Australia's live export industry has suspended cattle shipments to three Indonesian slaughterhouses in what is seen as a bid to pre-empt a program on ABC TV.

As Four Corners prepares for Monday's broadcast of footage taken at a slaughterhouse in Indonesia, the live export industry is panicking.

It fears the story will trigger a Federal Government ban on the $500 million industry.

The horrific footage of animal cruelty, taken by animal rights campaigners, shows cattle being inhumanely slaughtered at Indonesian abattoirs.

It is said to be worse than an expose into live cattle exports to Egypt five years ago, which forced the Australian Government to suspend trade.

Cameron Hall, the chief executive of LiveCorp, the live export industry's research and marketing organisation, says the footage shows "unacceptable and unnecessary" practices.

"Cruelty is not an everyday occurrence in the Indonesian marketplace," he said.

"We were provided the footage so that we could then do an interview for Four Corners.

"Immediately upon seeing that footage, we've acted. Same day. And we've received acceptance and agreement from the Indonesian industry to suspend the supply of Australian cattle."

Animal welfare group the RSPCA has long campaigned for a ban on live cattle exports, which are sent from northern Australian ports.

The RSPCA would not be interviewed today, instead releasing a statement saying the meat industry only acts when animal cruelty is revealed.

"This is a predictable and completely unacceptable public relations response," the statement said.

"LiveCorp and Meat and Livestock Australia are completely aware of their culpability in animal cruelty in Indonesia and are terrified that it's about to be exposed.

"MLA and LiveCorp are beyond redemption. They've known what is going on in Indonesia for over a decade.

"When the situation in Indonesia is revealed it will be abundantly clear that the only acceptable solution will be a ban on live exports to that country."

'Multitude of horrors'

Mr Hall says the industry is committed to improving welfare.

"The footage I saw is just simply unacceptable. That's why we moved straight away to ensure that no more Australian cattle are going to those facilities until suitable standards and practices can be proven to be in those facilities and used every time an animal comes through them," he said.

The live export industry has halted exports to three Indonesian abattoirs, but that still leaves more than 100 still operating.

And this is not the first time cattle exporters have had to defend live exports.

At the start of the year, the industry and Federal Government released a report into Indonesian meatworks.

The report said animal welfare conditions in the Indonesian livestock trade was generally good.

But the report outlines one case at an abattoir in Sumatra, where a cow's neck was slashed 18 times before it died.

It found it had generally taken four throat cuts to kill an animal, rather than the recommended one cut.

The RSPCA said the January report showed a "multitude of horrors".

At the time, Mr Hall said training in Indonesia was improving - something he still maintains.

"We're working very closely with the Indonesian authorities, with the Indonesian industry and with the Australian Government as well to ensure that the welfare of animals in the marketplace is not only Indonesia but in all marketplaces continues to improve," he said.

In 2006, then-Coalition agriculture minister Peter McGauran suspended trade to Egypt after he saw 60 Minutes footage of cattle having their throats half slashed open, before thrashing around in their own blood.

Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig has not seen the latest Indonesian Four Corners footage and will not comment until he does.

In a statement to the ABC he said he has repeatedly requested the footage so he can launch an investigation.

The Indonesian livestock trade is big business for Australia, with more than 500,000 cattle exported there last year.

Cattle are mainly exported from the Port of Darwin in the Northern Territory, and Broome and Wyndham in Western Australia.

The Northern Territory cattle industry generates more than $400 million directly and $800 million indirectly for the Territory economy.

About 300,000 head of cattle are exported from Darwin to Indonesia each year.

Four Corners airs on Monday at 8.30pm on ABC1.