Australian Beef Production Falls in Last Year
AUSTRALIA - Australian beef production during the past fiscal year declined one per cent year-on-year, to 2.07 million tonnes cwt, despite average adult carcase weights across the majority of states improving over the same period, according to Meat and Livestock Australia.
8 August 2012
1 minute read
Underpinning the decline in overall beef production for 2011-12 was a two per cent year-on-year fall in adult cattle slaughter, which reached 7.2 million head.
The improved season, particular in the first half of the fiscal year, encouraged producers to retain breeding stock, with female slaughter back seven per cent for the year. Illustrating the retention rate of females, compared to the previous five year average, female slaughter rates in 2011-12 were back 15 per cent, or 552,000 head.
Reflecting the better seasons and feed conditions, average carcase weights improved in almost all states during 2011-12. The national average for 2011-12 was a new record at 288kg/head cwt – two per cent higher year-on-year and five per cent, or 15kg/head cwt above the five-year average. Average carcase weights in Queensland reached a new high during the same period, rising two per cent year-on-year and surpassing 300kg/head cwt for the first time, settling at 302kg/head cwt.
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