Introduction
The ethical issues raised by the live farm animal export trade are framed by conflict between animal welfare and economic considerations. On the one hand, live farm animal exports are big business. The Australian industry, the world’s largest, employs around 13,000 people and in 2015 exported just under a million cattle worth A$1.06 billion dollars and 1.4 million sheep worth A$190 million dollars (MLA Statistics Database; Hassall and Associates 2006). On the other hand, the trade poses significant threats to animal welfare. Cold weather killed around 15,000 sheep in a Victorian feedlot prior to boarding in 1983; more than 40,000 sheep drowned when the Farid Fares sank in 1980 (Georges et al. 1985, pp.5–6); and nearly 6,000 died in 2003 when the Cormo Express’ 15-day trip extended to 80 days (Keniry and Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 2004). In 2011 the Australian Four Cornerstelevision documentary, “A Bloody Business,” exposed shocking...
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Dare, T. (2016). Live Farm Animal Exports. In: Thompson, P., Kaplan, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Ethics. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6167-4_582-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6167-4_582-1
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