AUSTRALIAN lamb slaughter for the 2014-15 fiscal year finished higher than previous years, while sheep slaughter declined.
Lamb slaughter for the year reached 22.87 million head, which is four per cent higher than the previous year, and 15pc above the five-year average, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Following what was historically high lamb slaughter in 2013-14, the large number of lambs that continued to enter the market, during the latter half of 2014-15 in particular, indicates a considerable improvement in lamb marking rates in recent years, according to MLA.
The rise in slaughter was driven by increases across all south-eastern states, while the number of lambs processed in Queensland and WA over the past 12 months declined year-on-year.
Throughout 2014-15, Victorian lamb slaughter lifted 6pc, to 10.4 million head, while NSW lamb slaughter was 7pc higher year-on-year, at 5.2 million head.
The number of lambs processed in SA rose 4pc, to 3.8 million head.
WA lamb kill was back 1pc to 2.4 million head
There were 780,000 lambs processed in Tasmania, up 2pc on the previous year.
Lamb slaughter in Queensland declined 23pc to 313,000 head.
The average lamb carcase weight also registered an increase for 2014-15, to 22.15kg/head – up 2pc year-on-year. As a result, total Australian lamb production was 7pc higher compared to the previous year, at 506,605 tonnes carcase weight (cwt).
MLA’s forecast for lamb slaughter and production in 2015 (calendar year) is 22.25 million head, and 492,000 tonnes cwt, respectively.
Sheep processing numbers drop
Following 12 months of high sheep slaughter during 2013-14, the number of sheep processed in Australia in 2014-15 declined 10pc year-on-year, to 9 million head.
Despite the decline, sheep slaughter remained 25pc above the five-year average.
All states recorded lower kill numbers in 2014-15, compared with 2013-14.
Victorian sheep slaughter was back 3pc year-on-year, to 3.5 million head.
NSW sheep slaughter decreased 14pc, to 2.1 million head
There were 14pc fewer sheep processed in SA, at 1.3 million head.
Sheep slaughter in WA was 15pc lower, at 1.3 million head.
Queensland sheep kill was down 19pc to 470,000 head.
Tasmanian sheep slaughter contracted 10pc to 227,000 head.
A 5pc lift in the average sheep carcase weight during 2014-15, to 23.64kg/head, was not enough to offset the decline in slaughter. Australian mutton production was back 6pc on the previous year, at 214,446 tonnes cwt.
