers carried each trip and hence the profitability, but that would be countered by the survival rate which must be taken into account when heavy loss of life occurs. One of the likely outcomes is the withdrawal of existing vessels from the trade and the entry of specially built ships designed to safely deliver living cargo. That is exactly what happened when the car export trade expanded to deliver cars to world markets. The live sheep and cattle trade is simply a market waiting for the ship builders to create the modern ship that the industry needs !
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