Welcome to my world in Indonesia
Host: Lisa Wood/AGP Indonesia
Written by Lisa Wood – Traceability Officer, AGP.
Hi, as your host for this week, I’ll be taking you through what happens with Aus Cattle from the importers perspective. I work for an Indonesian importer and have been in Indo for close to three years. There are so many people involved in Australian cattle over here; the numbers still blow me away.
My original plan was to have a few key people in the company contribute a section to provide a complete picture of what happens after the cattle arrive here, yet, as is so often the case, things don’t always happen to schedule, or to plan.
I wanted to have the guy who deals with the import side of things (that bit sort of worked); then a bit from the guy who oversees the transportation from the ship to the feedlot share his bit (that bit didn’t work). This was to be followed by some info from the guys at the feedlot who first scan the cattle in, and then what happens at induction. Next was going to be a bit written by the feedlot vet and the feedlot engineer; and something from the feedlot manager. I wanted to have something from the guys who oversee the feeding and a bit from the marketing team that handle sales. Finally I wanted to finish off with our AWO (Animal Welfare Officers) manager. In short, it takes a HUGE team of people on this side of the sea to make sure the cattle are well taken care of and that ESCAS (Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System) happens.
Then I got busy with my day job, as did everyone else. That, added to the difficulties of writing in a second language (which I TOTALLY understand), then lo and behold, the dates allotted to us have quickly jumped on me. So, this series of posts has changed from my ‘dream plan’ to what I have been able to achieve. It is important to me to share with my fellow Australians what happens over here. This is the best I could do under the circumstances. I hope you enjoy.
Australian cattle in an Indonesian Feedlot.
Where possible, I have interviewed different members of the team, and then taken my scrawled notes; illegible words; incomplete sentences; hopeful memory of what they have said and my own personal experiences to give you a small insight to the Indonesian side of the ‘Imported’ Australian cattle story.
First, a bit of personal history, I used to work in construction. So, how does a chick working in the construction/fabrication industry end up working in cattle? A simple case of ‘right place, right time’. I came to Indonesia to be part of a traceability team working on a steel fabrication project for a WA mining job (Part of the long list of stuff that gets sent off shore for processing and then bought back to Aus for use – go figure!?). At our wind-up, end of contract, going away party, I met a guy who has been working with cattle his whole life. We conversed, and after he sussed out where I was coming from, he invited me to go view a couple of Indo abattoirs in action. As I’m still am a country kid at heart, and had helped with sheep during my childhood, I was more than happy to pass up the doof of the nightclub and go with him to learn what really happens in an Indonesian abattoir.
That first night, I was impressed. ESCAS had not yet been implemented, yet everyone knew it was on its way and were busy working to the requirements. I did not witness any scenes like those I later saw in the 4 Corners show. I had no idea what to expect, yet, I like to operate with an open mind and try to be without judgement. To me, and my previous experiences with slaughtering sheep, it looked to be very good, standard practice.
That fateful night lead via a series of emails; meetings and word of mouth to the position I hold today.
Preparation for the full implementation of ESCAS was already in full swing by the time I joined my new team. Initial audits had already been done, supply chains had (and still were) been approved by DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries). Exporters had us going through test runs with reporting, we were testing new traceability equipment and making sure the AWO’s knew what they had to do. It was very busy with new lessons being learnt every day – after all, we only had three months to change a nation. Those of you who have had to implement a new software program and associated training will understand what we were up against.
Fortunately I already knew ‘traceability’, it was the ‘cattle’ bit that was totally new. I simply transferred my knowledge of dealing with clients in an oil & gas/mining situation to that of cattle under NEW regulations.
Most of the time I sit at my desk – except for when I go for meetings, or acting as guide for guests at the feedlot, or when I do my abattoir rounds. This is when I visit each of the abattoirs in our supply chain, keeping contact with our AWO’s (Animal Welfare Officers) and checking that everything in the abattoirs is OK. There’s another member of our team that does this also, Alim (I’m still trying to wrangle some words out of him). We simply back each other up and give a different face to the boys, making sure they keep on their toes and everything up to par.
To This!
I admit, this isn’t our feedlot, (it was a photo taken during the Influential Women Tour) yet, I will always look out for the cattle! – 2012
Rare photo – Me helping prepare bedding for cattle in transit – 2013
Stay tuned tomorrow where I introduce other member of the team and describe the Import Process.
June 17, 2013 @ 10:59 am
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for your interesting blog. As someone who has been following the live export controversy for quite some time I have to say that although your words are hopeful, they are sentiments that I have heard many times before, from people such as from the former Director at Wellards Steve Meerwald, who claimed:
“Having personally inspected the new facilities at Sokhna, I can confirm they are first class and would rival some of Australia’s best feedlot and processing plants.” ( Farm Weekly, 28 February 2010)
Subsequent 4 corners investigations have shown how meaningless those assurances were.
Supporters of live export continually claim improvements to animal welfare, specifically, that slaughter practices have been substantially improved.
This morning I have seen for the first time that the pork industry has released footage of it’s production system, that includes pictures of farrowing crates and intensive housing, which for me, is far more powerful than words urging me to accept their assurances that the animals are treated well.
