Saleyards need a formal animal welfare policy that must include responding to every animal welfare complaint.
That was the message of Jonathan Crilly, who is the manager of Central Victoria Livestock Exchange (CVLX) in Ballarat that has had some well publicised animal welfare cases.
In late 2013, Ballarat livestock agent Michael Treweek was given a 12-month good behaviour bond and fined $500, without conviction, for animal cruelty relating to two occasions in 2011 and 2012 at the Ballarat saleyards. Video of an injured lamb in the back of Mr Treweek’s truck was filmed by a local animal activist and the story made headlines, including in metropolitan daily newspapers.
Mr Crilly told his peers at the ALMA National Saleyards Expo that Ballarat’s existing saleyards were in the middle of a 100,000-person city with three of its boundaries major roads, which left it very exposed. It is scheduled to move to new sites in 2017.
CVLX throughput includes 1.3-1.5 million sheep annually and last year, it had 66,000 cattle.
“CVLX is the number-one targeted facility in Victoria and probably nationally,” Mr Crilly said.
“We have dedicated welfare staff available at all times, if we’re not on-site, we’re on-call.
“Last (financial) year, we had 62 documented complaints.”
He said the team attended to every one of the complaints and presented them to the Agriculture Victoria with reaction times and outcomes.
“Every one of these is forwarded to the DPI (now Agriculture Victoria) and there has not been one negative action back towards us, the DPI has been accepting of every outcome that I’ve given,” Mr Crilly said.
He estimated 400 hours were spent assessing and reviewing these complaints.
“In the six years I’ve been there, the 62 complaints is probably the quietest year I’ve had, so hopefully that shows we’re on the right track.”
He said 53 of the 62 complaints required no action, and Agriculture Victoria agreed with that response.
“Nine sheep were destroyed as a result of these reports – some of these were also reported by agents but in the meantime someone else had also seen them,” he said.
“So that represents 0.0006 per cent of our throughput.”
He said saleyard operators needed to broaden their understanding on animal welfare proponents, for example hopefully everyone that works at the facility could be considered one as they strive to ensure animal welfare is upheld.
Animal welfare proponents can also be members of the public visiting or driving past, as well as activists.
He said while it could be challenging to deal with some animal proponents, operators had to remain calm and rational, have an open mind to the concerns, and not speak or act in ways to inflame the situation.
“We have dealt with some powerful groups, like Animal Angels on a number of occasions and dealing with them is vastly different to our local proponents; they tend to be more engaging, try to work with you, offer ideas and solutions and at the end of the day they seem to listen.
“I’ve been able to convince them that some of our practices are actually better than what they had proposed. Some of those things have taken a little bit, a number of phone calls and conversations and cups of coffee.
“The local, regular proponents seem to thrive on confrontation, and like all of us, hate to be ignored.
“I tell the staff and agents and transporters not to engage with them and direct any inquiries on to me, this totally avoids misconstrued messages that can create a bigger issue.” Mr Crilly said every animal proponent was different and operators should not assume to know their opinions of what would be acceptable or desirable animal welfare outcomes.
He has found implementing an animal welfare reporting system that requires an Animal Welfare Form be completed by the person with the complaint very helpful.
“This documentation is paramount,” he said.
“I’ve got documented proof of what’s been reported to me, so it can’t be misconstrued and I can respond to it and forward it onto the DPI.”
Other proactive steps taken at CVLX to try to prevent animal welfare issues arising include:
- Putting up signs about animal welfare
- Muzzling dogs
- Controlling the use of prodders
- Using trailer/ute ramps
- Providing emergency phone numbers, including after hours
- Increasing patrols by staff to check for injured and downer stock
- Introducing formal animal welfare, low-stress handling, and humane destruction training
Mr Crilly said it was also important that saleyard operators knew their facility and agents. The importance of having systems to protect animal welfare was a theme through the National Saleyards Expo.
As Mr Crilly said, everyone now has a camera and can put something on social media instantly and there is a feeling in the community that: “If it’s on Facebook, it must be true”.
He said in working with agents about cases of animals that are possibly not fit to sell, as well as with animal welfare proponents, to be consistent, honest and strong was paramount.
Mr Crilly and his team report data on dead on arrivals, dead on site and euthanised animals quarterly to their advisory committee.
“We’ve implemented a penalty system, a non-commercial value (NVC) system for livestock that don’t meet the fit-to-load criteria.
“In dollar terms (it’s) probably not a huge figure, but once I charge and NVC they can’t claim transit insurance so that hurts.
“And no repeat offenders, once you give them an NVC they seem to learn, it hits them in the hip pocket and they don’t reoffend.”
He said he was working with Livestock Biosecurity Network and others to make a fit-to-sell guide for producers. Mr Crilly said he was proud CVLX had set the bar high for animal welfare.
