Lower rate of airflow to cargo compartment may have led sheep to die of heat stress: MUIS

Today Online 21 Oct 14;

SINGAPORE — The 174 sheep, meant for a korban ritual earlier this month, could have died of heat stress due to a slightly lower rate of airflow to the cargo compartment of the aircraft during the flight from Perth, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) said today (Oct 21).

“Investigations by the Agri Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore showed that the death of the sheep was due to heat stress. There was no indication of infectious disease,” it added.

The dead animals were among 2,200 Australian sheep that were flown to Singapore on board a Singapore Airlines Cargo plane on Oct 2.

MUIS said investigations by SIA Cargo showed that the aircraft had departed Perth in fully serviceable condition.

“However, a few hours into the flight, one of the three air-conditioning packs on the aircraft produced a slightly lower rate of airflow to the cargo compartment on an intermittent basis. This lower airflow rate affected a small section of the aircraft and may have caused a disruption of temperature in that section of the aircraft,” the MUIS statement said.

In spite of the incident, the korban — an annual Islamic ritual in which livestock are slaughtered and the meat is distributed to worshippers and the needy — was carried out smoothly on Oct 5 at 24 mosques and two Malay/Muslim Organisations organisations, MUIS said.

MUIS explains how Korban sheep died of heat stress
Channel NewsAsia 21 Oct 14;

SINGAPORE: The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) has announced results of investigations into the death of 174 sheep imported from the Australian city of Perth for Korban earlier this month. The sheep were part of a consignment of 2,200 sheep, and their deaths were announced on Oct 4.

MUIS on Tuesday (Oct 21) said a probe by the Agri Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) confirmed earlier findings that the sheep died due to heat stress and that there were no signs of infectious disease.

It also explained how the heat stress likely came about, based on investigations by SIA Cargo. "A few hours into the flight, one of the three air-conditioning packs on the aircraft produced a slightly lower rate of airflow to the cargo compartment on an intermittent basis. This lower airflow rate affected a small section of the aircraft and may have caused a disruption of temperature in that section of the aircraft," MUIS stated. It added that the
aircraft had departed from Perth in fully serviceable condition.

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Dr Yaacob Ibrahim had said the unfortunate incident is a learning point.

MUIS said despite the deaths, this year's Korban was carried out smoothly on Oct 5 at 24 mosques and at two organisations - Jamiyah Singapore and Muhammadiyah Association.

- CNA/ly