Livestock Slaughtering Collection

   Page tools:

    NAME OF ORGANISATION
    Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

    OVERVIEW
    The statistics on slaughtering and meat production for human consumption are based on a monthly collection from abattoirs and other major slaughtering establishments and include estimates of animals slaughtered on farms and by country butchers and other small slaughtering establishments.

    The data are collected on a State basis and then aggregated to derive Australian totals.

    PURPOSE
    Livestock slaughtering and meat produced are published in Livestock and Meat, Australia - Electronic Publication (ABS Cat No. 7218.0.55.00) each month and Livestock Products, Australia (ABS Cat. No. 7215.0) each quarter. Data are primarily used by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Resource Economics, the Department of Primary Industries and Energy, Meat and Livestock Australia, and other research and industry organisations to monitor the meat production levels.

    The data are also used as input to the calculation of the Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia and the Australian National Accounts.

    SCOPE
    Larger abattoirs and other slaughtering establishments which service both the domestic and export markets.

    DATA DETAIL

    Conceptual framework
    The cattle data is based on livestock slaughtering and meat production, collected each month from abattoirs and other major slaughtering establishments. It also includes estimates of animals slaughtered on farms and by country butchers and other small slaughtering establishments.

    The data only relate to slaughtering for human consumption and do not include animals condemned or those killed for boiling down.

    Main outputs
    1. The number ('000) of livestock slaughtering by State and Australia, and the Australia level Seasonally Adjusted and Trend Estimate series for the following categories:

    • Bulls, Bullocks and Steers
    • Cows and Heifers
    • Total Cattle (excluding Calves)
    • Calves
    • Sheep
    • Lambs
    • Pigs

    2. The amount of meat produced (Tonnes), by State and Australia and the Australia level Seasonally Adjusted and Trend Estimate series for the following categories:
    • Beef
    • Veal
    • Mutton
    • Lamb
    • Pigmeat
    • Total Red Meat

    Classifications
    The classifications for type of animal slaughtering collected are:

    Cattle
    - Bulls, Bullocks and Steers
    - Cows and Heifers
    Calves
    - Bobby Not separately published
    - Other Not separately published
    Sheep
    Lambs
    Pigs
    - Baconers Not separately published
    - Porkers Not separately published
    - Breeding sows Not separately published
    - Other Pigs Not separately published
    Goats Not published
    - Kids Not published
    - Other Not published
    Deer Not published

    Data items collected include:

    Number slaughtered;
    Total dressed carcass hot weight (kg);
    Average value per live animal slaughtered on own account (excluding GST).

    Other concepts (summary)


    GEOGRAPHIC DETAIL
    Australia
    New South Wales
    Victoria
    Queensland
    South Australia
    Western Australia
    Tasmania
    Northern Territory

    Comments and/or Other Regions
    The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) does not have any abattoirs.
    Due to the respondent numbers in the Northern Territory data is collected but not published at the State level.

    COLLECTION FREQUENCY
    Monthly

    Frequency comments
    Data is collected and published monthly

    COLLECTION HISTORY
    This collection was included in the first issue of Livestock Products, Australia (ABS Cat No. 7215.0) in March 1981. Prior to this there were separate publications issued for Dairy products, Meat and Wool. Readers may wish to refer to Dairying and Dairy Products, Australia 1979-80 (ABS Cat No. 7209.0), Meat Australia 1979-80 (ABS Cat No. 7206.0) and Wool, Australia 1979-80 (ABS Cat No. 7212.0) for more information.

    The addition to the collection of the average prices paid for live animals slaughtered on own account, commenced in July 1994, primarily to provide price information for the Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia series.

    February 1998: Agricultural Statistics Centre moved to the Hobart office.

    DATA AVAILABILITY
    Yes

    Data availability comments
    Data is collected monthly
    Publications are released monthly


    DATE OF LAST UPDATE FOR THIS DOCUMENT
    26/03/2009 01:33 PM