The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released the latest statistics on livestock slaughtered and red meat production, which according to Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has confirmed a historic period for the red meat sector.
Financial year 2024-2025 has seen beef production reach an all time high, lamb slaughter maintained near-record levels, and mutton throughput surging to its highest volume since 2007. The results reflect the strength, resilience, and strategic adaptability and forward thinking of Australian producers across diverse seasonal conditions, according to MLA’s Acting Market Information Manager, Erin Lukey.
“These results show that continued adoption of new technology and innovation onfarm, along with investments in supply chain efficiency, are continuing to pay dividends across the supply chain,” Ms Lukey said.
“Despite seasonal challenges in some parts of Australia, the industry has delivered record beef production and maintained strong lamb and mutton throughput.”
Australia processed 8.88 million head of cattle in FY25, which is the third-largest annual slaughter since 1978 and the highest since the drought-driven peak in 2015.