Carcass weights: Records smashed for steers, heifers along east coast

Two states from opposite ends of the country have recorded such heavy cattle carcass weights, the national average has been pushed into record territory. And there’s one key factor driving this.

Female cattle weights are closing in on male weights.

Carcass weights for Australian cattle have reached record highs, with the feedlot industry driving weights upwards.

It comes as the heaviest cow heifers and steers come from two states at opposite ends of the country.

A report from Meat and Livestock Australia showed carcass weights for male and female cattle in the first quarter of 2021 reached 341kg and 281kg respectively, with female weights closing in on male weights.

MLA manager market information Steven Bignell said an abundance of available feed was contributing to the representation of cattle from feedlots in the quarterly report.

“About 47 per cent of turnoff is from feedlots,” Mr Bignell said.

“That’s impacting weights as well. Feedlots are underpinning this a lot.”

Mr Bignell said both Queensland and Victoria were heavy hitters when it came to record high weights last quarter, with the large percentage of heavy steer carcasses coming out of Queensland pulling national averages up.

“Steers in Queensland hit about 352kg for the first time. That’s the first time the state has broken 350kg,” Mr Bignell said.

“Cow heifers reached 296kg in Victoria, which is crazy. It’s 7kg up on the previous quarter, and 26kg up year-to-year. In terms of heifers, Victoria is leading the way. Weights are closing in on 300kg.

“There’s plenty of green pasture … there’s also good grain, but an abundance of feed.”

As carcass weights rise, Australian Bureau of Statistics slaughter data for the month of March illustrates a continuing decline in the number of females being sent to slaughter, a traditional litmus test for herd-retention rates.

According to the MLA report, female slaughter rates were 45 per cent in the last quarter, and 51 per cent in the last 12 months.

“These figures show significant development in the rebuild, with the female slaughter rate expected to continue to decline throughout 2021 as herds rebuild,” the report said.

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