Source: LiveCorp 2024 State of the Industry report

AUSTRALIA exported a total of 1.16 million livestock by sea and air in 2024, valued at more than $911 million (AUD FOB).

That included 722,085 cattle – 16 percent higher in volume than 2023, but 10 percent down in value at $858.8 million, reflecting lower per head cattle prices year-on-year in 2024.

Sheep exports for the year totalled 430,000 head – 37 percent less than the previous year, and 41 percent lower in value at $43.8 million.

The balance of exported livestock comprised 14,429 goats – 1 percent down in volume on 2023 but 6pc higher in value at $7.4m – and 1442 buffalo – 41pc below the previous year and 38pc down on value at $1.4m.

The data is drawn from LIVEXCollect, the platform approved by the livestock export regulator – the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry – for reporting data from pre-export quarantine yards, sea voyages and air exports, in addition to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

A summary of the data for 2024 has just been released by LiveCorp, with more detail included in a 20-page State of the Industry report (available for download as a PDF at this link).

The data shows that in total 297 consignments were exported by sea.

Of those 91pc went to South East Asia, primarily cattle to Indonesia and Vietnam, with an average voyage length to South East Asia of 8.2 days.

3pc were exported to North Asia, primarily dairy cattle from southern Australia to China, with an average voyage length of 19.7 days.

6pc went to the Middle East and North Africa, primarily sheep from WA to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kuwait, with an average voyage length of 21.3 days.

The annual mortality rate for cattle exported by sea and air in 2024 was 0.06pc, marginally higher than the previous year (0.05pc).

In March 2024, 151 cattle died on a shipment from Australia to Indonesia. The findings of the regulator’s subsequent investigation indicated botulism as the most likely cause. The investigation confirmed the mortalities during transit were related to an existing animal health condition as the cattle were exposed to the botulism-causing bacteria while in Australia, and the investigation found the event was not related to or caused by any failure of exporter processes and controls or transport related factors.

Excluding the shipment of cattle affected by botulism, the annual mortality rate for 2024 at a record low of 0.04pc, the report stated.

The annual mortality rate for sheep exported by sea and air in 2024 was 0.12pc, down from 0.18pc the previous year and the lowest annual mortality rate ever recorded for sheep, according to the report.

Community sentiment

The report also contains the most recent results of annual surveys conducted for the past five years analysing community sentiment to the livestock export trade.

The surveys are carried by a third-party, Voconiq, on behalf of the industry, demonstrate the many Australians hold balanced views of the industry, rather than the binary, adversarial attitudes described by its critics, the report said.

LiveCorp CEO Wayne Collier said the State of the Industry reports are designed to provide facts and figures that answer common questions, as well as details on key research and other activities in areas such as animal welfare.

Mr Collier said that, while mortality is not a perfect measure of performance, it remains the primary measure used by the regulator as it is absolute, objective and comparable over time.

“Mortality rates for both sheep and cattle have been trending down in recent years, with sheep reaching a record low of 0.12pc in 2024.

“This is comparable to the performance of sheep farms, when converted to a daily rate.”

He said shipboard data clearly showed the majority of both sheep and cattle adapted quickly to their new surroundings after being loaded, and remained settled through to discharge.

“It has also identified that, while there are not a lot of injuries and illness, one of the common causes for health treatments is leg injuries.

“To address this, trials were conducted in 2024 by installing rubber matting in feedlots and on loading ramps as well as on ships, with the added traction successfully reducing the risk of cattle and sheep losing their footing.

“Pioneering research also began in 2024 to create a system capable of better interpreting the shipboard data and providing insights to help inform real-time decision-making to improve welfare outcomes.”