Australia already sends significant amounts of chilled meat to most markets that receive our live animals, however lack of cold chain storage infrastructure and cultural demands means live export has not been completely phased out.
Many of the countries Australia exports live animals to, do not have extensive cold chain storage infrastructure to accommodate solely chilled meats. There are issues t with consumer demands regarding freshness and meeting religious requirements.
Importing high quality Australian animals also ensures national food security in the event of wars, natural disasters and pandemics that halt international trade.