Aussie Lamb Market Surges to New Records, Cattle Steady
Australian Lamb Market Records & Cattle Update – Mid-2025
The Australian livestock markets mid-2025 update highlights soaring lamb prices and steady cattle performance. Notably, lamb prices broke records while cattle markets remained stable.
Cattle Market Overview
Cattle yardings dropped 24% to 56,797 head, largely due to recent rains and a long weekend. In contrast, the Heavy Steer Indicator rose 6¢ to 361¢/kg liveweight (lwt). Notably, Victoria recorded 408¢/kg lwt, the highest in the state.
Meanwhile, restocker heifers weakened, falling 11¢ to 319¢/kg lwt as demand softened.
Sheep Market Highlights
Lamb yardings declined 38% to 132,105 head, with sheep yardings also down 42% to 59,637 head. However, market strength surged despite reduced supply.
The Trade Lamb Indicator rose to a record 1,050¢/kg carcass weight (cwt), now outpacing the heavy lamb figure of 1,042¢/kg cwt. Light lambs climbed to 928¢/kg cwt.
Major markets like Wagga saw standout sales. A pen of crossbred lambs (sub-40 kg) fetched A$424/head, while Yass marked the arrival of new-season lamb.
Slaughter Statistics
National cattle slaughter held firm at 152,530 head, despite shorter processing weeks. New South Wales helped, with an 8% rise offsetting weaker output in Western Australia. Overall slaughter remains 10% above 2024.
Sheep and lamb slaughter edged higher too. Lamb numbers totaled 461,658 head, while sheep reached 177,918. Combined, these figures amounted to 639,576 head, barely lower than the previous week.
Market Summary
Overall, the Australian livestock markets mid-2025 update reveals a market in transition. Lamb prices continue to break records, driven by tight supply and strong demand. Meanwhile, cattle markets remain resilient. Exports and domestic dynamics will likely steer the next phase of this trend.
Original source: MLA
Read full article Share on X