Australian live cattle exports to Indonesia during October totalled 39,424 head, steady with the corresponding period last year (39,835 head), according to the latest live export statistics released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Live cattle exports to all markets for October totalled 68,236 head, down 28pc year-on-year.

With the cessation of exports throughout June and July, total Australian live cattle exports to Indonesia for January to October were 332,024 head – a decline of 29pc, or 132,512 head, on the corresponding period in 2010.

However, reports of cattle shipments to Indonesia in November and early December may see exports for 2011 exceed 400,000 head.

The other markets to receive cattle throughout October included Israel (13,671 head), Turkey (4,261 head), Malaysia (3,102 head), China (2,870 head), Brunei (2,060 head) and Japan (2,010 head).

Released this week, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) Agricultural Commodities forecast Australian live cattle exports (feeder and slaughter cattle only) for the 2011-12 financial year at 500,000 head – 31.3% below the 728,000 head shipped in 2010-11. For July to October 2011 (feeder and slaughter cattle only), exports were back 35pc year-on-year, at 195,750 head.

Source: Meat and Livestock Australia