This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the performance of the livestock export industry in terms of mortality rates of sheep, cattle and goats exported by sea and air from Australia during 2018. The report provides a breakdown of mortality trends by ship, species, time of year, load ports and major destinations.

The overall mortality rate for sheep during sea transport during 2018 was 0.46% (5,202 mortalities in 1.14 million sheep exported). This was a 36% fall compared the mortality rate of 0.71% observed in 2017.

The overall mortality rate for cattle during sea transport during 2018 was 0.12% (1,327 mortalities in 1.12 million cattle exported). This was a slight increase on the rate of 0.10% observed in 2017. A nil mortality rate was recorded on 23% of cattle voyages in 2018.  

No goats were exported by sea from Australia in 2017. Air transport remains the primary mode of carriage for live goat exports from Australia.