The majority of live exporters get it right and the south-east Asian live export trade is a real success story.
For the three months to end of March 2018 the Indonesian market imported just over 100,000 head. This was a 26 per cent increase on the numbers imported during the same period in 2017.
The two main reasons for this increase were that the Indonesian lotfeeders had to have cattle on feed by March 30 to ensure they had cattle fed and ready for the Hari Raya which begins mid-May with the start of fasting, and finishes 30 days later, with Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
In addition the price was about 10 to 15pc cheaper than 2017, encouraging importers to take a few more cattle.
Wellard, for instance, in this time had shipped 18,700 head. A particularly pleasing part is that Wellard continue to post excellent delivery records, losing less than one head in every 1000 cattle shipped. (In fact, Wellard have lost just 13 head over the past three months).
My understanding is that other exporters share similar success rates in their shipments. This is a strong indication that the south-est Asian trade continues to put welfare as a high priority.
WLD Price at posting:
11.0¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
