Rain and demand impacts May slaughter
08 June 2012
Average weekly cattle slaughter for May, as reported by MLA’s NLRS, declined 6% year-on-year, to 133,928 head.
Unseasonal rain during May across most of the key Queensland cattle regions underpinned a 9% year-on-year decline in average weekly slaughter numbers for Queensland, at 68,821 head. While the cool conditions are yet to greatly impact northern cattle quality, producers also have the flexibility to retain stock, with most regions underpinned by a good body of feed.
Following a similar trend, average weekly NSW (33,456) and SA (7,315 head) slaughter fell 10% and 3%, respectively, on the corresponding period last year.
A drier than average May across most of Victoria encouraged higher turn-off for the state, with average slaughter increasing 6% year-on-year, to 19,621 head. With feed supplies tightening, producers chose to offload better conditioned cattle before the onset of the cold wintery conditions.