Researchers in the Northern Territory are working on technology, which would make it possible to stun buffalo for slaughter and still meet halal standards.

The technology is desperately needed by Australia’s live buffalo trade, which has all but stopped under the new animal welfare system for exporting livestock (known as ESCAS).

Buffalo research officer with the NT Department of Primary Industry, Barry Lemke, says a thick skull means stunning a buffalo for slaughter is difficult and current methods either don’t meet Halal or ESCAS standards.

“We’re working on a project to find a stunning method that works under halal,” he said.

“We’re hopeful of finding a suitable method that will work out in Indonesia so we can get that market back up and running.

“There haven’t been any buffalo going to Indonesia since the live export ban (in 2011), and that was the main market.

“They’ve got a heavier skull than cattle and the stunning doesn’t operate as easily and there’s a problem complying with the new ESCAS requirements.”

Mr Lemke says the buffalo industry has been doing it really tough since 2011, and with no live export market to speak of, numbers are rising and the domestic dairy market has offered only a little bit of relief.

“There’s a fair number (of buffalo) around at the moment and the main market is now the dairy side where you can sell buffalo heifers to people who want to start a dairy. So still a little bit of income, but it’s pretty dire straits.”

Mr Lemke was preg-testing buffalo on a farm near Darwin yesterday, with producer Ernie Schluep who is recovering from a buffalo attack in August.

*This article was published by ABC. Read the original article here.