Meat and Livestock Australia reports today that exports for August declined 12pc year-on-year to 69,526 tonnes (shipped weight) – the lowest August total for five years, according to figures from Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

MLA says the trucking strike, which impacted cattle transport and sales early in the month, resulted in a 47pc year-on-year decline in slaughter during the first week of the month.

The flow on effect saw exports out of Queensland for August down 20pc on the same period last year, to 40,518t.

Export volumes declined to most major markets during August, with shipments to the US, Korea and Japan all below the same period last year.

However, as has been the trend in 2008, the decline in volumes to Australia’s three main beef export markets was also influenced by increased demand and shipments to CIS (mostly Russia) and South East Asia.