Livestock exports by sea statistics
As a condition of obtaining an Animal Welfare Export Certificate (AWEC) for the export of livestock by sea, there were reporting requirements for exporters during and following the voyage. Our guidance document has further details on the conditions the livestock were exporter under. Note that from 30 April 2023, the export of livestock by sea was banned.
Guidance document – Livestock export by sea: Guidance for cattle [PDF, 642 KB]
If you have questions about voyage, and post-arrival reports or exporting live animals, email animalexports@mpi.govt.nz
Voyage report summary – live sheep export
Only one consignment of sheep has been exported by sea since 2008. It was a shipment of 45,112 sheep to Mexico, which departed Timaru on 11 June 2015 on the vessel Nada.
The voyage took 15 days and mortality rate in the sheep was 0.42% with 191 sheep deaths.
Read MPI’s media release about sheep unloaded in Mexico
Voyage report summaries – live cattle exports
Summaries of consignments (greater than 20 animals) of cattle exported by sea from 2015 until April 2023 show the mortality rates for each voyage. The summaries also include the port of export, vessel name, and the voyage length. Where significant mortalities occurred, a short explanation of the reason is given. These shipments had resulted in MPI requesting further information from the exporter and a re-evaluation of systems that caused the deaths.
