The nationwide sheep flock measurement was estimated to be 74.2 million head as of June 2025, greater than 6% decrease than the earlier 12 months. The forecast is for that determine to climb again up 2% in 2026 to 75.6 million head. This is able to be on the again of sheep slaughter falling 15% from 2024 to 2025 and an extra 18% this 12 months. Nationwide Livestock Reporting Service weekly figures have mutton kill for 2025 at its second highest determine on document, averaging about 13% decrease every week than in 2024.
ABARES September Agricultural Commodities Report had the Australian sheep flock at 65.4 million head in 2025-26, which might be an increase of 1% on the earlier monetary 12 months. They predict mutton manufacturing to fall by about 26% in 2025-26 because the flock begins to rebuild. The MLA/Australian Wool Innovation Sheep Producer Intention Survey from October reported the lamb flock measurement would improve 11% from 2025 to 2026 to 31.09 million head, with 52% of respondents planning to extend their sheep numbers, most on the again of improved lambing outcomes and elevated ewe retention.
That survey additionally anticipated the entire 2025-26 lamb gross sales to be practically 1.5 million head greater than the earlier season, with 44% of the 23.87 million head to be offered within the first half of 2026. Nevertheless, nationwide lamb slaughter was forecast by MLA to achieve about 24.85 million head in 2025, falling under each 2024 and 2023 ranges. Weekly NLRS figures totalled simply shy of 21 million head, averaging 402,000 head every week; a drop of about 10% from the 2024 weekly common, however nonetheless 4% above the five-year determine. The September trade projections have 2026 lamb slaughter falling additional to 24.31 million head, a dip of two%.
We’ve solely obtained one full week of figures thus far in 2026 on the subject of slaughter, however for sheep that was 33% decrease year-on-year and 16% under the five-year common for that week. Lamb slaughter was solely down about 2% on the earlier 12 months, which lowered the mixed complete sheep and lamb slaughter by practically 12% year-on-year.
