Export of cattle and buffalo to Malaysia

Attention

• Australian Livestock Exporters' Council
• Departmental staff
• Licenced livestock exporters
• LiveCorp
• Meat and Livestock Australia

Purpose

To advise licenced livestock exporters about changes to the arrangements for the export of cattle and buffalo to Malaysia (including the State of Sabah and State of Sarawak) from Australia.

Key points

• The Department has been advised that the trade in cattle and buffalo from Australia to Malaysia has resumed following the temporary suspension.
• The Malaysian authorities now require additional health certification attestations relating to lumpy skin disease:
  • Australia is free from lumpy skin disease for the past twelve (12) months prior to export.
  • There have been no reported cases of lumpy skin disease in the farm of origin in the past twelve (12) months prior to export.
• The Department understands, at this stage, that additional post-arrival measures will apply and that these may include:
  • An extended post-arrival quarantine period of up to 30 days (State of Sabah and State of Sarawak) and 45 days (Peninsular Malaysia);
  • Vaccination, upon arrival in Peninsular Malaysia against foot and mouth disease (FMD) and lumpy skin disease (LSD); and
  • Testing of a sample of the consignment shortly after arrival in Malaysia.
• The Department also understands that current approval processes enabling the unloading of cattle at other ports prior to a vessel unloading in Malaysia are expected to continue.

Instructions

1. Exporters of cattle and buffalo to Malaysia must prepare the animals for export in accordance with the importing country requirements including any import permit(s) and their Approved Arrangement (AA)/Approved Export Program.
2. For each cattle/buffalo consignment exported to Malaysia, exporters must seek documentation from the relevant state/territory veterinary authority confirming that there have been no reported cases of lumpy skin disease on the property of origin in the past twelve months prior to export. This is in addition to the documentation that exporters must seek under their AA for these commodities.
3. Post-arrival arrangements are subject to change and the department recommends that exporters confirm the post-arrival arrangements for their proposed consignment through their importer which may differ depending on the Malaysian port or state of destination.

On 4 August 2023, the Department was advised of a temporary suspension of the import of cattle and buffalo from Australia.
Malaysian authorities advised the department on 4 September 2023 that the suspension had been lifted.