I would like very much to see the improvements to animal welfare that you are describing, and to see that the slaughter of Australian animals in Indonesian abattoirs is indeed being conducted to a level that is acceptable and legal here.
Providing footage of what you consider to be “very good, standard practice” in slaughter would go a long way towards convincing me that, at last, the assurances of animal welfare improvements are real.
June 18, 2013 @ 2:12 pm
Hi Tanya,
It saddens me to read that you believe sensationalist television journalism above Industry comment, although I am pleased to read that the Industry released piggery footage has hopefully in some way assured you of farmers integrity when it comes to caring for their animals.
In regards to footage from abattoirs, due to Commercial Confidentiality Agreements, I am unable to release any of the footage we have of abattoir operations in our supply chain.
The only assurance I can give you at this stage is that bad operators make me want to resort to physical violence against the perpetrator. I have not wanted to hit anyone involved with the act of slaughter.
Lisa
June 17, 2013 @ 11:31 am
Thanks for an insight into your position in Indonesia
June 18, 2013 @ 2:14 pm
Thanks Yvonne, life certainly has some very interesting moments living here.
Lisa
June 17, 2013 @ 12:25 pm
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for the informative blog. As an ordinary Australian consumer, I have been following the Live Export debate with interest. I have gone through a range of emotions from absolute disgust at the images on Four Corners to immense sympathy for our Australian farmers, who, through no fault of their own, have had an industry collapse on top of them.
Looking back, I must confess to being somewhat skeptical of some of the footage seen on the Four Corners program. I have spoken with many different people in the cattle industry and I have also taken an interest in the welfare issues around pig farming (although this is unrelated to your blog). My conclusion, and it is only a private opinion, is that some of the so called footage has been produced in a way that will produce a particular effect within the average Aussie household. Some of the footage has been obtained illegally (as in the case of a NSW piggery). This raises the issue of subjective vs objective reporting. It is because of this, that I read your blog with interest. I will be looking forward to more information and photos, to give me a better perspective and to make an informed choice in regard to the LE debat
June 18, 2013 @ 2:16 pm
Thanks Andrea, for keeping an open mind.
I must agree with you re: the piggery footage – anything obtained in the dark with a torch, which also disturbs the pigs usual routine is bound to show stressed animals, not the real situation.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the week, and more beyond that.
Lisa
June 17, 2013 @ 4:12 pm
I would like to see footage of kills there or photos, we are doing an article on this and have nothing from industry, please provide as feedlotting is not what the welfare issue ever was.
June 18, 2013 @ 2:23 pm
Thank you Graham for acknowledging that feedlotting was not part of the welfare issue, yet it is a part of the LE cattle story, which is what we aim to share with this site.
I would be interested to learn more about the article you are doing.
As I said above to Tanya, in regards to footage, due to Commercial Confidentiality Agreements, I am unable to release any of the footage we have of abattoir operations in our supply chain.
Lisa
June 17, 2013 @ 7:48 pm
I enjoyed reading your Blog. I stumbled on it in my Twitter-feed. It is interesting and very well written. I love the photos.
I am a sheep and beef farmer in NZ and I have been following this subject with interest. I have also been a Jackaroo in Australia as well as having worked on Feedlots. I have close sentiments, fond memories and I always love to see those long-eared cattle (that we do not have in NZ).
From reading this Blog, I have learnt what ESCAS is. If you have an open mind you can learn something new every day.
Good job. Keep up the good work and I am sure you can make yellow boots a fashion statement!
June 18, 2013 @ 2:30 pm
Cheers William, thank you.
No, I can’t imagine Brahmans would do too well in NZ, too cold – at this point I’m getting silly Footrot Flats / Shaun the Sheep imagery of cows trying to pinch the sheep’s wool to keep warm…..
It would be great to learn more about the NZ industry.
June 17, 2013 @ 8:33 pm
Lisa,
Thank you so much for sharing how it is over there.
Much appreciated.
A consumer, who has kept abreast of the debacle which unfolded post,”a bloody business”
From my perspective I am please to hear from someone who is on the ground in Indonesia.
June 18, 2013 @ 2:31 pm
Thank you Robyn,
I am glad to be in a position that I can share from this side.
Cheers
June 18, 2013 @ 3:38 pm
The article is in its infancy but we are looking at Australians growing concern about Animal Welfare and with Live Export being a contentious issue, we want to compare slaughter in Australian abattoirs to overseas.
June 18, 2013 @ 6:18 pm
Hi Graham,
That sounds like an interesting article. I think it would be interesting to see a comparative study of global slaughter systems.
A bit gruesome, yet still intriguing .
June 24, 2013 @ 8:24 am
Wow Lisa, It’s great to see Influential Women in action. Your blog – even though it’s an extra task, is influencing average Aussies like Andrea to understand more about farming. I met Catherine through Holbrook Landcare ‘Women In Ag’ and seeing her dream realised is just fantastic.
Well done
June 24, 2013 @ 9:59 pm
Thank you Edwina. Yes, our delightful Ms Marriott does a wonderful job of helping us realize and release our talents.