Kill numbers well back for end of season count

In the bovine department the highs, of coarse, were the continued good prices that were sustained throughout the 12 months as young cattle values averaged around the 640c/kg mark, bullocks, 590c/kg and cows 486c/kg.

Over the 12 months prices paid for young cattle averaged 11-12 per cent higher than in the previous year while bullock and cow values were slightly less buoyant averaging 6-7pc higher for the 12 months.

The low point for the beef industry was the reduced turn-off of cattle captured for slaughter with the eastern states tally well back on the preceding three years.

Averaging 118,550 adult units across the five eastern states each week, cattle slaughter for 12 months lagged 2015-16 by some 18pc, 2014-15 by 26pc and 2013-14 by some 21pc.

It has been interesting to note however that the rate of decline has slowed, with performance over the past three months reduced by just 12pc below the same period 12 months ago.

Here in Victoria slaughter, at 19,301 head, was back 26pc compared to the year earlier and 37pc down on two years ago while cattle sold at the major reported Victorian, NSW and SA saleyards was back around 10 and 40pc respectively on one and two years ago.

For lambs and sheep the highs and lows were there but not as exaggerated.

At around 610-615c/kg, lamb prices managed an average increase of about 11-13pc on 12 months ago while, at an average of 445c/kg, mutton was the industry’s shooting star, up 30pc on its previous rates year ago results.

However from a slaughter prospective sheep numbers processed fell 16pc of the year previous while the two and three years ago figures were back 30-40pc. 

But similar to cattle sheep numbers processed over the past three months have improved to average four percent lower compared to the same period one and two years ago.

As far as lamb slaughter is concerned, an average eastern slaughter of 342,115 head saw processor numbers dip by around 5pc, and the same figure almost to that of the previous year. Victoria averaged a weekly lamb slaughter of 166,479 saw processor numbers back 2.5pc on last year and 7.5pc on 2014-15 while average weekly numbers sold through the reported saleyards grew 5pc compared to 2015-16 but were one percent shy of 2013-14.

And, surprisingly, lamb supply for the past three months has average 20pc up on year ago figures while sheep yardings over the same period have averaged the same.