Key points:
- Tropical Cyclone Alfred has impacted the Queensland cattle market.
- The lamb market was generally positive despite lower demand for restocker lambs.
- Sheep and lamb slaughter lifted to the largest throughput of 2025 so far.
Cattle market
The cattle market took a turn this week with yardings easing 18% to 72,212 head (though it remains in line with 2025 averages). Prices for all indicators came back between 4¢/kg liveweight (lwt) for the Feeder Steer Indicator and 47¢/kg lwt for the Dairy Cow Indicator.
This week, Queensland yardings and prices were impacted by Tropical Cyclone Alfred. The Port of Brisbane closed to incoming ships on Sunday 2 March and outgoing vessels on Tuesday 4 March. Major processors across southern Queensland have closed for parts of the week, with return dates still to be announced.
Sheep market
Sheep and lamb yardings eased across both categories, with sheep yardings down 19% to 91,453 and lamb down 10% to 179,277, for a total yarding of 270,730 head. The market was generally positive, lifting across all indicators bar the restocker, which eased 8¢ to 739¢/kg carcase weight.
The largest lift was seen in the Merino Lamb Indicator, up 86¢ to 676¢/kg cwt, accompanying a positive lift to the wool price. Light lambs lifted 44¢ to 750¢/kg cwt, with other indicators staying relatively flat. The heavy lamb remains at a consistent 20¢ premium to trade lambs – a consistent trend throughout 2025 so far.
Slaughter
Week ending 28 February 2025
National cattle slaughter lifted 2% to 147,133 head, the largest NLRS throughput since 2019.
Cattle slaughter breakdown:
- NSW and SA both reduced throughput by 1% (35,287 and 3,727 head respectively)
- Tasmania and Victoria lifted 2% (4,992 and 23,838 head respectively)
- Queensland lifted 3% (76,816 head)
- WA was up 4% (2,473 head).
Lamb slaughter lifted 1% to top 505,761 head, the largest throughput this year.
Lamb slaughter breakdown:
- NSW, SA, Tasmania and Victoria all lifted week-on-week
- Queensland and WA experienced an ease in throughput.
Mutton slaughter eased 3% week-on-week, and processors favoured lambs. Shifts were also seen in lamb throughput with NSW, SA, Tasmania and Victoria easing, while Queensland and WA lifted.
Combined slaughter lifted by just 190 head. There was an ease experienced in three states, while Tasmania and Victoria experienced their largest throughputs of this year:
- NSW eased 1% to 214,013 head
- SA eased 4% to 73,984 head
- Queensland eased 9% to 1,437 head
- Tasmania lifted 7% to 17,189 head
- Victoria lifted 2% to 318,061 head.
Attribute to: Erin Lukey, MLA Senior Market Information Analyst
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