Shipments to almost all of Australia’s major livestock export markets are running well above year-ago levels, according to the latest export figures released overnight.

Exports to Indonesia from June 2013 to April 2014 totaled 493,874 head, 140pc higher than the corresponding period of the 2012-13 financial year.

One year ago Vietnam ranked as Australia’s 11th largest livestock export market, with imports of 8900 cattle.

Sky-rocketing demand since that time has seen exports for the year to date current to April soar to 112,982 head , propelling Vietnam into the position of Australia’s second largest market.

Exports to most other key markets are also significantly outpacing year-earlier levels. Shipments are up by 140pc to both Israel (96,691) and Russia (47,735) and exports to Malaysia have increased by 29pc year-on-year to 42,166 cattle.

Shipments to China, which imports dairy and beef breeding cattle, have also risen by 66pc this financial year to 75,583. Australia is currently working with China to develop a protocol that would open the way for exports of feeder and slaughter cattle to commence as well.

Australian live cattle exports in April totalled 170,435 head – more than double last year’s level and the greatest monthly volume on record.

Meanwhile latest shipment figures from the Northern Territory Livestock Exporters Association indicate that the port of Darwin has now exported 373,421 cattle for the 2013-14 financial year, positioning it close to an all time record.

Official export data supplied by LiveCorp indicates that the Port of Darwin exported 457,720 cattle in 1997. The highest exports for a calendar year recorded since that time was 359,307 cattle in 2008.