Livestock Products, Australia

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Quarterly statistics on livestock slaughtered and meat production

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Reference period
June 2023
Released
17/08/2023
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Key statistics

In seasonally adjusted terms for the June 2023 quarter:

  • Red meat production increased 3.8%
  • Chicken meat production increased 7.8%

Livestock products (seasonally adjusted)

Cattle

  • Cattle slaughtered in the June 2023 quarter increased 0.9 % to 1.7 million.
  • Beef production in the June 2023 quarter increased 1.9 % to 534,207 tonnes.   

 

Sheep

  • Sheep slaughtered in the June 2023 quarter increased 36.3% to 3.2 million.
  • Mutton production in the June 2023 quarter increased 37.6% to 80,725 tonnes.

 

Lambs

  • Lambs slaughtered in the June 2023 quarter decreased 0.2% to 5.7 million.
  • Lamb meat production in the June 2023 quarter increased 1.2% to 139,207 tonnes.

 

Pigs

  • Pigs slaughtered in the June 2023 quarter decreased 0.2% to 1.5 million.
  • Pig meat production in the June 2023 quarter decreased 1.8% to 115,410 tonnes.

 

Chickens

  • Chickens slaughtered in the June 2023 quarter increased 3.8% to 183.2 million. 
  • Chicken meat production in the June 2023 quarter increased 7.8% to 361,201 tonnes. 

Gross value of livestock (original)

  • The gross value of cattle and calves slaughtered decreased 4.4% to $3.3 billion.
  • The gross value of sheep and lambs slaughtered increased 1.9% to $1.2 billion. 
  • The gross value of pigs slaughtered increased 4.6% to $439 million. 
  • The gross value of poultry slaughtered increased 3.9% to $946 million. 

Changes in this and forthcoming issues

Suspension of trend estimates

The trend series attempts to measure underlying behaviour in livestock slaughter (including poultry), meat production and wool receivals data.  In the short term, this measurement may be affected by changes to regular patterns in livestock slaughterings, meat production and wool receivals arising from continuing COVID-19 restrictions, as well as changes in overall environmental conditions.  If the trend estimates were to be calculated without fully accounting for these factors, they would likely provide a misleading view of underlying behaviour in livestock slaughter, meat production and wool receivals.

It may be some time before the underlying trend can be estimated accurately.  The livestock slaughtering and meat production trend series were therefore suspended from the March 2020 reference quarter, and poultry slaughtering and meat production and wool receivals trend series suspended from the June 2020 reference quarter.  These 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 the ABS Feature Article: When it's Not "Business-as-Usual": Implications for ABS Time Series.

Data downloads

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Time Series Spreadsheets

Data files

Data Explorer datatsets

Caution: Data in the Data Explorer is currently released after the 11:30am release on the ABS website. Please check the time period when using Data Explorer.

For information Data Explorer and how it works, see the Data Explorer user guide.

  Livestock slaughtered – Quarterly statistics on livestock slaughtered.

  Meat produced – Quarterly statistics on meat production.

Data Cubes

Gross value of livestock slaughtered

Data files
Download xlsx [84.76 KB]

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 7215.0.

Methodology

Scope

Includes livestock and poultry slaughtering at registered abattoirs, meat production for human consumption and gross value of livestock slaughtered.

Geography

Data available for Australian and state totals.

Source

Data is sourced from commercial abattoirs and meat processors.

Collection method

A quarterly survey of commercial abattoirs and meat processors.

Concepts, sources and methods

Not applicable for this release.

History of changes

The Wool Purchases, Receivals and Sales Survey and data release (Table 16) was ceased in September 2022.

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