Meat and Livestock Australia has promised to do more to prevent torture and the brutal killing of live cattle in overseas abattoirs.

The Federal Government has temporarily halted trade of live cattle to 11 Indonesian facilities after cases of severe animal cruelty were exposed on Four Corners this week.

In a letter to members, Meat and Livestock Australia Chairman, Don Heatley, concedes the organisation has been unsuccessful in addressing animal welfare issues at some overseas processing facilities.

He says it needs to do more.

"We really have got to get on top of it, not just because there has been response and criticism, simply we must get on top of it because it's an animal welfare issue and we just cannot condone this practice going on in that particular market place," he said.