In the financial year to 30 June 2025, Australia processed 8.8 million head of cattle, 26.3 million lambs and 11.96 million sheep.
The National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS) data, published by Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), says that this is the second-highest number for cattle since 1979, the highest being in 2015.
With sheep, the combined slaughter figure of 38.3 million is the highest since the 1972/73 financial year.
The NLRS is Australia’s traceability system and provides data on approximately 85% of the national slaughter, according to MLA.
They also report that it is a voluntary weekly survey, which enables real-time analysis and is available ahead of the Australia Bureau of Statistics (ABS) numbers, which are published six weeks after the end of each quarter.
Story behind the numbers
MLA noted the variable cattle production season due to weather, with good conditions in northern regions combining with dry conditions in much of southern Australia.
They also reported that the increased output met strong global demand for Australian beef, which they believe is “likely due to herd rebuilds in competing export countries and ongoing evolving trade dynamics”.
The extent to which Australian production is shaped by weather is also reflected in lamb output.
Output in the financial year is dictated by what happened in breeding the previous season.
MLA explained that “2024, regions across SA and the western districts were facing inconsistent rainfall - the foundations of drought. Southern NSW and Victoria, however, were not yet affected, leading to a strong lamb cohort - now evident in FY2024-25 lamb turnoff.”
Opportunities for Australian beef and sheepmeat
Australian beef and sheepmeat are well established in the US, Canada and the high-value Asian markets, with the Middle East and north Africa for sheepmeat.
They export relatively small volumes to the UK, but this is growing as the benefit of the tariff-free access secured in the 2023 trade deal takes effect.
Their presence in EU markets is curtailed by tariff barriers. Negotiation on a trade deal with the EU has been ongoing since 2018 and almost reached conclusion two years ago, but talks broke down at the last moment.
This is believed to have been caused by an inability to get agreement on quotas for beef and sheepmeat. At the beginning of last month, it was announced that the EU and Australia are going to try again to reach a deal.
Comment – Australian beef and sheepmeat competition with Irish?
Australia is the world’s largest sheepmeat exporter and second largest for beef behind Brazil and just ahead of the US.
They exported 1.34m tonnes of beef in the calendar year 2024, but, unlike Brazil, where exports account for a quarter of production and the US who import as much beef as they export, Australian beef exports accounted for half of production last year.
This isn’t quite as high as Ireland or New Zealand, where exports account for 90% of production.
With Australia’s main export markets being North America and Asia, direct competition with Irish beef or sheepmeat is between minimal and non-existent. They are becoming a competitor in the UK and, in time, if there is a trade deal, will also be in EU markets.
Read more
41% of Australian sheep farmers plan to reduce ewe numbers
Record highs for Australian lamb prices
Australian farmers battle drought and floods
In the financial year to 30 June 2025, Australia processed 8.8 million head of cattle, 26.3 million lambs and 11.96 million sheep.
The National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS) data, published by Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), says that this is the second-highest number for cattle since 1979, the highest being in 2015.
With sheep, the combined slaughter figure of 38.3 million is the highest since the 1972/73 financial year.
The NLRS is Australia’s traceability system and provides data on approximately 85% of the national slaughter, according to MLA.
They also report that it is a voluntary weekly survey, which enables real-time analysis and is available ahead of the Australia Bureau of Statistics (ABS) numbers, which are published six weeks after the end of each quarter.
Story behind the numbers
MLA noted the variable cattle production season due to weather, with good conditions in northern regions combining with dry conditions in much of southern Australia.
They also reported that the increased output met strong global demand for Australian beef, which they believe is “likely due to herd rebuilds in competing export countries and ongoing evolving trade dynamics”.
The extent to which Australian production is shaped by weather is also reflected in lamb output.
Output in the financial year is dictated by what happened in breeding the previous season.
MLA explained that “2024, regions across SA and the western districts were facing inconsistent rainfall - the foundations of drought. Southern NSW and Victoria, however, were not yet affected, leading to a strong lamb cohort - now evident in FY2024-25 lamb turnoff.”
Opportunities for Australian beef and sheepmeat
Australian beef and sheepmeat are well established in the US, Canada and the high-value Asian markets, with the Middle East and north Africa for sheepmeat.
They export relatively small volumes to the UK, but this is growing as the benefit of the tariff-free access secured in the 2023 trade deal takes effect.
Their presence in EU markets is curtailed by tariff barriers. Negotiation on a trade deal with the EU has been ongoing since 2018 and almost reached conclusion two years ago, but talks broke down at the last moment.
This is believed to have been caused by an inability to get agreement on quotas for beef and sheepmeat. At the beginning of last month, it was announced that the EU and Australia are going to try again to reach a deal.
Comment – Australian beef and sheepmeat competition with Irish?
Australia is the world’s largest sheepmeat exporter and second largest for beef behind Brazil and just ahead of the US.
They exported 1.34m tonnes of beef in the calendar year 2024, but, unlike Brazil, where exports account for a quarter of production and the US who import as much beef as they export, Australian beef exports accounted for half of production last year.
This isn’t quite as high as Ireland or New Zealand, where exports account for 90% of production.
With Australia’s main export markets being North America and Asia, direct competition with Irish beef or sheepmeat is between minimal and non-existent. They are becoming a competitor in the UK and, in time, if there is a trade deal, will also be in EU markets.
Read more
41% of Australian sheep farmers plan to reduce ewe numbers
Record highs for Australian lamb prices
Australian farmers battle drought and floods
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