The silence of the NSW lambs

The Detail

The week ending 12th August saw some strong volumes of lamb processed in NSW abattoirs. At 122,928 head of lamb processed for the week NSW slaughter volumes were the highest recorded so far this year. Indeed, it was the highest weekly lamb kill in NSW since the end of March 2021.

Current lamb slaughter volumes in NSW posted a 6.5% gain on the numbers seen the prior week and are running at levels that are 21% above the five-year average for this week in the season.

In Victoria lamb slaughter levels remained solid, but didn’t demonstrate the strong uplift seen in NSW. There were 182,409 head of lamb processed in Victoria for the week ending 12th August, which was nearly a 2% lift on the previous week’s volumes. Compared to the five-year average for this week in the year the Victorian lamb slaughter figures are nothing to discount too readily though, as they are still trekking 16% above the average trend.

Combined strong lamb slaughter volumes in NSW and Victoria have pushed the total weekly east coast lamb cull to 362,824 head, which is the second highest weekly volumes seen this year. The highest weekly lamb slaughter on the east coast this year was the 368,271 head registered back at the end of June. Current lamb slaughter levels on the east coast are running 16% above the five-year average pattern for this week in the year.

Increased lamb kill rates have helped to clear some of the backlog of lambs seen in recent weeks, and lamb prices at the saleyard have lifted through August in response. In the last four weeks the Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator (ESTLI) has lifted 18 cents to close at 744c/kg cwt yesterday.

Although the space being made on the abattoir kill floor for lambs has come at the expense of sheep volumes. Weekly east coast sheep slaughter levels eased nearly 11% to the week ending 12th August to see 74,683 head processed. This represents volumes that are nearly 28% under the five-year average trend for this week in the year.