The Ocean Drover, owned by Wellard has finally been sold to enable distributions to shareholders. The ship has been sold to a Turkish concern so is unlikely to be ever back in Australia. Another ship out of the ever-dwindling Australian fleet...
See: https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2025-01-14/wellard-to-sell-mv-ocean-drover-and-consider-winding-up-business/104814504

The Al Messilah finally seems to have passed inspection at Fremantle and is loading sheep - a 40 yo ship converted in 1996.....and industry claim state of the art purpose built vessels! And at least one truck was seen heading to Port with a down sheep that was panting heavily and making no attempt to rise despite space to do so (video available) for many km of the final trip from Leach highway to Port. It is unknown whether this represents an ill sheep loaded onto a truck or whether an injury occurred on the truck. DPIRD were notified but did not respond, merely informing observers that they would have to lodge a "cruelty" report with RSPCA because that will get immediate help for the sheep....not! Lets hope it was rejected at Port.

ABC Reports that Minerva Foods has closed its sheep abattoir at Tammin, in WA's Wheatbelt, pending a review of operations and investment needs. Industry representatives say the closure is a result of dwindling stock numbers due to sheep farmers preparing for the closure of the live export trade. If so why did Minerva's other abattoir near Esperance close down in Sept 2023 before the ban on live export had even gone through parliament and when there were apparently excess sheep numbers. Farmers cant have it both ways - either there is not enough kill space (which was reportedly a problem if live ex were to stop) or there too much kill space (which should not helpful if live ex stops). Bottom line is that it doesnt matter - Regardless, the industry will claim it is all due to the ban in 3 years time)of the live export trade. If the rains dont come or the sky goes purple it will also be due to the live export ban. The illogical hysteria continues stridently on.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of Muslims undertake the Hajj –the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca. In 2024, the pilgrimage took place in mid-June, the start of the Saudi summer. The Conversation reports more than 1,300 pilgrims never made it home.
Lethal heat combined with humidity proved deadly even in a species with sweat glands and no woollen jumpers, not housed in a steel box with temperatures well above the ambient.

The pilgrimage started on June 14. Over the next six days, the temperature topped 51°C, while “wet-bulb temperatures” (the combination of temperature and humidity) rose as high as 29.5°C.  So, at wet bulb temperatures which are not uncommon on live export ships and and which, despite industry claims to the contrary, often cause significant heat stress in sheep, humans died. The article points out the problem will only worsen in the Middle East with climate change and humidity.

A good time to end sheep exports to the Middle East. It is likely that with these climate change events, consideration will also have to be given to cattle exports in the not so distant future also.