Processing

Weekly kill: Processor grids steady, at record highs

Jon Condon, 24/08/2021

Processor direct consignment offers for slaughter cattle remained mostly stable this week, albeit at all-time record levels.

After some southern Queensland operators added another 10c to already record-high numbers earlier in August, offers seen this morning have four-tooth HGP-treated heavy steers at 680-705c/kg, and good heavy cows at 640-655c/kg. Operators in Central Queensland were typically 10c/kg behind those figures.

Generally mild conditions and some early grass growth is seeing a few more slaughter cattle coming forward in Queensland this week, processors reported, especially in central Queensland. Some operators in the region plan to add a fifth day to their weekly kills in coming weeks, as a result.

Southern states processor grids continue to reflect the extreme tightness of mid-winter supply on top of drought-driven herd reduction, with many large plants operating four days only this week.

Southern NSW and South Australian grids remain at record highs, with heavy steers hitting 810c/kg in some grids on four-tooth grass HGP-free steer, and cows at 680c/kg.

Slaughter numbers rise

There was a sharp rise in national cattle slaughter last week, this morning’s NLRS report shows, but kills continue to struggle to get much further north than 100,000 head, as they have for most of the year.

Last week’s kill reached 102,979 head, up 9pc on the week before, and the first time since April last year that throughput has exceeded the same week the previous year. There was a dramatic drop in slaughter activity from around week 33 last year, which continues for the remainder of 2020 (see MLA’s graph published here), as the impact of earlier rain started to take effect on slaughter patterns.

Queensland’s kill last week rose to 56,809 head – up about 10,000 head or 21pc on the previous week, and about 9000 more than the same week last year.

It’s the first time since May last year that slaughter tallies in the current week have exceeded year-before levels, but the trend is evident only in the northern state so far. Female kill in Queensland last week was particularly low, accounting for only 34.2pc of the state’s overall kill, as herd rebuilding continues to take effect.

NSW processors last week accounted for 27,251 head, much the same as the week before, but still 3700 or 12pc behind the same week last year. Female kill was a fraction over 50pc of slaughter in NSW last week, well above the 47pc threshold between herd rebuilding and decline. This followed the three previous weeks where the state’s female slaughter was around 48pc.

Continuing a steady decline over the past four winter months, Victoria’s kill last week fell to 11,346 head, down 3.6pc on the week before, and behind by 26pc or 4000 head on the same week last year.

South Australia’s kill last week eased a little to 2477 head, down 24pc on the same week last year, while Tasmania dropped dramatically to 2179 head.

 

 

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Comments

  1. Mofokeng Monica N, 21/09/2021

    My name is Monica from South Africa graduated as animal health technician but currently i’m working as meat inspector at high throughput Beef abatoir in Gauteng Province. I’m looking for a job. Regards Mofokeng MN

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