Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Exports of live animals from Australia to increase

Updated at 10:22 am on 31 October 2010

Exports of live sheep and cattle from Australia are set to grow.

The ABC reports the industry, which is worth about $A1.2 billion, is using new ships which can take more animals even further.

Live export company Wellard says some customer nations prefer to be able to do their own slaughtering for religious reasons, or because of a lack of refrigeration. Others want animals for breeding.

Executive director Steve Meerwald said there had been a significant reliance on exports to Indonesia, smaller destinations in South East Asia and the Gulf.

"But we're now seeing a reinvigoration of some past markets and Egypt is a case in point; countries like Turkey, Russia, China, Mexico," he said.

Mr Meerwald also said there is increasing demand for animals for breeding purposes and herd expansion.

"Like South East Asia it started with small numbers, but there is certainly the knowledge, the awareness and the skills now and the vessels to be able to take increasingly large numbers on the long haul trade," he said.

"Very successful shipments of bigger numbers going to Russia and that looks like expanding even further."

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