Getting up and back, and right on track

The Detail

After a very slow start to 2022 Australian red meat processors appear to be slowly getting back into action. Beef, lamb and mutton processing levels have all risen on a weekly basis, but lamb slaughter is showing the most promise when compared to last season’s pattern and the seasonal five-year average trend. East coast lamb slaughter volumes gained 18% on the previous week to hit 334,657 head for the start of February.

These levels are nearly 14% ahead of the same week in 2021 and are just 2% under the average five-year seasonal trend for this time in the year. It is the closest lamb slaughter on the east coast has come to the five-year pattern since October 2021.

Mutton slaughter on the east coast managed a respectable 26% gain on the week prior to reach 88,901 head of sheep processed. However, these levels remain below the 2021 trend and seasonal average pattern by 18% and 37%, respectively.

Meanwhile, east coast cattle slaughter for the week ending 4th February 2022 lifted 40% from the last week in January. Cattle slaughter volumes were reported at 88,894 head, which (like mutton), remain under the trend set last year by 8% and below the average five-year pattern by 30%. Across the east coast mainland states, Victoria is the key laggard for cattle slaughter with volumes here 45% under the five-year average pattern.

In comparison, weekly Queensland cattle slaughter sits 30% under the seasonal average and NSW is the star pupil with cattle slaughter levels just 18% short of the five-year average pattern for this week in the season.