February 22, 2013

New Zealand sees 4% increase in beef output during 2012

New Zealand has witnessed a 4% rise in beef output during 2012, to 596,699 tonnes, despite adult cattle slaughter remaining almost steady compared to 2011, at 2.26 million head.

Male cattle were heavier every month compared with the previous year, while female cattle were heavier in 10 out of the 12 months.

A 4% increase in cattle slaughter in the South Island (643,926 head) was not enough to offset a 2% decline in North Island processing (1,615,890 head). Bull and steer slaughter increased on both islands (up 6% nationally, to 1.05 million head), while there was a 9% fall in female slaughter in the North Island, which resulted in a national fall of 6%, to 1.21 million head. In the final quarter of 2012, however, there was a sharp increase in adult cattle slaughter, after a slow period in late winter and early spring.