Drought hits lamb output

LAMB production has fallen, while cattle and sheep slaughters have jumped in the past year as eastern Australia continues to grapple with crippling drought.

Lamb slaughters fell more than 2 per cent between August 2017 and 2018, while the amount of that meat produced in Australia fell by 5.4 per cent, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures.

Overall sheep slaughters rose 46 per cent – a 10-year high – with mutton production up 34 per cent. Beef production was up 6.6 per cent, with cattle slaughter increasing by almost 11 per cent.