Vietnam cattle cruelty probe curbs exports

Two Australian livestock exporters have been suspended from sending cattle to Vietnam as animal cruelty investigations continue.

After video footage emerged last month of Australian cattle being bludgeoned to death in Vietnamese abattoirs, the Department of Agriculture suspended trade with three of them, including a non-approved facility under Australia's Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System rules.

The total number of suspended facilities in Vietnam has risen to 21, including three feedlots and 18 abattoirs.

The department has also banned two unnamed Australian exporters from supplying the country until they've put in place proper measures around animal control, traceability and verification.

Additional conditions have also been placed on four exporters including extra monitoring and supervision by in-market staff.

The department says an audit of all eight Australian livestock exporters with supply chains in Vietnam will be finalised by the end of this month.

"The investigation already is revealing fatal flaws in the traceability system," Animals Australia chief investigator Lyn White said.

"Until these can be rectified and the industry can declare all of their supply chains are secure, they should themselves be suspending the trade to Vietnam."