Australia has suspended cattle supply to a feedlot and several abattoirs in Vietnam amid an investigation into alleged animal cruelty, according to the ABC.

In a joint statement released by Cattle Council of Australia and the Australian Livestock Exporters Council, the peak bodies said they were “focused on ensuring that the wellbeing and welfare of livestock was provided for at all times”.

The statement was issued in response to news that anti-live export group Animals Australia had supplied the Federal Department of Agriculture with video footage showing animals being killed with sledgehammers.

“So evidence of animal cruelty for any animal affects us and is taken seriously by the entire Australian red meat and livestock sector,” the statement reads.

“The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) has advised us that it has commenced an investigation following evidence provided to them by Animals Australia of the brutal use of sledgehammers to slaughter alleged Australian cattle at an abattoir in Vietnam.

“The industry understands that the evidence provided to the department today relates to an abattoir not approved to receive livestock exported from Australia, but that Animals Australia alleges Australian cattle are being supplied to non-approved abattoirs in the Phu Xuygen (Bai do) district and that non-approved practices are being used in ESCAS approved abattoirs.”

ALEC chief executive officer Alison Penfold told the ABC, she was still seeking to obtain the video footage.

“We’re aware that the footage contains images of sledgehammering, but nothing to suggest that there’s any reporting of flooding [cattle],” she said.

“Clearly we’d like access to the footage, because we’d like to know what the allegations are so we can consider and take further steps where necessary.

“It’s certainly frustrating that we’ve not been provided access to vision despite numerous requests both to the Department of Agriculture and directly to Animals Australia.”

Ms Penfold said the suspended feedlot was owned by one of Vietnam’s biggest importers of Australian cattle and buffalo, Animex, based in Hai Phong, northern Vietnam. It had been suspended before due to animal welfare breaches.

“This particular facility has been in and out of the trade over the last 12 months,” she told the ABC.

“It’s disappointing that if the allegations are proven, then this facility, which was given a second chance after it met the requirements to be re-admitted, if proven, it’s not only breached the contractual obligations but frankly breached the good faith extended to them, and I’d doubt they’ll receive cattle again.”

Australia exported more than 360,000 cattle to Vietnam in 2015. Animex alone imported 75,000 between 2012 and the start of 2015.

Animals Australia in May last year lodged a complaint to Australia’s agriculture department, saying it has “shocking and distressing” footage showing slaughterhouse workers in northern Vietnam give Australian cattle repeated blows to the head with a sledgehammer.

But Australia did not suspend cattle exports to the country at the time.

– with other agencies