7121.0 - Agricultural Commodities, Australia, 2014-15 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 23/03/2016   
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LIVESTOCK, Australia, year ended 30 June 2015
Number on holding
Change in number on holding since
2013-14
'000
%
CATTLE AND CALVES
Dairy cattle
Cows in milk and dry
1 689
3
Calves (under one year)
450
-2
Heifers (one to two years)
457
-3
Heifers (over two years)
131
-1
All other dairy cattle (a)
83
-14
Total dairy cattle
2 811
0
Meat cattle
Calves (Under one year)
5 501
-8
Cows and heifers (over one year)
12 531
-6
All other meat cattle (a)
6 570
-6
Total meat cattle
24 602
-6
Total cattle and calves
27 413
-6
SHEEP AND LAMBS
Lambs (under one year)
21 638
1
Breeding ewes (one year and over, merino and all other)
39 351
-3
All other sheep and lambs
9 921
-5
Total sheep and lambs
70 910
-2
PIGS
Breeding sows
271
2
All other pigs (b)
2 001
-2
Total pigs
2 272
-2
(a) Includes bulls and steers
(b) Includes boars, gilts, suckers, weaners, growers and finishers


Graph Image for Livestock number on holding

Source(s): Agricultural Commodities, Australia (cat. no. 7121.0)


KEY POINTS
  • The national meat cattle herd declined 6% to 25 million head. This was largely driven by a decrease in the Queensland herd down 12% to 11 million head, due to unseasonable conditions and high export demand.
  • Dairy cattle numbers remained steady in 2014-15. Favourable rainfall in Victoria, and herd expansion in Tasmania drove up herd sizes (up 2% and 8% respectively), offsetting declines in every other state.
  • Total sheep and lambs reported for the 2014-15 year are down 2% to 71 million head. Declines were evident in all major states except South Australia. The largest decrease of sheep was reported in Victoria, with a reduction in the flock of 793,000 (or 5%).