General comments Standards of baseline practice

6.2 Australian Livestock Export Standards

INTRODUCTION The Australian Livestock Export Standards ALES are baseline standards that document best practice procedures for the exporting of cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats from Australia. The standards are designed to ensure the welfare of all livestock intended for export by providing a benchmark to assist exporters in appropriate selection, preparation, management and handling of all livestock throughout the entire export process from the point of origin of the animals to discharge at their final destination. The standards have been devised through a combination of practical industry experience and scientific knowledge gained as a result of previous and ongoing RD into the livestock export trade. From time to time, the standards will be subject to changes to reflect the best possible welfare practices and procedures for exporting livestock from Australia.

6.2.1 General comments

The ALES documentation currently forms the basis of the industry’s prescriptive standard. With the shift to an outcome-based standard, however, there will need to be substantial changes to ALES, particularly with respect to: • An overview of an outcome-based approach discussed further in Chapters 2 and 3 • Relevant animal health and welfare outcomes Chapters 2 and 3 • Managing animal health and welfare risks Chapter 3 • Managing incidents Chapter 4 • Achieving compliance, including accreditation and auditing Chapter 5 Relevant changes to ALES have yet to be finalised, but will be based on detailed information in other parts of the report. SUMMARY: Some sections of ALES will need to be redrafted, as a consequence of the recommended change to an outcome-based approach. Revision, which is yet to be completed, will address key reforms, including; • An overview of an outcome-based approach • Relevant animal health and welfare outcomes • Managing animal health and welfare risks • Reporting and managing incidents • Achieving compliance, including accreditation and auditing

6.2.2 Standards of baseline practice

With the shift to an outcome-based approach, it is recommended that the management of animal health and welfare risks be undertaken using the following key strategies: 98 A. For all consignments • An ongoing requirement to meet ‘standards of baseline practice’. These standards would be similar to the existing ALES, but with periodic revision to reflect new knowledge; and • Mandatory application of methods to manage heat stress during live export. B. For ‘high-risk’ consignments • As an additional requirement, the development of a consignment risk management plan. These strategies are considered in detail in Chapter 3. As a consequence of these changes, it is recommended that the current ALES be retained, but considered as ‘standards of baseline practice’ within the recommended risk management strategy. Given this context, a critical evaluation of ALES has been conducted, using the following criteria: • An evaluation of ALES in its new role as ‘standards for baseline practice’ within an outcome- based approach to risk management; • An evaluation of ALES against recent advances in scientific knowledge, particularly from the LiveCorp program of research and development; and • An evaluation of ALES against current industry knowledge and experience. The first two evaluations are complete, with the third to be finished pending feedback from each of the state Chapters. SUMMARY: The ALES documentation currently forms the basis of risk management within industry. As a result of the recommended changes, risk management will rely on several strategies, including adoption of the ‘standards of baseline practice’, which will be based on the current ALES document. As part of the conversion from ALES to the ‘standards of baseline practice’, the current documentation is being critically evaluated, given its new role, against recent advances in scientific knowledge and against current industry knowledge and experience. Much of this work is complete, although the final evaluation is pending feedback from each of the state Chapters. As indicated in the overall objectives, ALES represents a combination of practical industry experience and scientific knowledge LiveCorp, 2001. Although there is some unease within industry with specific aspects of ALES for example, stocking rates for some classes of animals whilst at-sea, there is currently insufficient scientific evidence in most areas to support substantial change from the status quo. Nonetheless, several amendments to ALES have been recommended, as a result of recent advances in heat stress risk management. Further amendments are suggested as a consequence of recommended changes to risk management during live export. These amendments include: ALES Section Proposed amendment 4. Provisions relating to the Notice of Intention to Export will be broadened such that LiveCorp LESCO and its auditors are also informed about the intention to export. Exporters can choose to copy the NOI to LESCO or provide a separate document 99 with the same basic information. 5. Provisions relating to notifiable incidents will be broadened to include mortality rates that exceed pre-agreed levels during each of the agreed stages of export. 6.8.6 The minimum pen area per head for cattle exported by sea is as stated in Tables 1 to 3, with further adjustment for each consignment based on heat stress risk management modelling. 6.8.20 Defined incident management procedures will be instigated when unacceptable health and welfare outcomes occur during defined stages of export. 7.9.5 The minimum pen area or space per head for sheep and goats exported by sea is as stated in Table 5, with further adjustment for each consignment based on heat stress risk management modelling. 7.9.16 Defined incident management procedures will be instigated when unacceptable health and welfare outcomes occur during defined stages of export. In line with current procedure, it is recommended that the standards of baseline practice be kept under review, incorporating changes or additions as knowledge increases. SUMMARY: As part of the development of ‘standards of baseline practice’, a number of amendments to current documentation are recommended. These amendments relate to the Notice of Intention to Export, notification of incidents, pen area and heat stress risk management, and incident management. 100

6.3 Feedback from State Chapters