The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released the latest statistics on livestock slaughtered and red meat production, which according to Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has confirmed a historic period for the red meat sector.
Financial year 2024-2025 has seen beef production reach an all-time high, lamb slaughter maintained near-record levels, and mutton throughput surging to its highest volume since 2007.
The results reflect the strength, resilience, and strategic adaptability of Australian producers across diverse seasonal conditions, according to MLA’s Acting Market Information Manager, Erin Lukey.
“These results show that continued adoption of new technology and innovation on-farm, along with investments in supply chain efficiency, are continuing to pay dividends across the supply chain,” Ms Lukey said.
“Despite seasonal challenges in some parts of Australia, the industry has delivered record beef production and maintained strong lamb and mutton throughput.”
Cattle sector surges to historic highs
Australia processed 8.88 million head of cattle in FY25, which is the third-largest annual slaughter since 1978 and the highest since the drought-driven peak in 2015.
The June quarter saw 2.3 million head processed, which is an 8% increase on the previous quarter and 10% higher than the same period last year.
Queensland led the charge, lifting throughput by 13% to over 1 million head, while New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania all recorded their strongest quarters in over a decade.
Beef production hit an all-time high of 2.75 million tonnes for the financial year, surpassing the previous record set in 2015
The June quarter alone produced 717,891 tonnes, the largest quarterly output on record, driven by improved productivity and record feedlot turnoff.
Despite the surge in production, national carcase weights dipped to 307kg, reflecting seasonal trends and a higher proportion of female cattle in the processing mix.
The female slaughter rate (FSR) rose to 54%, with New South Wales and Victoria posting record rates, sitting 14% and 17
