UPDATE: THE Gillard government is investigating another potential breach of its animal welfare guidelines in Indonesia.
Allegations Australian cattle were killed outside an accredited abattoir in Indonesia in a manner inconsistent with Australian supply chain guidelines are being investigated by the Department of Agriculture.
Animals Australia said their local investigator witnessed a truck load of Aussie cattle being slaughtered using traditional roping methods at Cibinong abattoir at West Java on September 28.
The organisation lodged a formal complaint with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry over the incident last month.
DAFF confirmed Animals Australia had alleged on October 8 that cattle in a West Java abattoir "may have been managed in a manner inconsistent with Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System requirements''.
The department has requested additional information and will advise on its findings after reviewing it.
Australian Livestock Exporters Council chief executive Alison Penfold said Animal Australia's claim was "unsubstantiated'' and "without evidence'' at this stage.
"I am concerned that such a claim has been made without evidence at this point,'' she said.
The Animals Australia investigator said Meat and Livestock Australia representatives were onsite conducting an assessment at the time, but were "powerless to stop'' the slaughter.
"This is the third breach of the new live export rules uncovered by Animals Australia this year,'' Animals Australia spokeswoman Lisa Chalk said.
She said the other incidents involved Australian sheep exported to Kuwait being moved outside the supply chain and openly sold at a livestock market in Kuwait City in August and Australian cattle being cruelly killed in Indonesia in February.
The spokeswoman said the alleged incident was another example of the failure of ESCAS.
"The Gillard Government has taken strongest action any government has taken to regulate live export trade,'' she said.
"But the point is you cannot send animals to countries where there is no control over what happens to them; where they are going to be killed in a way that is not in line with Australia's guidelines.
"It will never be ethical to send animals to countries where laws do not protect them from cruelty.
"The best regulatory system in the world isn't going to prevent these things from happening.''
