Australian exporters shipped 136,285 cattle valued at A$119 million during September, data released yesterday shows.

That takes the total of cattle exported for the first nine months of 2014 to 956,935 head (Australian Bureau of Statistics).

Demand for Australian cattle strengthened across most markets for the month, with increased shipments across Asia and developing markets.

Strong interest in Indonesia continued into September, with live cattle shipments accounting for 65pc of overall numbers, at 89,038 head and valued at A$64.1 million FOB, carrying the January-to-September figure to 532,998 head.

The second largest live cattle export market in September was Egypt, at 17,400 head, with the calendar year-to-September at 27,900 head.

Numbers to China were 11,188 head, with the nine-month total at 86,426 head, while September shipments to Malaysia and Vietnam were 6,181 head and 5,965 head, respectively.

September saw Australian live sheep exports total 96,399 head and valued at A$13.8 million FOB, with the first nine months of the year at 1.69 million head.

The largest market in September was Bahrain, accounting for 31% of total shipments, at 30,000 head, with the nine-month total at 204,865 head.

Oman took the second largest shipment for the month, at 20,000 head, with the first nine months at 56,646 head. Live sheep exports to the UAE totalled 17,298 head in September, with January-to-September at 147,443 head.

There were 15,464 live goats exported in September, valued at A$1.5 million FOB, with the nine-month total at 67,612 head. The majority of shipments were sent to Malaysia, at 15,015 head, carrying the calendar year-to-September to 62,090 head.

Source: Meat & Livestock Australia