Importing Australian Cattle

Australia is one of the world's largest suppliers of live cattle, and Australian dairy genetics in particular are sought after everywhere milk is produced at scale. If you are building a dairy herd, restocking after drought or disease, or establishing a beef breeding operation, we can source the animals and manage the process of getting them to your port.

Why Australian cattle

Animal health status. Australia's geographic isolation and strict biosecurity mean it remains free of foot-and-mouth disease and BSE. For an importing country's veterinary authority, that status is often the single biggest factor in approving a source country at all, and it is why Australian cattle are accepted into markets that close their borders to other origins.

Traceability. Every head of cattle in Australia carries an NLIS electronic device and is traceable to its property of origin through a national database. Movement records, vendor declarations and treatment histories follow the animal. That paper trail is what allows health certification to be issued with confidence.

Genetics. Australian herds have been selectively bred for generations under commercial conditions — for milk yield, fertility, calving ease, temperament and, in the north, for genuine heat and tick tolerance. Animals bred in tropical and subtropical Australia adapt to comparable climates far better than European stock.

Welfare standards. Export consignments are governed by the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL), which set requirements for pre-export preparation, stocking density, feed and water, ventilation and veterinary attendance on the voyage. Well-handled animals arrive in condition to perform.

Dairy cattle

Australian dairy heifers are the most requested category we handle, and for good reason — a well-bred heifer transforms a herd's production within one generation.

Dairy heifers are typically supplied in-calf, at a specified age and weight range and confirmed pregnant to a nominated sire before shipment. Specifications are agreed with you in writing before any animal is committed.

Beef cattle

If you are unsure which breed suits your climate and system, tell us the conditions rather than the breed name. Rainfall, temperature range, feed base, parasite pressure and your intended market determine the answer, and matching the animal to the country is the difference between a herd that thrives and one that struggles.

How the process works

Every consignment follows broadly the same path. Timelines vary considerably by destination, because each importing country sets its own requirements.

1. Enquiry and specification

You tell us the destination country and port, the number of head, breed preference, age and weight range, and whether the animals are for breeding or production. We confirm what is realistic and what it depends on.

2. Import protocol and permit

Your country's veterinary authority sets the health protocol — the tests, treatments and certifications required before animals may enter. An import permit is issued to you as the importer. This step governs everything that follows, and nothing can be quoted accurately until the protocol is known.

3. Sourcing and selection

We identify animals matching your specification from Australian properties, with health and production records. Independent inspection and pregnancy testing can be arranged where relevant.

4. Pre-export quarantine

Animals are assembled at a registered premises for a period set by the destination protocol. During this time they are held under veterinary supervision, tested, treated, and prepared for the voyage — including acclimatising them to shipboard feed.

5. Health testing and certification

Testing follows the import protocol exactly. An Australian Government accredited veterinarian issues the health certificate, and the export documentation is completed by the licensed exporter.

6. Transport and shipping

Larger consignments travel by purpose-built livestock vessel; smaller or high-value consignments, particularly breeding animals, often travel by air. Stockmen and a veterinarian accompany sea voyages in line with ASEL requirements.

7. Arrival and aftercare

Animals discharge into your quarantine facility. We stay available through the settling-in period — how the first weeks are managed has a real effect on how quickly the animals return to production.

The regulations, briefly

Four frameworks govern any Australian livestock export, and it is worth understanding them before you deal with anyone in this trade:

• Export licence. The exporter must hold a livestock export licence issued by DAFF.
• ASEL. The Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock govern sourcing, preparation, loading and the voyage itself.
• ESCAS. The Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System requires exporters to demonstrate control and traceability through to the point of slaughter for feeder and slaughter livestock. Breeding cattle are not subject to ESCAS, which is one reason breeder consignments are often more straightforward.
• Importing country requirements. Your own authority's protocol and import permit sit on top of all of the above, and take precedence.

Make an enquiry

To give you a useful answer first time, include as much of the following as you can:

• Destination country and discharge port
• Number of head required
• Breed preference, or a description of your climate and system
• Purpose — dairy production, breeding, or beef
• Preferred age and weight range
• Whether you already hold an import permit
• Your target timeframe

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New to Australian cattle? Our guide to ten cattle breeds you'll find on Australian farms is a good place to understand what each breed is actually bred for before you specify a consignment.