Australia: Slaughter continues to fall

Australian beef production continued to decline from Q1 2020, at 443,476 tonnes for the same quarter of 2021.

Similarly, cattle slaughter has declined every quarter since last year, currently standing at 1,413,700 in March 2021.

On the other hand, adult carcass weights rose to a record high of 313.7 kg on average due to improved seasonal conditions and greater forage availability. The incentive to add extra pounds in the growing cattle market in 2020 and early 2021 has also led to an increase in fattening weight, along with a high rate of grain cattle fattening, which, according to ALFA Lot's feeding analysis, was 47% (the highest figure for 20 years).

Higher carcass weights have helped offset the significant decline in bovine slaughter to some extent, as evidenced by the fact that beef production is not declining at the same rate as slaughter.  

At the same time, lamb production in March 2021 amounted to 120,816 tons, which is 5% lower than the level of December 2020 and 9% lower than the level of March 2020. Lamb slaughter was down 7% from December 2020 and 8% from March 2020.

Lamb carcass weight across all states improved from December levels to a national average of 24.6 kg, up 0.6 kg from December 2020 and only 0.2 kg less than last year year.

Optimal conditions for raising lambs and high labeling rates in key regions have made it possible to support lamb production relatively well, sector participants note.

On the other hand, mutton production was down 16% from December levels and 38% from last year to 33,778 tons. The slaughter rate is down 12% from December and 39% from March 2020 to 1,356,500 heads.

Carcass weight has decreased by 1.4 kg compared to December 2020 levels, but this is 0.7 kg more than in March 2020.

Lamb production continues to decline due to the retention of breeding sheep on farms to restore the sheep HEAD.