INCREASED lamb carcase weights in 2025 despite tough seasonal conditions indicated improved feeding strategies had helped maintain productivity, Meat & Livestock Australia said today.
MLA said the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed that lamb and sheep producers received record revenue for the sale of animals to abattoirs, netting $6.9 billion in the 2025 calendar year.
Australian cattle producers received $20.43 billion for the sale of finished to processors, a record and $5 billion more than in 2024.
MLA said the new ABS data confirmed there had been exceptional beef production, historically high cattle slaughter and resilient lamb and mutton supply despite varied seasonal conditions.
The data reflects both the strength and adaptability of Australian red meat producers, as well as the continued shift toward higher throughput and heavier carcase weights across key species, MLA said..
MLA senior market information analyst Emiliano Diaz said the results show an industry performing at a very high level.
Lower lamb slaughter but supported by heavier carcases
MLA said lamb slaughter totalled 24.6 million head in 2025, representing a 7 percent decline from 2024, but still places the year as the third highest on record behind 2023 and 2024.
Fourth quarter lamb slaughter totalled 5.8 million head, 6pclower than Q4 2024.
Annual lamb production reached 597,068 tonnes, a decline of 5.2pc from 2024. In Q4, Australia produced 136,941 tonnes, a decline of 3pc year-on-year. Carcase weights averaged 24.3kg across 2025 and remained stable at 23.8kg in Q4, MLA said
All states recorded year-on-year increases in lamb carcase weights in Q4. New South Wales lamb weights increased by 3pc, Victoria by 2pc, South Australia by 5pc and Western Australia by 7pc.
Mr Diaz said improved feeding strategies have helped maintain productivity.
“The increase in lamb carcase weights demonstrates how effectively producers have adapted, particularly through the growing use of containment feeding.
“Many sheep regions had to work through extended dry conditions, yet producers were still able to lift weights and support strong production levels,” Mr Diaz said.
Mutton supply remains historically high despite easing from 2024 levels
National sheep slaughter reached 2.65 million head in Q4. This was 32pc higher than Q3 but remained 24pc lower than the exceptionally elevated slaughter levels recorded in late 2024.
Across 2025, mutton slaughter totalled 10.19 million head, a decline of 14pc from 2024 but still historically high.
New South Wales processed 920,400 sheep in Q4, an increase of 24pc on Q3. For the full year, NSW processed 3.66 million head, a decline of 9pc, MLA said.
MLA said Victoria processed 1.05 million sheep in Q4, an increase of 27pc. For the full year Victoria processed 3.79 million sheep, a drop of 19pc, but it remained Australia’s largest mutton processing state with a 37pc share.
MLA said mutton production reached 258,757 tonnes in 2025, a reduction of 13pc from 2024. Q4 production totalled 71,599 tonnes, which was 37pc higher than Q3, but 21pc lower than the same quarter last year.
MLA said mutton carcase weights remained firm. The Q4 national average was 27kg, 5pc above the five-year average. New South Wales recorded an average of 29kg, Victoria recorded 25.4kg and South Australia recorded 26.9kg.
Highest cattle slaughter in almost five decades
MLA said beef production reached 712,888 tonnes in Q4 and 2.87 million tonnes across the calendar year. This is 12pc higher than 2024 and is now the largest annual beef production on record.
Cattle slaughter reached 9.28 million head for the year. This represents a 12pc increase on 2024 and surpasses the previous modern record set in 2014. It is the highest cattle kill Australia has recorded since 1978, MLA said.
Q4 beef slaughter totalled 2.3 million head, a 7pc decline from Q3 due to normal end of year plant shutdowns. Queensland slaughter fell 10pc in Q4 to 939,300 head after two consecutive quarters above one million, MLA said.
MLA said twice in 2025, the March and December quarters, Victoria processed more cows than Queensland for the first time since 2008, demonstrating the flow of females south to maintain processor capacity despite lower local availability.
Average cattle carcase weights reached 309kg for the year. The Q4 average was 311kg, continuing the upward trend supported by strong northern pasture conditions. Carcase weights remain below the peak of 324kg that occurred in early 2022, MLA said.
The national female slaughter rate (FSR) eased to 52.3pc in Q4 after peaking at 54.5pc in June.
Mr Diaz said the results show an industry performing at a very high level.
“Beef production has remained above 700,000 tonnes for three consecutive quarters.
“That is unprecedented and signals a new sustained production level for Australia,” Mr Diaz said.
“Producers in the north have benefited from strong pasture growth, while many southern regions experienced much drier conditions.
“The fact that national output still reached record levels speaks to the resilience and adaptability of producers in every state.”
Source – MLA.
Hi,
So is the live sheep export looming ban that bad? Industry needs to use better arguments to fight the case.
Regards
Mauro