Weekly cattle and sheep market wrap

29 Aug 2025

Key points

National yardings decreased 3%, driven by reduced supply from southern states’ anticipation of rain.
Restocker demand surged in NSW, increasing the National Restocker Lamb Indicator to 1,088¢/kg carcase weight (cwt).
National cattle slaughter surpassed 150,000 head, mostly influenced by an 8% Queensland lift.

Cattle market

The cattle market strength continued with all indicators up 2¢−13¢/kg liveweight (lwt). National yardings dropped 3% to 56,148, driven by anticipated rain in southern states. State decreases were NSW (-16%), VIC (-29%), SA (-2%) and WA (-29%).

The Processor Cow Indicator lifted 13% to 368¢/kg lwt after several steady weeks. National yardings eased again by 1,441 head to 6,900, yet demand stayed firm. With 50% of yardings based in Queensland, southern operators remained active in the northern market, pushing the state’s indicator to 357¢/kg lwt, just 4¢ shy of the 361¢/kg lwt record.

The Restocker Steer Indicator was the week’s standout, rising 11¢ to 487¢/kg lwt. Despite supply increasing 1,130 to 6,521 head, continued favourable seasonal conditions maintained restocker’s confidence in Queensland, driving the state’s prices 16% higher.

Sheep market

The sheep market was mixed and yardings eased across all indicators. Combined sheep (-7,188 head) and lamb yardings (-36,710 head) both eased, while more than usual Merinos were yarded.

The Heavy Lamb Indicator eased 27¢ to 1,129¢/kg carcase weight (cwt) and WA was the only state to experience a price lift – up 95¢ to 1,159¢/kg cwt. With smaller yardings across several saleyards, price was largely dictated by quality. Heavy young lambs sold for between $322−$350/head at Wagga, with a similar trend at Cowra – seeing heavy lambs sold from 1,000¢−1,175¢/kg cwt.

Restocker prices in NSW soared 130¢ to 1,194¢/kg cwt with yardings reaching 13,308 head. The National Restocker Lamb Indicator increased 62¢ to 1,088¢/kg cwt. The return of new season lambs impressed lot feeders in saleyards across the country including Toowoomba, Tamworth, Ballarat and Loxton. Notably, lambs weighing 16-18kg experienced a significant selling price range of $152−$213/head, averaging 1,388¢/kg cwt.

Slaughter

Week ending 22 August 2025

Cattle slaughter

National cattle slaughter rose 4% with 152,381 head processed. After the previous week’s volume dip, throughput returned to the consistent high weekly levels experienced since May - above 150,000 head. Queensland drove the national increase, lifting 8% to 79,961 head. Processing in all other states remained relatively stable.

State-by-state breakdown of cattle slaughter:

NSW: down 1% to 35,396
Queensland: up 8% to 79,961
SA: down 2% to 3,763
Tasmania: up 2% to 3,660
Victoria: up 0.1% to 25,646
WA: down 1% to 3,955.

Sheep slaughter

A combination of maintenance shutdowns and reopening plants continued to influence slaughter numbers. Total sheepmeat throughput increased 7% to 512,950 head – the highest since June.

National lamb slaughter lifted 9% to 372,989 head, significantly influenced by huge increases in SA (+171%) and WA (+58%) resulting from the reopening of several plants shut for maintenance the previous week. In contrast, NSW eased 10% to 98,130 head, while Victoria remained steady WoW.

National sheep slaughter held steady at 139,961 head and state results were also mixed. NSW (-16%) and SA (-24%) recorded declines, while Victoria increased 42% WoW, returning to this year’s weekly average. WA also increased 17% but volumes remain 19% below the state’s 2025 weekly average turnoff.

State-by-state breakdown of lamb slaughter:

NSW: down 10% to 98,130
Queensland: down 4% to 1,203
SA: up 171% to 41,908
Tasmania: down 6% to 4,877
Victoria: down 0.3% to 181,996
WA: up 53% to 44,875.

Information is correct at the time of publishing on 29 August 2025.

Attribute to: Emiliano Diaz, MLA Market Information Analyst

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