The animal welfare groups, at this point in time, have impressed our agency representatives with the reasonableness of their requests.

Unfortunately they appear to see to much of the downside at the moment, including poor loading and unloading techniques of trucks, dogs without muzzles, poor use of jiggers, overcrowded pens and trucks, dirty water troughs are just some of their grounds for complaints.

Agents are reminded that they should not see stock that are unfit to load, and all should be aware that saleyards and abattoirs are not a dumping ground for other people’s problems.

Recently, a Victorian abattoirs was closed overnight on animal welfare grounds, and this is further proof if needed that drastic action can and will be taken if authorities see fit.

Some saleyards are now imposing a disposals fee for humanely destroying unsuitable livestock and these cost are been directed back to the vendor. Agents who sell unfit livestock due to the “chain of responsibility” may leave themselves open to serious prosecution.

Some agents here at Dubbo have now taken the action to refuse to offer for sale offending livestock, and no doubt at some stage the disposal of such stock here at Troy will incur a cost.

I would suggest that in the near future other agents across the network will do likewise and refuse to offer offending stock. Mr Roger Fletcher, of Fletchers International, has long been a critic of offending livestock, which is noticed by proper authorities and could, in extreme circumstance, place the whole export sheep market in jeopardy. So please, all graziers, assist the industry by dealing with any faulty livestock on farm.

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Russia is Australia’s fourth biggest market for our exports and this country has now requested that all NVDs contain a notation “Russian Eligible”. To obtain this status, producers must have abstained for 90 days from the use of the chemicals Oxytetracycline or Chlortetracycline in their animal husbandry.