But Mr Klowss hasn’t sold any sheep for live export for about 12 to 18 months. And in recent weeks he and other farmers have been left pondering the future of live exports, after Nine's 60 Minutes aired sickening footage of distressed and dying animals on a voyage to Qatar last year.

Mr Klowss believes the industry will survive, and that the changes announced by the federal government “will be good, as long as they’re enforced. They need to be enforced. And that footage needs never to be repeated,” he said.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud announced the government will impose a reduction in the number of sheep packed onto vessels and increase the ventilation on ships in a push to alleviate heat stress during the northern summer months.

Mr Klowss said the footage was “very damning” and “disgusting”, and weeks after it was aired and remains shocked that the animals could have been exposed to the conditions they were.

“It was disgusting, I think that’s the only word for it,” he says. “It should never have happened.”

The 43-year-old, whose enterprise is based mainly on cropping, although livestock is a significant component, said proper care for livestock was non-negotiable.

Looking after stock is “of the highest importance".

"I’ve got a very high requirement for our stock to be in good condition. I just can’t handle stock not being right,” he said.

Mr Klowss acknowledged the negative public perception of the live export trade, adding that bad live export incidents hurt agriculture more broadly.

But he said many people “probably wouldn’t realise that the stock that are actually going onto these boats are actually the best of the best, so to speak. When we’re supplying them, it’s premium product over anything else".

It was disgusting, I think that’s the only word for it.

Sheep farmer Brian Klowss

In recent days the controversial trade has been in the news again, with protests held in Melbourne, Sydney and other Australian cities calling for a ban of live exports.