Animal cruelty 'atrocities' being probed

Claims Australian cattle are being brutally slaughtered in the Middle East are being investigated by government officials.

In a shocking video, a bull bleeds to death after having been repeatedly stabbed in the neck while tied to a pole.

Another has its throat slit grimly in the back of a truck.

Activist group Animals Australia, which released the footage, has labelled it animal welfare "atrocities".

The group claims the cattle are Australian and its footage was taken by investigators during a religious festival in Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait and Malaysia in October.

It is blaming the department for being too lax in its duty to protect animals and live animal exporters for showing disregard for regulations.

A spokeswoman for the Australian Livestock Exporters Council said the cruelty shown in the videos was unnecessary and inexcusable.

But they were a rare breach of strong industry protocols, blaming accidental leakage of livestock from supply chains.

The Department of Agriculture says it has been investigating the "upsetting" footage and will release a report into its findings and any actions it will take.

"No-one supports animal cruelty, least of all Australian farmers and exporters," it said in a statement on Thursday.

A spokesman for Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce said it was inappropriate to comment before a review into live animal export standards was released.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie, a vocal critic of the live export industry, took to Twitter to sound his concern over the latest footage.

He reserved particular scorn for Mr Joyce.

"More animal cruelty exposed ... Barnaby Joyce and live export industry don't care. Evil bastards," he tweeted.