Start the journey

• The importer identifies a need for New Zealand cattle and arranges permits and quarantine facilities in their country.
• Exporters are engaged by overseas importers and requested to source livestock to meet the customers criteria. 
• Importers and exporters collaborate, prioritising animal welfare when finalising deals.

• Livestock agents support exporters and farmers relying on cattle export as a supplementary income source by bringing the two together to meet commercial requirements.
• Exporters then inspect and identify suitable cattle based on factors like breed and type.
• Selected cattle undergo testing by a verification agency to ensure animals are healthy and disease-free.
• Once cleared, cattle move to a pre-export isolation facility.

• Cattle are transported to a pre-export isolation facility, where expert stock handlers care for them over four to six weeks. 
• Here, they are sorted by breed and weight to establish family cohorts and allow the best opportunity for equal access to nutrition and enhance behavioral interaction.
• In the last week of isolation, cattle are transitioned to the diet they will receive on the ship. This diet provides cattle with quality nutrients and high fibre.
• The livestock are constantly monitored and inspected to ensure that their health and welfare needs are met and maintained to the highest level.
• At the conclusion of the isolation period, the cattle approved for export are transported to the port and loaded onto an approved export ship.

There is a final inspection by the Port Veterinarian  at the completion of provisioning and loading before the ship is permitted to begin its journey.

Every ship relies on highly-experienced stock handlers approved by MPI, overseeing daily animal care activities. Additionally, one or more veterinarians registered in New Zealand or Australia and well-versed in cattle medicine are present on every vessel. These professionals handle both diagnosis and treatment, ensuring the well-being of the animals throughout the journey.

On board, cattle experience a routine marked by care and comfort:

• Cattle are drafted into specific weight and type lines before export then kept in groups on board to establish herd social dynamics, aligning with modern understanding of their behaviour.
• Fed multiple times daily with nutritionally tested feed which includes pellets and high quality hay.
• Provided with ad lib fresh water from an onboard de-salination facility.
• Are housed in custom pens on decks with ventilation systems, ensuring comfort and mitigating heat stress.
• Given enough space to lie down and rest, promoting their natural behaviour.
• After meals they rest and ruminate , mirroring their behaviour on land.
• Handled and kept in groups to ensure comfort and prevent stress.

Approved stock handlers and veterinarians monitor and promptly treat isolated cases of injury and sickness. Best practice exporters have mortality rates of 0.035% that is 3.5 animals per 10,000, that is amongst the best in livestock farming systems. Environmental factors (temperature, humidity, pad score) and animal-based indicators (voluntary feed and water intakes, manure score, respiration and heat stress scores, morbidity records) are meticulously documented, providing a comprehensive view of animal welfare throughout the journey.

Daily reports signed by the veterinarian and the Master of the ship are send back to MPI and the exporter.

These comprehensive reports include the environmental conditions from dataloggers on each deck of the ship, the health and welfare of the cattle, the amounts of feed and water consumed daily and remaining for the rest of the voyage.

Official quarantine authorities board the vessel and conduct inspections of the animals. The inspections aim to confirm the animals’ safe arrival, assess the quality of care they received onboard, and ensure their overall health and well-being.

Once officials are satisfied with the conditions and health of the cattle, they are officially cleared for offloading by stock handlers, vets and the ship’s crew. The cattle are then transported to an approved quarantine facility where they will receive care and attention for the next 30 to 45 days.

The extended stay at these facilities serves as an additional layer of biosecurity. During this time, further testing, inspections and any necessary treatments are carried out to ensure the cattle are fit for their new environments.

The quarantine facility conducts rigorous assessments, and upon successful completion, issues the importer a Certificate of Quarantine for Entry Goods. This certificate confirms that the animals are healthy and ready for release to the importer.

Once  the Certificate of Quarantine has been issued, the importer proceeds to load the cattle onto transport vehicles. This marks the beginning of their new lives as they are transported to their permanent homes. The cattle are welcomed into their new environments, where they will continue their journey under the care of their new owners. It remains a priority that exported animals enjoy a quality of life equal to or better than if they had stayed in New Zealand.

To ensure the highest welfare standards LENZ supports comprehensive two-way training, support, and information exchange programmes with buyers, emphasizing long-term welfare throughout the export process and beyond. 

The destination farms are large modern enterprises with facilities designed to house large numbers of cattle. Feed brought in and given to cattle in their barns.  Milking facilities are a short distance from the cows’ accommodation.  These farms are closely associated with milk processing factories, some of which may be within the same property.