Nationwide lamb slaughter is averaging 427,800 head per week for 2025 up to now, based on the Nationwide Livestock Reporting Service figures, which is 10% under the identical time final yr. 12 months-to-date slaughter from these figures can also be 10% decrease than in 2024 and the five-year common for a similar interval. Traditionally, the rest of the yr’s weekly slaughter figures are 3% increased than the primary seven months.
In line with Meat & Livestock Australia’s final trade projections, launched in March, lamb slaughter was anticipated to lower by lower than 1% year-on-year in 2025. Nevertheless, this was earlier than a failed autumn in lots of sheep manufacturing areas, possible impacting each numbers on farm and the timeline for turning off lambs. ABS Livestock Manufacturing figures launched at this time as soon as once more take us again to 2019. ABS lamb slaughter was 6.6 million head within the three months to June. And whereas it was a 6% year-on-year lower, it additionally represented a 2% drop from the January to March interval.
It was the primary time since 2019 that second-quarter lamb slaughter was decrease than the primary quarter. In 2019, third-quarter slaughter was decrease once more, and even the fourth quarter didn’t get again to first-quarter ranges. In 2019, second-half slaughter was 10% decrease than the primary half of that yr. Final yr, June quarter slaughter was the very best level of the yr, whereas December slaughter was the bottom, and it rose by almost 9% in March 2025. In 2024, second-half slaughter was additionally 10% decrease than the primary half.
Taking a look at MLA’s sheep producer survey, breeding ewes available as of the tip of April have been 2% increased year-on-year, whereas lambs available to promote have been simply barely decrease, by lower than 1%. Once more, a failed autumn has occurred for a lot of producers since filling within the survey, which can not have impacted the variety of lambs, however the trajectory of their turnoff.
