A consignment of 199 stud heifers from the Northern Territory is acclimatising to life in an Indonesian breeding program after being flown from Darwin to Jakarta in a Boeing 747 on the weekend.

The breeder of the cattle, Reg Underwood from Bunda Station, spent most of last Saturday night and early Sunday morning working with his stud master Brent McCarthy, exporter Adam Armstrong and livestock airfreight specialist Simon Jackson to load the cattle into specialised crates under the clearance of supervising AQIS vets.

Mr McCarthy accompanied the cattle on the 3.5 hour flight to Jakarta.

He will stay with them for the last leg of their journey to a stud farm on the island of Sumatra, and will oversee a training and familiarisation program for the heifers’ new Indonesian handlers.

The heifers will form part of a nucleus herd that will produce high quality offspring to seed genetic improvement in the region.

Mr Underwood was originally told he may have to truck the cattle to Sydney before they could be airlifted, however work by Northern Territory minister for primary industries Willem Westra van Holthe to overcome approval issues with the Darwin

Airport Corporation ensured the flight was able to be conducted out of Darwin.

Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association president David Warriner said the consignment highlighted the important role Darwin plays as a regional trade hub and as Australia’s doorstep to Asia.

He said the export of breeding stock to Indonesia was unlikely to threaten Australia’s future capacity to supply feeder and slaughter cattle to Indonesia as well.

“You only have to spend some time in Indonesia and understand the enormous economic and social development that is driving accelerated demand for protein and seriously challenging local production capacity,” Mr Warriner said.

“While there is currently a reduced quota for live cattle and beef from Australia, we believe that there will be ample room for Indonesian growth in production, and Australian exports of live cattle and beef in the longer term.

“Relationships play a critical role and we need to be doing a lot more to grow our relationship with Indonesia, and between the farmers and producers of our two countries.

“This shipment of stud cattle is very important, and testament to Reg Underwood who has contributed greatly to the Brahman breed in northern Australia.”

Willem Westra van Holthe said the air-borne cargo was a sign of the strengthening relationship between Indonesia and Australia after the disruption caused by the Commonwealth’s 2011 ban on live exports.

“This was a valuable exercise which sent a very clear message to Indonesian cattle producers that the Territory is a committed friend and trading partner,” Mr Westra van Holthe said.

NT Cattleman’s Association executive director, Luke Bowen, welcomed the NT Government’s intervention to make the unique order happen.

“It’s not every day Territory Brahmans quite literally fly cattle class from Darwin Airport and I hope there will be further shipments in the future,” he said.