Summary

The aim of this project is to develop evidenced-based and feasible recommendations and strategies to improve the health and welfare outcomes of harvested buffalo across the entire supply chain.

The project has four main objectives:

1. Analyse current evidence, practices, risk factors, and indicators of adverse animal mortality, health, and welfare outcomes throughout the free-range buffalo supply chain.
2. Evaluate the influence of animal-, management-, and environmental-based factors on key animal welfare outcomes under a range of supply chain conditions.
3. Develop evidence-based and feasible recommendations for policy and practice changes that reduce the risk of animal mortalities and adverse health and welfare outcomes.
4. Identify opportunities for economically feasible buffalo harvesting on traditional lands that also achieve acceptable animal welfare outcomes and align with the economic development, cultural, and ecological goals of indigenous communities.

The ultimate outcome of the project is to reduce mortality rates to comparable levels with those in the cattle industry and to meet the conditions outlined in the Australian Standards for Export of Livestock (ASEL 3.0, Department of Agriculture 2020) conditions. The project includes extensive engagement and consultation with industry, government, and Indigenous stakeholders to understand the issues, review new evidence, and explore feasible solutions across the entire supply chain.

The outcome of the supplementary work, aligned with the fourth objective, will be a plan for sustainable harvest of buffalo across Arnhem Land that meets the aspirations of Traditional Owners and reduces the environmental impact of buffalo on sensitive areas.

Expected outcomes

The project will contribute to improving the health and welfare outcomes of harvested buffaloes throughout the supply chain, while also promoting the sustainable economic development of the industry and respecting the ecological and cultural values of natural resources and indigenous assets. Drawing on a robust evidence base regarding the factors affecting mortality, animal health, and welfare outcomes in the buffalo supply chain, the project will deliver the following key outputs and initiate their implementation:

• Adoption and implementation of lessons learned from the research by industry into commercial practice.
• Recommendations for monitoring and evaluation to help industry track compliance with Federal animal welfare standards.
• Recommendations for economically feasible buffalo harvesting on traditional lands that achieve acceptable animal welfare outcomes and align with the economic, cultural, and ecological goals of Indigenous communities.

The ultimate goal of the project is to reduce mortality rates during buffalo export to meet the conditions outlined in Australian Standards for Export of Livestock (ASEL 3.0, Department of Agriculture 2020).

The aim is for the mortality risk of buffalo on live export vessels (currently 0.30%) to be statistically comparable to that of cattle (currently 0.10%). Similarly, health and welfare indicators – such as appetite and weight maintenance throughout the supply chain – should be equivalent to those of cattle under similar conditions. This will be achieved by developing evidenced-based and feasible recommendations to improve buffalo health and welfare from wild capture in the Top End of the Northern Territory through to delivery at either an NT abattoir or a live export destination.

Achieving the project outcomes – and ensuring impact beyond its duration – will likely require changes in industry practices, policy reforms, and the adoption of recommendations and action plans by industry groups, government agencies and non-government organisations.

Key stakeholders include:

• The Australian Buffalo Industry Council (ABIC) and NT Buffalo Industry Council (NTBIC)
• Northern Territory Department of Industry Tourism and Trade (DITT)
• The Central Agri Group’s Rum Jungle Abattoir
• The Northern Land Council (NLC)
• Arnhem Land Indigenous organisations, such as MIMAL Land Management Aboriginal Corporation, Arafura Swamp Rangers Aboriginal Corporation (ASRAC) and Oenpelli-Gunbalanya/ILSC.
• NT Live Export Association (NTLEA)
• The Animal Welfare Branch and Live Export Animal Welfare Advisory Group of the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF)
• LiveCorp
• Natural resources and conservation groups