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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
January 2020
Released
11/03/2020
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Key statistics

  • Cattle slaughtered increased 0.6% to 750,700 head compared to December 2019.
  • Sheep slaughtered increased 3.1% to 884,000 head compared to December 2019.

Main features

Trends in livestock slaughtered and meat produced

Cattle

Compared to December 2019:

  • Cattle slaughtered increased 0.6% to 750,700 head
  • Beef production increased 0.8% to 213,300 tonnes
     

Compared to January 2019:

  • Cattle slaughtered increased 9.4%
  • Beef production increased 9.0%
     

Calves

Compared to December 2019:

  • Calves slaughtered increased 1.9% to 49,700 head
  • Veal production increased 1.1% to 2,500 tonnes
     

Compared to January 2019:

  • Calves slaughtered increased 9.7%
  • Veal production increased 25.5%
     

Sheep

Compared to December 2019:

  • Sheep slaughtered increased 3.1% to 884,000 head
  • Mutton production increased 2.8% to 21,800 tonnes
     

Compared to January 2019:

  • Sheep slaughtered increased 13.3%
  • Mutton production increased 17.6%
     

Lamb

Compared to December 2019:

  • Lambs slaughtered increased 0.9% to 1.81 million head
  • Lamb production increased 1.0% to 42,500 tonnes
     

Compared to January 2019:

  • Lambs slaughtered decreased 5.0%
  • Lamb production decreased 2.3%
     

Pigs

Compared to December 2019:

  • Pigs slaughtered increased 0.6% to 430,200 head
  • Pork production increased 0.6% to 33,200 tonnes
     

Compared to January 2019:

  • Pigs slaughtered decreased 2.8%
  • Pork production decreased 3.4%
     

Bushfires

Recent bushfire activity in New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory have resulted in a minor disruption to ABS livestock data collection activities for this release. For more information, please refer to paragraph 6 of the Methodology. For information on the expected economic impacts of natural disasters, including bushfires, refer to the ABS Chief Economist Series paper Measuring natural disasters in the Australian economy.

Data downloads - time series spreadsheets

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

Data files
Download xls [292 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [321.5 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 [532 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [511.5 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [518 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [517 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [509.5 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 [486 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [486 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [486 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [486 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [486 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [486 KB]

Data downloads - data cubes

Publication tables

Data files
Download xls [88.5 KB]

Methodology

Livestock and Meat, Australia methodology, January 2020