August 20, 2025
Australian beef production reach an all-time high during 2024-25, according to statistics released recently by the Australian Bureau of Statistics..
Meat and Livestock Australia spokesperson Erin Lukey said the results reflected the strength, resilience, and strategic adaptability of producers across diverse seasonal conditions.
“These results show that continued adoption of new technology and innovation on-farm, along with investments in supply chain efficiency, are continuing to pay dividends across the supply chain,” Ms Lukey said.
“Despite seasonal challenges in some parts of Australia, the industry has delivered record beef production.”
Australia processed 8.88 million head of cattle in FY25, the third-largest annual slaughter since 1978 and the highest since the drought-driven peak in 2015.
The June quarter saw 2.3 million head processed, up 8 per cent increase on the previous quarter and 10 per cent higher than the same period last year.
Queensland led the charge, lifting throughput by 13 per cent to more than one million head, while NSW, Victoria, and Tasmania all recorded their strongest quarters in over a decade.
Beef production hit an all-time high of 2.75 million tonnes for the financial year, surpassing the previous record set in 2015.
The June quarter alone produced 717,891 tonnes, the largest quarterly output on record, driven by improved productivity and record feedlot turnoff.
Despite the surge in production, national carcase weights dipped to 307kg, reflecting seasonal trends and a higher proportion of female cattle in the processing mix.
The female slaughter rate rose to 54 per cent, with NSW and Victoria posting record rates.
