Beef production in Australia fell to 497,306 tonnes in the first quarter of 2010 from the fourth quarter of 2009 and dropped 6.3% on-year, the government's Bureau of Statistics said Friday (May 14).

The total number of cattle slaughtered in the first quarter, excluding calves, reached 1.83 million beasts, down 2.7% on the fourth quarter and down 7.6% on-year.

Live cattle exports fell 22% to 204,000 beasts, while live sheep exports fell 31% to 714,000.

Australia exports two-thirds of its beef production to the major markets of Japan, the US, South Korea and Southeast Asian nations, with the level of exports closely tied to production.