Australia lifts ban on live cattle exports to Indonesia

Australia’s government removed a month-long ban on live cattle exports to neighboring Indonesia on Wednesday, saying it was satisfied the A$320 million trade could resume after a furor over mistreatment of livestock. The minority government has been under pressure from ranchers to overturn the ban, put in place after television footage showed cattle being beaten, whipped and maimed prior to slaughter in some Indonesian abattoirs. Australia’s beef cattle herd is some 28 million head, of which live cattle exports represent around 800,000 head. About 500,000 goes to Indonesia...more