Livestock and Meat, Australia

Compared to May 2020:

• 0.3% decrease in cattle slaughter to 600,000 head
• 1.1% decrease in beef production to 173,700 tonnes
   

Compared to June 2019:

• 15.0% decrease in cattle slaughter
• 13.8% decrease in beef production
   

Compared to May 2020:

• 0.8% decrease in calf slaughter to 39,400 head
• 2.7% decrease in veal production to 1,700 tonnes
   

Compared to June 2019:

• 21.8% decrease in calf slaughter
• 31.1% decrease in veal production
   

Compared to May 2020:

• 1.1% decrease in sheep slaughter to 439,500 head
• 4.2% increase in mutton production to 11,700 tonnes
   

Compared to June 2019:

• 43.3% decrease in sheep slaughter
• 36.4% decrease in mutton production
   

Compared to May 2020:

• 11.6% increase in lambs slaughtered to 1.5 million head
• 13.6% increase in lamb production to 38,000 tonnes
   

Compared to June 2019:

• 6.5% decrease in lambs slaughtered
• 1.9% decrease in lamb production
   

Compared to May 2020:

• 6.2% increase in pig slaughter to 453,500 head
• 4.9% increase in pork production to 35,200 tonnes
   

Compared to June 2019:

• 6.2% increase in pig slaughter
• 6.4% increase in pork production
   

This is the final issue of Livestock and Meat, Australia (cat. no. 7218.0.55.001). Quarterly livestock slaughtering and production statistics for the September 2020 quarter onwards will be published in Livestock Products, Australia (cat. no. 7215.0) on 17 November 2020.

The ABS is continuing to monitor potential impacts from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on livestock slaughtering statistics, and will continue to do so for the duration of the pandemic.

For the June 2020 reference month, COVID-19 did not impact data collection activities related to livestock slaughtering. Individual abattoirs and slaughtering establishments reported a range of impacts attributed to COVID-19:

• some businesses reported an increase in their operations to meet demand from Accommodation and Food Services businesses following the easing of restrictions;
• select businesses reported a decrease in their operations due to COVID-19 restrictions impacting exports;
• other businesses reported little to no impact from COVID-19 restrictions.
   

The trend series attempts to measure underlying behaviour in livestock slaughter and meat production. In the short term, this measurement may be affected by changes to regular patterns in livestock slaughterings and meat production arising from continuing COVID-19 restrictions, as well as changes in overall environmental conditions. If the trend estimates in this publication were to be calculated without fully accounting for these factors, they would likely provide a misleading view of underlying behaviour in livestock slaughter and meat production.

It may be some time before the underlying trend in livestock slaughter and meat production can be estimated accurately. The livestock trend series have therefore been suspended from the March 2020 reference month.

For more detail on trend estimates, please refer to paragraphs 16-19 in the Explanatory Notes and the ABS Feature Article: When it's Not "Business-as-Usual": Implications for ABS Time Series (cat no. 1350.0).

This release previously used catalogue number 7218.0.55.001.