Farmers and animal rights group are calling for the Australian Government’s cattle ‘inhumane and poorly planned’ export deal with Sri Lanka to stop after hundreds of Australian and New Zealand cattle died or contracted disease.
Sri Lankan farmers said the exported cattle are overpriced, unhealthy and infertile, with 10 per cent of the 5,000 cattle they have already received dying.
Sri Lanka’s auditor-general released a report describing the project as an ‘unbearable burden to the government’ and misleading to farmers, while the Ceylon Cattle Farmers Federation said the cows have short life spans and are highly vulnerable to disease.
But West Australian live export company Wellard, who ships the cows to Sri Lanka, said the handful of Sri Lankan farmers who had issues with the cattle they received had ignored their management advice.