February beef production declines
12 April 2016
Australian beef production was just shy of 187,600 tonnes cwt in February, back 16% on the corresponding period last year (Australian Bureau of Statistics).
Underpinning lower production, adult cattle slaughter in February fell 16% year-on-year, to 648,555 head. Compared to last year, processing in:
- Queensland decreased 16%, at 281,404 head
- NSW declined 18%, to 139,361 head
- Victoria declined 18%, to 139,258 head
- SA decreased 12%, to 35,928 head
- WA eased 2%, to 32,403 head
- Tasmania recorded a 7% increase, at 20,201 head.
Female cattle kill continued to decline on year-ago levels – down 24%, to 290,596 head. All states recorded lower female slaughter year-on-year, although processing in Queensland declined to the greatest extent (down 38%, to 97,927 head), yet still accounted for the largest female kill proportion.
The average adult cattle carcase weight increased 2% year-on-year, to 289.23kg/head, with larger numbers on feed somewhat alleviating the impacts of hot and dry seasonal conditions across many major producing regions.
