Australian breeding cattle exported to Indonesia since March are still being held in quarantine facilities at feedlots due to unresolved issues regarding pedigree certification.

Almost 12,000 Australian female cattle belonging to four importers have now been caught up in the trade stalemate since Indonesia refused to clear a consignment of 2300 commercial breeding cattle because they were not supported by pedigree certificates.

A spokesperson for Indonesian’s beef producer and lot feeder association Apfindo told Beef Central that pedigree certificates have always been a condition for any breeders imported to Indonesia.

However, until recently, Indonesian authorities have accepted a “collective breeder certificate” as evidence of a consignment’s status as breeding cattle.

That has now changed after a new regulation was introduced governing the quality standards of imported cattle.

Early last month Indonesian quarantine officials issued a refusal letter on a shipment of Australian breeding cattle, based on a letter from Indonesia’s Director General of Livestock Services which stated the cattle could not be not classified as breeders because they did not have individual pedigree certificates accompanying them.

Apfindo board coordinator Dayan Antoni told Beef Central that importers have since provided Indonesian authorities with individual “True Type Certificates” issued by the Australian Brahman Breeders Association, which state the origin, eartag numbers, RFID numbers, cattle type and collective pedigree information of the imported cattle.

“We presented this last month, but still the quarantine issued a refusal letter,” Mr Antoni said.

“We have bought this dispute to the attention of the Minister of Agriculture and we are still waiting for a resolution.

“We hope it will be soon.”

The cattle are being fed in quarantine facilities at ESCAS approved feedlots owned by the importers. While some have since calved, all cattle are said to be in good condition and are being well looked after.

Mr Antoni said that when the Indonesian quarantine officials issued the refusal letter, the cattle were undergoing a standard quarantine process.

“The same procedure that is being applied to any breeder importation, at the same quarantine facilities that is used for applying quarantine procedures on any ESCAS feeder cattle importation.

“Those quarantine facilities are no different to any other holding yards that is used to feed the cattle under an ESCAS approved system.

“Holding them, although within a quarantine procedure, will be the same as treating any other feeder cattle with sufficient feed, water and care.”

Some media reports have suggested the cattle could be culled if Indonesian officials refuse to accept them, because they cannot be sent back to Australia due to quarantine rules and re-export protocols from Indonesia.

However a number of sources close to the trade have told Beef Central they believe such an  outcome is unlikely, because to cull that number of breeding cattle would run counter to Indonesia’s self-sufficiency ideal, and to slaughter pregnant cattle is not regarded as Halal, or acceptable, under Muslim law.