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
May 2020
Released
9/07/2020
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Key statistics

  • Calf slaughter increased by 20.7% compared to April 2020.
  • Lamb production decreased by 13.4% compared to April 2020.

Main features

Livestock slaughtered and meat produced

Cattle

Compared to April 2020:

  • 8.3% decrease in cattle slaughter to 603,500 head
  • 7.1% decrease in beef production to 178,900 tonnes
     

Compared to May 2019:

  • 12.5% decrease in cattle slaughter
  • 8.4% decrease in beef production
     

Calves

Compared to April 2020:

  • 20.7% increase in calf slaughter to 39,500 head
  • 3.5% decrease in veal production to 1,700 tonnes
     

Compared to May 2019:

  • 14.5% decrease in calf slaughter
  • 26.6% decrease in veal production
     

Sheep

Compared to April 2020:

  • 16.6% decrease in sheep slaughter to 435,900 head
  • 16.9% decrease in mutton production to 11,100 tonnes
     

Compared to May 2019:

  • 45.1% decrease in sheep slaughter
  • 40.5% decrease in mutton production
     

Lamb

Compared to April 2020:

  • 13.9% decrease in lambs slaughtered to 1.4 million head
  • 13.4% decrease in lamb production to 32,900 tonnes
     

Compared to May 2019:

  • 28.2% decrease in lambs slaughtered
  • 24.8% decrease in lamb production
     

Pigs

Compared to April 2020:

  • 0.3% increase in pig slaughter to 429,000 head
  • 1.2% decrease in pork production to 33,500 tonnes
     

Compared to May 2019:

  • 0.7% decrease in pig slaughter
  • 0.7% decrease in pork production
     

Changes in this and forthcoming issues

Upcoming change in collection frequency - monthly to quarterly

The final publication of monthly livestock slaughtering and production statistics will be for the June 2020 month and released on 5 August 2020 in 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.

Impacts of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in May 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 May 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 Explanatory Notes 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 [215 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [233.5 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 [341 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [328 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [333 KB]

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

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

Data files
Download xls [328 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 [311 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [310.5 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [310.5 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [310.5 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [311 KB]

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

Data files
Download xls [311 KB]

Data downloads - data cubes

Publication tables

Data files
Download xls [88.5 KB]

Methodology

Livestock and Meat, Australia methodology, May 2020