Animal use in research in Queensland has a long history – one closely tied to agriculture and veterinary science, and shaped by institutions such as the University of Queensland (UQ). Over time, this work has grown through collaborations between universities, government departments, and national research organisations, largely in response to the demands of Queensland’s large and expanding livestock industries.
At a time when the use of animals in research is being more widely questioned, it’s worth asking not how these systems can be made more efficient, but whether they should exist at all.
Early agricultural animal research in Queensland
One of the earliest and most influential centres for animal experimentation in Queensland was the Animal Research Institute at Yeerongpilly in Brisbane. Established in 1909 as the “Stock Experiment Station”, the facility was created to investigate diseases affecting cattle and other farmed animals.
Research conducted there included veterinary pathology, microbiology, and the development of vaccines and disease control methods, work that would go on to shape Queensland’s livestock industries for decades.
The station played a key role in addressing diseases in cattle and later contributed to programs targeting brucellosis and tuberculosis.
Between the 1930s and 1960s the institute expanded significantly, hosting laboratories used by CSIRO alongside facilities for UQ’s veterinary school. Together, these institutions helped establish Queensland as a major centre for livestock research in Australia.
Much of this work focused on animals commonly used in agriculture – cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens – investigating disease, reproduction, and productivity. While framed as scientific and economic progress, these programs were ultimately designed to strengthen and sustain systems built on animal use and suffering.
University of Queensland veterinary and livestock research
The University of Queensland (UQ) became increasingly involved in animal research through the development of its veterinary and animal science programs. Early training was closely tied to the Yeerongpilly site, before expanding to the Gatton campus.
Today, UQ’s Queensland Animal Science Precinct (QASP) at Gatton continues this work. The facility supports research into livestock nutrition, disease management, reproduction, behaviour, biosecurity, and “food safety” – all aimed at improving efficiency within animal agriculture systems.
The campus includes specialised facilities where cows, pigs, and chickens are housed and used for teaching and research, reflecting the use of these animals in Queensland for agricultural purposes.
Government agricultural research programs
Alongside university research, the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has operated a network of research stations focused on livestock production and animal health.
Across the state, these facilities have supported experimental work on cattle, sheep, pigs, and chickens – examining breeding, nutrition, parasite control, and disease response. This work has played a key role in shaping Queensland as one of Australia’s largest livestock-producing regions.
Research That Helps Suffering Continue
Recent research conducted by the University of Queensland highlights how these agricultural systems are maintained rather than meaningfully challenged or changed.
A 2023 study examining heat stress in feedlot cattle observed just 13 animals in a controlled environment, aiming to understand how they responded to artificially induced high temperatures. Funded by Meat & Livestock Australia and the University of Queensland, the study focused on how cattle might better cope with heat stress – rather than questioning the conditions that expose them to it in the first place.
The authors themselves acknowledge several limitations, including the small sample size, short duration, and constraints in behavioural observation. These limitations raise questions about how broadly the findings can be applied, and reflect a wider pattern in which research seeks to manage the impacts of intensive systems, rather than address the underlying causes of animal suffering within them.
Also in 2023, the University of Queensland, supported by Meat & Livestock Australia Pty Ltd., LiveCorp, and the Australian Government, subjected over 200 merino sheep to simulated live export conditions in an attempt to examine how the animals responded to “hot and humid climatic conditions”. Given the funding sources and the history of research conducted by Meat & Livestock Australia Pty Ltd. and LiveCorp, this research is likely to have been conducted in an attempt to support the live export trade from Australia in the face of a ban on the live export of sheep which will come into effect from 1 May 2028.
Again, the research did not explore the systems of animal suffering, ones which ultimately end in slaughter. At the end of the research project, 26 of the sheep were dissected to more closely examine the stressors of the experiments. The remaining sheep were returned to the farm.
Science Without Suffering
Excitingly, in Queensland there are also initiatives working to move beyond animal use altogether. One such example is Gelomics Pty Ltd, a Brisbane‑based biotech company developing advanced human tissue models that aim to reduce reliance on animal testing in biomedical research. Rather than using live animals,
Gelomics’ technology enables researchers to grow human‑relevant tissues in the lab, offering more predictive and ethical models that can improve drug discovery and disease modelling. This shift towards human‑centred science not only has the potential to speed up medical breakthroughs, but also to dramatically reduce the number of animals used in research worldwide.
Questioning Animal Research in Queensland
Overall, animal use in research in Queensland has largely developed to support and expand animal agriculture. Institutions such as the Yeerongpilly Animal Research Institute, government research stations, and the University of Queensland have played central roles in building this system, one that continues to prioritise productivity and efficiency over the welfare of the animals within it.
As this research in Queensland evolves, so too must our expectations. Rather than continuing to attempt to refine systems that rely on animal suffering, we must question and challenge them. We can do this together and as individuals. One of the most immediate ways we can individually support progress is by choosing to remove animal products from our diets and buying products which have not been tested on animals.
These systems continue because they are accepte, but the moment we begin to question them and change our choices, a different future becomes possible. We can all be part of this change.