THE purchase of the MV Ocean Shearer by Kuwait Livestock Transport & Trading (KLTT) has proven to be a positive for the company after its maiden voyage under its new name, Al Kuwait, delivered a record animal welfare performance for the company, at 99.9 per cent delivery success rate for sheep and 100pc for cattle.
KLTT's Perth based subsidiary Rural Export and Trading (WA) Pty Ltd (RETWA) loaded 60,183 sheep and 910 cattle in Fremantle mid-April before it sailed on an 18-day voyage to discharge at the Gulf ports of Oman, Kuwait and Qatar.
In a statement released on Monday RETWA said during the voyage 62 sheep (0.103pc) died from various causes, which the Australian government accredited veterinarian (AAV) report said were not related to the voyage, vessel conditions or heat stress.
The AAV said the voyage mortality rate was "the lowest on company record".
There were 58 sheep isolated and treated in hospital pens during the voyage for various aliments, 56 of which made a full recovery and were discharged in good health.
The AAV reported feed consumption was robust throughout the voyage and "never waivered".
"This is a clear indication the sheep were in an ongoing state of comfort," the AAV said.
KLTT acknowledged the new vessel's modern design and ventilation in helping deliver excellent results in addition to the careful selection and purchase, preparation of livestock and on-board management practices.
Its sister vessel MV Al Messilah has recently had ventilation upgrades and the consignment currently on the water is also reporting excellent animal welfare outcomes.
KLTT chief executive officer Osama Boodai said "our company and our clients are very impressed with the quality of sheep discharged at each port from recent shipments, this has been critical to food security in our region".
RETWA managing director Michael Gordon said the company continued to improve systems across the supply chain with increased monitoring and reporting at every stage.
"Western Australian producers, buyers, agents and our livestock supplier oversight in selecting quality livestock and removing animals not suitable for the journey is critical to successful consignments," Mr Gordon said.
"The quarantine facility staff take great pride in presenting well prepared sheep that meet our customer requirements."
The Al Kuwait is returning to Fremantle to load a consignment at the end of May, before returning to Gulf countries of Kuwait and UAE.
Live sheep exports to the Middle East will stop as of June 1 with the commencement of the summer moratorium preventing shipments from leaving Australia until the trade resumes in mid September.
KLTT and RETWA said the "recent regulatory decisions on live sheep exports by the Australian government are disappointing".
"Animal welfare is part of good business and has always been a company focus with significant investments in the vessel fleet, feedlot infrastructure and abattoirs which are world-class," Mr Boodai said.
The lack of international flights into the Middle East region since the world wide outbreak of COVID-19 and the inability of the markets to be replenished with a range of fresh food stuffs including fresh meat has seen a greater recognition of the ability for sea transport to deliver live animals to these markets.
KLTT currently operates three vessels, predominantly from Australia, and is still having difficulty meeting the demand from the markets and customers.
Consumers in the Gulf countries easily recognise the quality and consistency of fresh meat from Australian sheep but unfortunately that will now diminish because of the moratorium.
KLTT will continue to invest in the live animal export supply chain internationally and is expanding its footprint beyond the long-term relationship with Australia by sourcing livestock from South Africa, Eastern Europe and other markets.
