AgForce, RSPCA and bull catchers weigh in on controversial video

Footage of the incident, believed to be taken on a rural property in north west Queensland, has been viewed more than 30,000 times on social media.

In the footage, a man on a quad bike can be seen trying to flip a beast onto its side, but fails, with the animal flipping the quad bike onto side and the individual falling off.

The animal in question is unscathed and stands immediately.

Footage of the incident has been placed online, and a member of the public has seen it and has reported it to the Mount Isa Police.

A Queensland Police spokesperson said they were aware of the footage and are now reviewing the incident.

The RSPCA have also responded to the incident, stating the 'footage is absolutely disgusting'.

"It appears to be a very deliberate act of cruelty towards this animal and we're pleased the Police are investigating this case, an RSPCA spokespersons said.

AgForce CEO Michael Guerin has viewed the footage and he said the peak industry body does not condone this type of behaviour.

"There is zero tolerance for animal cruelty in Australian agriculture, and at AgForce we are constantly seeking to promote continual improvement in animal welfare standards," Mr Guerin said.

"We are also committed to promoting health and safety in the workplace within the agriculture industry.

"AgForce's goal of zero harm on farm will not be compromised and we lead by example towards this outcome."

The footage has generated mixed reactions online, with some viewers labelling the incident as 'cruel', 'inhumane' and 'dangerous'.

Grazier Lach McClymont and his wife, both manage Kalyeeda station, a 10,000 head Droughtmaster breeder and backgrounding operation, based in the Kimberly region in Western Australia.

Mr McClymont has a great understanding of mustering feral cattle, having spent 10 years contract mustering through the Gulf, Cape York, Northern Territory and in North West Queensland.

A fifth generation pastoralist, Lach's passion for the industry saw him feature in the hit ABC series Outback Ringers.

"The show shined a great light on the industry and inspired a younger generation to pursue a career in the northern beef industry," Mr McClymont said.

Mr McClymont said he was upset that a video had surfaced online, featuring the industry in a bad light.

He also argued, the video didn't tell the full story and a lot of viewers would create a misconception of what is actually going on in the footage.

"We're an ever-evolving industry and we've come a long way in the last decade with animal welfare and workplace safety," he said.

"Efficiency is key to achieving good welfare outcomes and animal welfare is always at the forefront of everyone's minds when handling livestock to ensure the best outcomes for the cattle and the people handling them.

"However, looking at this video, that's not what the public's eye will see.

"The good thing about Outback Ringers, is that a large percentage of the public had already seen a small amount of this work before.

"What's not being seen in the footage, is that this feral animal could have been a danger to the individuals involved or he could have been a danger to other stock."

Mr McClymont said whenever they are dealing with feral animals, you're dealing with a lot of different personalities.

"When you're working in a feral animal situation, there's a lot of variables and so many things that can go wrong," he said.

"We've done a lot of work in the last few years on the best ways to catch animals and to handle them in these feral situations.

"With the rising market, there's been a lot of feral animal activity going on and there's a big demand for them to go out and find them."

Mr McClymont highlighted the updated 'fit to load' manual which was released in 2019, as a way the industry was moving forward.

The industry manual ensures best practice animal welfare when preparing, loading and delivering cattle to market or they cannot be sold.

"There's some really great industry leaders that have pushed for a lot of animal welfare checks and the majority of the industry is on board," he said.

"There is a lot to keep up with because it's evolving so quick, but we've got our finger on the pulse for that."

Mr McClymont said it was up to industry leaders to educate the younger generation, on best practices.

"The young people are still finding their boundaries," he said.

"We need to support these young adults coming through and as an industry, we need to unite in that and help educate everyone and do our best by our animals.

"If we push our animals to hard, it's no different to a human-being or a machine, if we push it too hard, it's not going to work for us for very long."

He said industry was constantly growing their knowledge on these feral animals, the terrain in which they muster them on, and the type of equipment they do that with.

Mr McClymont said he supported AgForce's statement, but argued that individuals involved need support.

"It is a very small percentage of the agricultural industry of exactly what they are doing," he said.

"We don't want to portray the livestock industry or the live export industry, as this is 'how we do it'."

Mr McClymont said a lot of operations were venturing into hydraulic arms to catch feral bulls.

"We're minimizing risks at all times and the use of hydraulic arms for catching feral animals for the loading process ensures people they present a better article for market," he said.

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