The partnership was a good match, because Mr Kaus had more than 20 years of experience in the livestock trade. He started out as a boat stockman then became senior marketing executive with Carabao Exports, which pioneered many of the South East Asian markets in the late 1980s.

Mr Parker was involved in the Northern Territory pastoral industry for more than half a century and had a wealth of knowledge which would be valuable in helping manage the Australian operations, while Mr Kaus could live in Asia and concentrate on marketing and servicing the clients.

Mr Kaus and Mr Parker then engaged well-known northern cattle buyer Steve Grose to source cattle for the northern Australia operation.

From humble beginnings, SEALS toiled away as independent operators competing against large corporate export and pastoral companies during the rapid rise of live cattle exports in 1996 and early 1997.

The main focus of the business has always been personalised service with a particular focus on supplying a select group of feedlot operators with quality cattle at a competitive price.

The growing demand in Asia, particularly Indonesia which now accounts for over 80 percent of the total live cattle export market, is for high-quality Bos Indicus cattle to be value-added in feedlots.

The preference for Bos Indicus is because the breed handles the humid conditions in Asia, where humidity can reach 90pc, far better than other breeds not used in tropical climates.

SEALS' major markets are Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, exporting in excess of 80,000 head a year.

SEALS use full-time carriers MV Molumat and MV Norman, and spot charter other vessels from northern ports on importer demand.

By 2006, the SEALS principals identified a need to bring in another member to their management team in order to continue to be able to offer the personalised service their clients had come to expect.

As a result, they engaged WA-based live cattle export identity Dean Ryan to manage WA operations.

Mr Dean has had more than 10 years of industry experience in the Northern Territory and WA, and has a vast network of WA contacts.