Weekly factory cattle supply up 5,600 head on same week last year

Weekly factory cattle supplies are up 5,600 head on the same week of last year, despite the overall kill this year being down by over 46,000 head or 4.2%.

Last year saw unusually lower kill numbers throughout the second half of the year, whereas this year, kill numbers have remained somewhat more stable, with the exception of late June and early July when weekly supplies dropped off.

Procurement staff generally have avaliable slots on kill sheets and are somewhat willing to discuss deals for good batches of in-spec prime cattle cattle in particular.

There are no reports of significant backlogs in getting bookings on kill sheets at factory lairages for most farmers.

The table below details weekly beef kill numbers in the week ending Sunday, August 30, versus the same week of last year, the cumulative beef kill-to-date this year versus the same week of last year, as well as the change in numbers and percentage changes:

Animal Type Week end: Aug 30, 2026 Same week last year Weekly Change Cumulative 2026 Cumulative 2025 Cumulative Change Young Bulls 1,504 1,110 +394 (+35.5%) 77,024 77,800 -776 (-1.0%) Bulls 564 456 +108 (+23.7%) 17,550 17,084 +466 (+2.7%) Cows 6,719 5,190 +1,529 (+29.5%) 229,605 245,662 -16,057 (-6.5%) Heifers 9,233 7,314 +1,919 (+26.2%) 322,002 343,709 -21,707 (-6.3%) Steers 14,217 12,543 +1,674 (+13.3%) 402,790 410,817 -8,027 (-2.0%) Total 32,237 26,613 +5,624 (+21.1%) 1,048,971 1,095,072 -46,101 (-4.2%)

Looking at the total cattle kill-to-date this year, supplies are down in all the main categories.

The largest supply drop has been in the heifer category, with numbers back by almost 22,000 head or 7%.

This is followed by the cow category, with numbers back by 16,000 head or 6.5%.

Interestingly, the steer kill-to-date this year is only down by 8,000 head or 2%, while the lowest percentage drop has been in the young bull category with numbers back by under 1,000 head or 1%.

The graph below illustrates how factory cattle supplies have been trending compared to last year:

Weekly kill numbers have surpassed 30,000 head for the past five consecutive weeks and yet, procurement staff are saying there is booking spaces open for prime cattle, which can be seen as a positive indication for the trade.

The latest official factory price data shows average price increases in the heifer and steer categories, which is also a positive signal for the autumn beef trade.

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