Livestock slaughtered and meat produced
Cattle
Compared to February 2020:
- 2.3% increase in cattle slaughter to 652,800 head
- 0.5% increase in beef production to 187,800 tonnes
Compared to March 2019:
- 9.0% decrease in cattle slaughter
- 7.0% decrease in beef production
Calves
Compared to February 2020:
- 7.5% decrease in calf slaughter to 39,800 head
- 4.0% decrease in veal production to 2,000 tonnes
Compared to March 2019:
- 21.8% decrease in calf slaughter
- 14.0% decrease in veal production
Sheep
Compared to February 2020:
- 18.3% decrease in sheep slaughter to 542,100 head
- 16.3% decrease in mutton production to 13,800 tonnes
Compared to March 2019:
- 35.7% decrease in sheep slaughter
- 31.4% decrease in mutton production
Lamb
Compared to February 2020:
- 5.7% decrease in lambs slaughtered to 1.7 million head
- 4.4% decrease in lamb production to 41,100 tonnes
Compared to March 2019:
- 15.5% decrease in lambs slaughtered
- 11.6% decrease in lamb production
Pigs
Compared to February 2020:
- 3.7% increase in pig slaughter to 447,500 head
- 3.9% increase in pork production to 35,100 tonnes
Compared to March 2019:
- 1.7% increase in pig slaughter
- 3.4% increase in pork production
Impacts of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in March 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 March 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 as at 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 17-20 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).