Animal welfare sentiments are strong this week in Australia, as an expose by ABC Four Corners showed the fate of Australian cattle sent for slaughter in Indonesia.

The footage showed horrific visions of cattle being inhumanely slaughtered at Indonesian abattoirs.
 
Cattle were beaten, whipped and kicked prior to slaughter, and the animals were fully conscious during their slow and traumatic deaths.
 
As well as lack of staff training, it was apparent that there was a lack of sufficient cattle handling facilities in many of the abattoirs. Both of these issues are things that Livestock Corp and the Meat and Livestock Association (MLA) have been working on for the past 10 years.
 
Last year, the two groups published a report saying that the welfare of cattle sent to and slaughtered in Indonesia is "generally good".
 
Despite the government suspending live cattle exports to 11 of the abattoirs investigated, there is pressure from animal welfare groups, and even the Australian Veterinary Association to stop all live cattle exports to Indonesia.
 
However, Indonesia is Australia's biggest customer, taking 60 per cent of the live cattle trade. This is 500,000 animals a year, worth more than A$400 million.
 
It is apparent from the reactions of the public and the cattle industry that something must be done. The programme has raised serious questions on the welfare of cattle exported live.
 
However, this is not the first time these issues have been raised. Last year, out of shipment of 16,460 cattle exported to Egypt from Australia, nearly two per cent (295) died en route.
 
And finally, regardless of the methods used in Indonesia, is it really acceptable for a large animal, in any country, to be killed without being stunned?
 
Charlotte Johnston