AU Lamb Slaughter Reaches 25 Year High

December 8, 2006 - Lamb slaughter numbers are at their highest levels in more than 25 years.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) says total sheep and lamb slaughter numbers have risen for the 10th consecutive month to more than 3.2 million.

Mutton production was also up.

Nigel Gibson from the ABS says the figures reflect the impact of the drought.

"We had 1.7 million lambs processed for the month, which is around 200,000 more for the same month than the four or five previous years," he said.

"[It is a] very much higher figure than what we'd normally expect to see.

"In Victoria the numbers are up over 20 percent from the previous month and in New South Wales, they're up 17 percent on the previous month," Gibson concluded.
Reprinted from ABC Australia

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