Free webinars for updated projections
30 August 2024
The mid-year Sheep and Cattle Industry Projections reports will be released next week, where MLA will deliver updated production forecasts for the cattle herd and sheep flock to be used across the industry. To accompany the report, MLA will host two free webinars helping to break down the data.
Across two days, the webinars will explore outlooks for both sheep and cattle industries, and highlight important assumptions of the upcoming six months.
MLA Senior Market Information Analyst Erin Lukey said the reports will provide an updated outlook forecasting the national herd and flock, slaughter, production and carcase weights.
“MLA’s industry projections are an important tool for industry and the broader supply chain to understand the direction of the red meat sector over the next couple of years,” Erin said.
“Producers will be informed by the assumptions and macro issues impacting industry, while processors will benefit from a deeper understanding of supply over the forecasted period.”
While the projections are built from assumptions, ongoing conditions in the industry inform the numbers.
“Producers, processors, agents, and government have been consulted in the development of these figures, ensuring it is a useful document for all lines industry.”
“Talking to southern producers, we have heard of some really tough conditions which have definitely had an impact, especially for the sheep flock,” Erin said.
“We also have to factor in that while the south has been dry, some areas of NSW and Queensland have had really positive seasons.”
Production levels from the year also impact projections.
“There has been record lamb slaughter and production over the financial year, and we’re expecting to see those high levels continue over the next two quarters.
While producers can access the cattle report from 2 September and the sheep report from 3 September, Erin suggested attending the webinars will provide a better understanding of the information presented.
“The webinars are a really great way to get a 90-minute, deep dive on the report headlines.
“We try to give a bit more context and provide an opportunity for people to ask questions of the team who produced the report.”
The webinars will be held across two consecutive days, discussing cattle projections on 4 September and sheep projections on 5 September.
