CATTLE export volumes from Australia in April surged to the highest monthly total of the year to date, but notably no shipments were sent to the second largest market of Vietnam during the month.

Australia exported 81,780 in April, the highest monthly total since December when 91,013 cattle shipped.

The April total is 23 percent above the five-year rolling average for the month.

The bulk of exports for the month went to Indonesia, which took 65,655 from Darwin (45,482 head), Townsville (14,906) and Broome (5277). Of the total exported to Indonesia in April, 64,629 head were feeder cattle and 1037 were productive cattle.

There were no shipments to Vietnam in April, representing the first month in more than two years that the market has received no cattle from Australia, with exporters reporting some challenges with price and margins, but also that the trade is still operating despite the April lapse.

For the second month in succession more than 6000 dairy heifers were exported to China, while 3681 of feeder cattle were shipped to Israel in April.

The other primary destination for Australian cattle in April was Mexico, which took a shipment of 4995 dairy heifers from Portland, Vic, the second of what is expected to be four shipments to the market this year.