A LiveAir map showing livestock air shipment destinations. Image – LiveAir.

ABOUT 80 breeding sheep in a small air freight shipment to Indonesia’s capital Jakarta have reportedly died en route over the weekend, the Australian Livestock Exporters Council has reported.

ALEC said in a media that that it regrettably advises that a small air freight consignment of breeder sheep to Jakarta experienced a mortality event of approximately 80 sheep on the evening of 17 August.

ALEC said the event was immediately reported to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry as the industry regulator.

ALEC, LiveAir, the exporter and the air freight operator will work with the regulator as investigations into the incident progress, ALEC said.

Given the investigation is ongoing we will provide further information as it is confirmed, ALEC said.

LiveAir is the industry body representing companies exporting livestock by air, and is referring media enquiries to ALEC.

According to the LiveAir website, Australia’s live export by air freight industry transports livestock to more than 35 different destinations. The sector produces A$75-$100m revenue per year or about A$400m in the last five years. There are 250-300 individual consignments annually representing more than 74,000 head, LiveAir states.

The Albanese Government intends to ban live sheep shipments by sea from May 2028, but there have been no moves against sheep shipments by air or live cattle exports by sea.

A Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry spokesperson said the department is investigating the incident in accordance with its usual policy and procedures. The spokesperson said the sheep in the shipment were Dorpers.

“The department – as the regulator of live animal exports – conducts its investigations by seeking information from the exporter and other parties to determine the cause of the incident (where possible).

“It is premature to comment on the incident or speculate as to possible cause at this time,” the spokesperson said.

Details of livestock exports by air from Australia over the last five years can be found here.