Livestock export industry

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The 2024 live export survey was completed in February

The live export industry is defined as the export of live cattle, sheep, and goats to overseas markets for meat and breeding purposes. A broad range of live animals are transported by air for food and reproductive purposes to overseas destinations, although the primary mode of transport for Australian livestock to overseas markets is by ship.

This survey is funded by the Australian Livestock Export Corporation Ltd (LiveCorp), a not-for-profit industry service provider with approximately 35 members and associate members involved in the export of Australian livestock.

The survey takes about about 15-20 minutes to complete, and community members, aged 18 years and older, who live and/or work in Australia are invited to participate.

The Australian Livestock Export Corporation (LiveCorp) ⁠— a not-for-profit industry group providing technical services and research, development and extension ⁠— has engaged us to help deliver a three year national survey project.

Being a world leader in the export of live cattle, sheep and goats, Australia's live export industry generates more than $1 billion for the economy per year and employs 13,000 people (mainly in regional and rural areas).

However, the industry is facing real social, interest group and political pressure around one of its central components: the welfare of animals.

We help LiveCorp to investigate the nature of the relationship between the Australian community and the Australian live export industry, and to find out how animal welfare fits into a broader industry context of drivers of community trust and acceptance of the industry.

Read the latest report

LiveCorp Export Roadmap - GENERAL DUOTONE - Apr20

The live export industry value chain, or all its component parts from where animals are raised to where responsibility for an animal ends, is long and complex. As LiveCorp’s infographic shows, there are multiple sources of animals, routes to foreign markets, and purposes that animals bred in Australia are used for in overseas countries.

As this infographic also indicates, there are different regulatory and oversight frameworks within which the industry operates at different stages of this process.

Our challenge was to create a research program and set of processes that would cover a broad range of topics and issues in sufficient detail to allow specific analysis and reporting that would meaningfully inform the conversation about live export and help industry participants understand more clearly the nature of their relationship with the Australian community.

National survey report:
Live export and the Australian community

This report details findings from the third national survey of community sentiment toward the live export industry in this program of work, providing an update to and comparison with data collected in 2019-24.

The central aim of this work was to help LiveCorp, along with the whole value chain behind the Australian livestock export industry, plus policy makers and other key industry stakeholders understand the nature of their relationship with the Australian community and the potential pathways to developing trust and acceptance of the industry.

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The 2024 live export survey was completed in February.

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Got a question for us about the project? Give us a call on 1800 232 836 and we'll get back to you to discuss, or send us a message through our contact page!

Learn more about LiveCorp

Learn more about LiveCorp's mission to improve the live export industry's performance in animal health and welfare, supply chain efficiency, and market access.

Find out how it works

Want to know how to run a similar project in your industry? Download our brochure to take a look at what we do and contact us to find a solution suitable for your unique needs.