If northern cattle producers, ringers, musterers, livestock transporters, agents and exporters were feeling a little fatigued come December 31 last year, official export shipment data just released for the month might explain why.

It typically takes two months for live export shipping figures to be processed and reported back through Government and industry channels which is why we’re only just seeing the final official data for the full 2013 calendar year now.

But in many ways Meat & Livestock Australia and Livecorp’s latest Livelink report released this morning confirms what everyone in the north already knew – December was a massive month for the live export trade.

The official data confirms that In the final month of last year the northern cattle industry managed to assemble and ship 100,993 cattle to Indonesia, as it responded to the country’s sudden demand for high volume imports to reverse a price-inflating beef shortage. 

In the same month, according to the latest data, the northern industry also managed to ship 12,497 cattle to Vietnam, 7740 to Israel, 4543 to Brunei, and 1915 cattle to Malaysia.

The end of year rush saw Indonesia import 454,152 cattle from Australia during 2013, its highest volume since the 521,000 it imported in 2010.

In addition to Indonesia, the major growth markets for the year were Israel, which took 96pc more cattle than 2012 to total 98,320, and Vietnam, which increased imports by a whopping 1897pc, from just 3353 in 2013 to 66,951 last year.

10 largest destinations for Australian cattle exports in 2013:

1. Indonesia – 454,152  (63pc higher than previous year)
2. Israel – 98,320 (96pc up)
3. Vietnam – 66,951 (1897pc up)
4. China (dairy cattle) – 66,573 (19pc up)
5. Malaysia 47,620 (45pc up)
6. Russia (breeding cattle) 34,584 (11pc down)
7. Philippines 19,412 (40pc down)
8. Japan 13,639 (21pc up)
9. Jordan 11,900 
10. Pakistan (dairy cattle) 11,069 (115pc up)

10 largest ports of loading for Australian cattle exports in 2013:

1. Darwin  345,336   (237,828 in 2012)
2. Fremantle 147,036   (102,931)
3. Portland 97,050    (72,819)
4. Broome 73,099     (88,286)
5. Townsville 65,355   (6023)
6. Wyndham 33,517   (15,784)
7. Karumba 14,519    (11,762)
8. Geraldton 14,498    (10,845)
9. Brisbane 12,899     (10,587)
10. Port Hedland 8300    (7150)