Australia’s cattle herd to fall to lowest level since 1992
Industry commentators say they expect Australia’s beef cattle herd to fall to its lowest level since 1992 this year, as producers enter 2020 on the back of what promotional body Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) has called “one of the most challenging years on record”.
Its senior market analyst, Adam Cheetham, said in recent comments that the national herd could show a year-on-year decline of 5.8% by the midpoint of 2020, reaching 24.7 million head. He pointed out that this will mean a decline of 12.4% since the same point in 2018.
He said he also expects a decline of 15% in cattle slaughter in 2020, reaching 7.2 million head.
“Numbers over the next two years are expected to tighten considerably. The extent of tightening will be determined by domestic and global influences, with rainfall and demand from China the stand out variables,” Mr Cheetham said.
