Female slaughter rate lifts as more stock go to slaughter

Female slaughter levels have tipped over the long-term average as cattle producers react to falling prices and talk of El Nino.

Female slaughter levels have tipped over the long-term average as cattle producers react to falling prices and talk of El Nino.

Last week, the female percentage of total cattle slaughtered was 48.5 per cent compared to the long term average of 47.6 per cent, monitored over a period from 1976 until 2023.

In the first quarter of the year, the female slaughter level was 42.4 per cent nationally so last week’s figure was a significant shift away from this.

The states showing the biggest lifts in female slaughter were Victoria, NSW and Western Australia, with a lower rate in Queensland the only factor tempering the national rate from going higher.

The lift in female kill was part of an overall rise in slaughter numbers in the past week which Meat and Livestock Australia market analyst Jenny Lim said were higher year on year.

Ms Lim said increased livestock supply and cheaper prices had led to processors filling kill space weeks in advance.

‘During winter, yardings generally tighten and most processors take this time to complete their shutdown and maintenance periods, hence the significant decrease in slaughter numbers every winter,” Ms Lim said.

“These planned shutdown periods are now coming to an end, with most processors back online.

“As a result, there was a lift in slaughter numbers.”

Last week. cattle slaughter lifted 2.4 per cent on the week before, but was 20 per cent higher than the same week last year.

But the lift is even higher in year-to-date slaughter statistics which are 28 per cent higher for cattle compared to last year, which equates to an extra 685,175 processed in the first seven months of the year.

The sheep industry is also seeing a rise in slaughter numbers compared to last year, with the total up 63 per cent this calendar year compared to the same period in 2022, which translates to an additional 1.636 million sheep processed.

“Sheep yardings are beginning to increase again as weaning is completed and producers cull older ewes retained during the rebuild,” Ms Lim said.

“Processors’ prioritisation of kill floor space between lambs and sheep continues to play out, with an easing in lamb kill numbers recorded this week.”