The boys are back in town
The Snapshot
- Weekly lamb slaughter volumes in NSW lifted nearly 18% last week, the highest level seen in a month, and sheep slaughter continued to rise too, up 10% on the previous week.
- Victorian lamb and sheep slaughter saw weekly gains too, of 14% and 37% respectively. However, volumes here remain below the average seasonal pattern.
- Lower than average lamb and sheep slaughter in Victoria and SA are dragging on the east coast numbers with lamb slaughter running 13% under trend and sheep slaughter sitting 14% below the seasonal average pattern for this time in the year.
The Detail
Thomas Foods International (TFI) have been installing a new chain into their Tamworth abattoir over the last few weeks and the impact of them being out of the market has been hindering the NSW sheep and lamb slaughter volumes.
However, as of the week ending 12th November this process has been completed and NSW lamb and sheep slaughter volumes have responded accordingly with a return to the seasonal average levels that could be expected, based on the five-year average pattern.
Weekly lamb slaughter volumes in NSW lifted nearly 18% last week to hit 101,038 head processed, the highest level seen in a month. Sheep slaughter continued to rise too, up 10% on the previous week to see 52,689 head sent to meat works.
In contrast, Victorian abattoirs continue to play the laggard with both lamb and sheep processing volumes running below the average seasonal pattern. Weekly lamb slaughter in Victoria posted a 14% gain for the week ending 12th November to see 171,484 head processed. Despite the strong lift Victorian lamb slaughter levels still remain 14% under the average pattern for this week in the season.
It is a similar picture for Victorian sheep slaughter with a very strong 37% increase in processing levels over the week. There were 48,631 head of sheep reported processed for the week ending on the 12th November but this is still 12% under the five-year average pattern.
Sheep and lamb slaughter in South Australia remains well under trend, and this is a scenario that has been present since the fire event destroyed the TFI plant at Murray Bridge. East coast lamb and sheep slaughter volumes are being held back by the reduced volumes presently being seen in Victoria and SA.
East coast lamb slaughter for the week ending 12th November registered 324,666 head, which reflected a 13% gain on the previous week. However, compared to the five-year average levels for this time in the year lamb slaughter volumes are 13% under trend. Meanwhile, east coast sheep slaughter volumes lifted 21% on the week to 113,336 head, but this is still 14% below the average seasonal pattern.
