Beef output and exports from Australia, the world’s second-largest meat shipper, are expected to set records this year amid increased slaughter rates for female animals. A USDA report from the agency’s office in Canberra, Australia, says production will be 2.65 million metric tons (carcass weight equivalent) in 2025, a 2.4 percent year-over-year increase and up from the prior projection of 2.56 million tons. That would be the highest level on record, topping the previous peak set in 2014.
The agency says female slaughter rates are expected to remain at elevated levels, and the number of cattle on feed has risen in recent years. Grain-fed cattle tend to have higher slaughter weights than their grass-fed counterparts. About 38 percent of cattle slaughtered in Australia will be grain-fed this year. Beef exports are expected to rise 2.5 percent this year to a record 1.95 million metric tons.
