March 12, 2010

Steady start for Australia live cattle exports

Australian live cattle exports have started 2010 on a steady note, totalling 67,982 head, with shipments to Indonesia continuing to underpin the trade.

Given the seasonality of the live cattle trade, numbers were back significantly from the final two months of 2009, as the onset of the wet season impacted cattle movements.

Exports to Indonesia for January totalled 50,395 head, up on-year, but well below the 85,000 head and 71,000 head shipped in November and December, respectively. Libya was Australia's second largest market in January, at 9,739 head, followed by China (5,950 head), Japan (1,848 head) and Kuwait (50 head).