Pakistani livestock importer PK Livestock has been successful in seeking an injunction in the Sindh High Court against the culling of Australian sheep by the Sindh Livestock Department, until the court case resumes again on Monday.

And in another significant development, Wellard Rural Exporters has received approval from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to export 65,000 sheep to Qatar.

A statement released by Wellard Rural Exports on Monday afternoon said that testing of the sheep had confirmed PK Livestock’s, Wellard’s and the Australian Government’s continued insistence that the sheep are healthy and free of disease.

Wellard Rural Exports said clinical inspection for anthrax by Dow University and a High Court appointed veterinary committee found no evidence of the disease whatsoever.

Test results for a number of other exotic diseases by the National Veterinary Laboratories in Islamabad also all returned negative results.

“We have always insisted the sheep are healthy, disease free and would pass any proper testing program,” said Wellard Executive Director Steve Meerwald from Karachi.

“These tests vindicate that stance and the round the clock efforts PK Livestock, Wellard and the Australian Government have gone to to prevent the cull of sheep that are healthy and are safe for human consumption.”

“We will continue to seek to overturn the cull order permanently and to resume normal processing in PK Livestock’s modern, ISO accredited and World Animal Health Organization compliant abattoir.

Wellard Rural Exports has also confirmed that it has received a permit from the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) to export 65,000 sheep to Qatar.

In addition to the normal export protocols, DAFF applied a number of extra conditions which Wellard said it had and will comply with.

“We are disappointed with the delay in issuing the export permit and the view that everything that relates to sheep export is perceived as ‘risky’,” said Wellard Managing Director Mauro Balzarini.

“These sheep are bound for Qatar, a market which we have been supplying for almost 25 years without incident.

“Qatar (has) readily embraced the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance Scheme (ESCAS) and has adhered to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) when tested successfully in the past.

“Nevertheless, Wellard has worked with the Federal Department of Agriculture to achieve a solution to this impasse and to allow live export to continue to provide an important marketing option for Australian farmers and to provide consumers in the Middle East with a safe, healthy, sustainable supply of fresh meat.”

The sheep will travel on a purpose built livestock vessel in accordance with Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL) – which are the most rigorous standards in the world.

The Sheepmeat Council of Australia (SCA) said a lot of work had been going on behind the scenes, not only on the short term issues but also the mid to longer term and the surety of the trade for both producers and customers within destination countries.

CEO Ron Cullen said the SCA and the Australian Live Exporters Council had been actively negotiating, on behalf of exporters and producers, with parliamentarians and their staff within Parliament House.

“Those we met recognise that the trade is extremely important, especially to Western Australian producers.  It underpins cattle and sheep prices and the sustainability of regional communities’ right across Australia.” Mr Cullen said.

For more than 40 years Australia has been seen in the Middle East as a preferred source of consistently high-quality, disease free livestock.  During this period there has been heavy investment in infrastructure and world-leading management practices in Australia and destination countries.

“This decision from DAFF will help the confidence of customers and is critical to the long term success of this industry," Mr Cullen said.