RSPCA Australia has lodged a formal complaint with the federal Department of Agriculture after receiving images and footage revealing brutal treatment of Australian cattle live exported to Israel on board the notorious ship Maysora.

The footage and imagery, obtained by local animal protection group Israel Against Live Shipments, shows poor handling practices including excessive electric prodder use and workers standing on the backs of cattle and painfully twisting the tails of cattle being offloaded from the Livestock Shipping Services (LSS) operated ship in Israel.

These practices are forbidden under Australia’s mandatory Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS), which was created more than eight years ago to stop this routine cruel treatment of Australia’s animals overseas.

The troubled Maysora journey to the Middle East experienced multiple delays, leaving animals in allegedly hot and crowded conditions and taking five days to offload.

At least 64 cows and calves are reported dead, with shocking images showing decaying carcasses on board the ship as well as in the Israeli quarantine facility.

Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence and community opposition, live exporters continue to send Australian animals into the searing heat and humidity of the Middle Eastern summer where heat stress, death and disaster are inevitable.

The RSPCA continues to urge the Australian Government to act on the science and evidence, and stop exports to the Middle East between the highest risk months of May to October.