Livestock and Meat, Australia

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Monthly data from abattoirs and major slaughtering establishments. Includes livestock slaughtered by country butchers and other small establishments

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Reference period
April 2020
Released
5/06/2020
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Key statistics

  • Calf slaughter decreased by 15.6% compared to March 2020.
  • Lamb production decreased by 5.8% compared to March 2020.

Main features

Livestock slaughtered and meat produced

Cattle

Compared to March 2020:

  • 1.7% increase in cattle slaughter to 669,900 head
  • 3.4% increase in beef production to 195,400 tonnes
     

Compared to April 2019:

  • 1.6% decrease in cattle slaughter
  • 1.3% increase in beef production
     

Calves

Compared to March 2020:

  • 15.6% decrease in calf slaughter to 32,400 head
  • 7.3% decrease in veal production to 1,800 tonnes
     

Compared to April 2019:

  • 35.7% decrease in calf slaughter
  • 22.2% decrease in veal production
     

Sheep

Compared to March 2020:

  • 0.2% decrease in sheep slaughter to 551,100 head
  • 2.0% decrease in mutton production to 13,900 tonnes
     

Compared to April 2019:

  • 32.1% decrease in sheep slaughter
  • 26.0% decrease in mutton production
     

Lamb

Compared to March 2020:

  • 5.7% decrease in lambs slaughtered to 1.6 million head
  • 5.8% decrease in lamb production to 38,700 tonnes
     

Compared to April 2019:

  • 14.8% decrease in lambs slaughtered
  • 11.6% decrease in lamb production
     

Pigs

Compared to March 2020:

  • 4.1% decrease in pig slaughter to 429,000 head
  • 2.7% decrease in pork production to 34,100 tonnes
     

Compared to April 2019:

  • 1.7% decrease in pig slaughter
  • 2.0% increase in pork production
     

Changes in this and forthcoming issues

Impacts of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in April

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 April 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 that although trade in food services has reduced, there is greater demand for meat from supermarkets and butchers;
  • 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.
     

Suspension of trend estimates

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. The trend series will be reinstated when more certainty emerges in the underlying trend for these series.

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

Data downloads - time series spreadsheets

Table 1. Livestock slaughtered - bulls, bullocks and steers: all series ('000)

Data files
Download xls [195.5 KB]

Table 2. Livestock slaughtered - cows and heifers: all series ('000)

Data files
Download xls [213.5 KB]

Table 3. Livestock slaughtered - cattle (excluding calves): all series ('000)

From December 2014 cattle slaughtered and beef produced in the Northern Territory have been included with Queensland figures where applicable

Data files
Download xls [321.5 KB]

Table 4. Livestock slaughtered - calves: all series ('000)

Data files
Download xls [308 KB]

Table 5. Livestock slaughtered - sheep: all series ('000)

Data files
Download xls [312.5 KB]

Table 6. Livestock slaughtered - lambs: all series ('000)

Data files
Download xls [312 KB]

Table 7. Livestock slaughtered - pigs: all series ('000)

Data files
Download xls [308 KB]

Table 8. Red meat produced - beef: all series (tonnes)

From December 2014 cattle slaughtered and beef produced in the Northern Territory have been included with Queensland figures where applicable

Data files
Download xls [291 KB]

Table 9. Red meat produced - veal: all series (tonnes)

Data files
Download xls [291 KB]

Table 10. Red meat produced - mutton: all series (tonnes)

Data files
Download xls [291 KB]

Table 11. Red meat produced - lamb: all series (tonnes)

Data files
Download xls [291 KB]

Table 12. Red meat produced - pig meat: all series (tonnes)

Data files
Download xls [291 KB]

Table 13. Red meat produced - total red meat: all series (tonnes)

Data files
Download xls [291 KB]

Data downloads - data cubes

Publication tables

Data files
Download xls [88.5 KB]

Methodology

Livestock and Meat, Australia methodology, April 2020