Australia's red meat industry has delivered another year of strong performance, with new ABS data confirming exceptional beef production, historically high cattle slaughter and resilient lamb and mutton supply despite varied seasonal conditions.
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) says the data reflects both the strength and adaptability of Australian red meat producers, as well as the continued shift toward higher throughput and heavier carcase weights across key species.
Cattle: Record production and the highest slaughter in almost five decades
The Australian cattle sector continued its extraordinary run in 2025.
Beef production reached 712,888 tonnes in Q4 and 2.87 million tonnes across the calendar year. This is 12% higher than 2024 and is now the largest annual beef production on record.
Cattle slaughter reached 9.28 million head for the year. This represents a 12% increase on 2024 and surpasses the previous modern record set in 2014. It is the highest cattle kill Australia has recorded since 1978.
Q4 slaughter totalled 2.3 million head, a 7% decline from Q3 due to normal end of year plant shutdowns. Queensland slaughter fell 10% in Q4 to 939,300 head after two consecutive quarters above one million.
Twice in 2025, the March and December quarters, Victoria processed more cows than Queensland for the first time since 2008, demonstrating the flow of females south to maintain processor capacity despite lower local availability.
Average cattle carcase weights reached 309kg for the year. The Q4 average was 311kg, continuing the upward trend supported by strong northern pasture conditions. Carcase weights remain below the peak of 324kg that occurred in early 2022.
The national female slaughter rate (FSR) eased to 52.3% in Q4 after peaking at 54.5% in June.
MLA Senior Market Information Analyst Emiliano Diaz said the results show an industry performing at a very high level.
"Beef production has remained above 700,000 tonnes for three consecutive quarters. That is unprecedented and signals a new sustained production level for Australia," Mr Diaz said.
"Producers in the north have benefited from strong pasture growth, while many southern regions experienced much drier conditions. The fact that national output still reached record levels speaks to the resilience and adaptability of producers in every state."
Lamb: Lower slaughter but solid production supported by heavier carcases
Lamb slaughter totalled 24.6 million head in 2025. This represents a 7% decline from 2024 but still places the year as the third highest on record behind 2023 and 2024. Q4 lamb slaughter totalled 5.8 million head, which is 6% lower than Q4 2024.
Annual lamb production reached 597,068 tonnes, a decline of 5.2% from 2024. In Q4 Australia produced 136,941 tonnes, a decline of 3% year-on-year.
Carcase weights averaged 24.3kg across 2025 and remained stable at 23.8kg in Q4.
All states recorded year-on-year increases in carcase weights in Q4. New South Wales increased by 3%. Victoria increased by 2%. South Australia increased by 5%. Western Australia increased by 7%.
Mr Diaz said improved feeding strategies have helped maintain productivity.
"The increase in lamb carcase weights demonstrates how effectively producers have adapted, particularly through the growing use of containment feeding," Mr Diaz said.
"Many sheep regions had to work through extended dry conditions, yet producers were still able to lift weights and support strong production levels."
Mutton: Supply remains historically high despite easing from 2024 levels
National sheep slaughter reached 2.65 million head in Q4. This was 32% higher than Q3 but remained 24% lower than the exceptionally elevated slaughter levels recorded in late 2024.
Across 2025, mutton slaughter totalled 10.19 million head, a decline of 14% from 2024 but still historically high.
New South Wales processed 920,400 head in Q4, an increase of 24% on Q3. For the full year NSW processed 3.66 million head, a decline of 9%.
Victoria processed 1.05 million head in Q4, an increase of 27%. For the full year Victoria processed 3.79 million head, a drop of 19%, but it remained Australia's largest mutton processing state with a 37% share.
Mutton production reached 258,757 tonnes in 2025, a reduction of 13% from 2024. Q4 production totalled 71,599 tonnes, which was 37% higher than Q3 but 21% lower than the same quarter last year.
Carcase weights remained firm. The Q4 national average was 27kg, which is 5% above the five-year average.
New South Wales recorded an average of 29kg, Victoria recorded 25.4kg and South Australia recorded 26.9kg.
Values: Record producer receipts for sheep and cattle farmers
For the 2025 calendar year Australian cattle producers received $20.43 billion for the sale of finished to processors, a record and $5 billion more than in 2024.
Similarly, lamb and sheep producers received record revenue for the sale of animals to abattoirs, netting $6.9 bilion over the last 12 months.
