NEXT year is expected to be a turning point for the lamb industry as the sheep flock stabilises and lamb consolidates its position before production powers up in 2017.
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Meat and Livestock Australia released its quarterly Australian Sheep Industry Projections this week and the report suggests improvements in lamb marking rates and small gains in average carcaseweights were expected to drive lamb production from 2017 onwards.
MLA market information manager Ben Thomas said from a base of about 40 million ewes, the number of lambs slaughtered a year had been rising and he put this down to improved management throughout the lifetime of the lambs and ewes and consequently a lift in average carcaseweights.
He said the total number of lambs in October was 1 per cent higher than at the same time last year at about 33.1m.
Furthermore, he said 2015 lamb slaughter was estimated to reach 22.25m, similar to 2014 levels.
"Reports suggest many producers have been turning off new season lambs about a month earlier than usual, with concerns of not enough water and feed to carry them through summer months," Mr Thomas said.
"As a result of the earlier turnoff in late 2015, supplies are expected to be tighter next year."
Australian lamb slaughter was forecast to decline 3.4pc year-on-year, to 21.5m.
In contrast, due to a boost in carcaseweights, total lamb production in 2015 was expected to be up 1.2pc (year-on-year) to 493,000 tonnes (carcaseweight).
It means the industry was recording an average carcaseweight of 22.2 kilograms. The export market was forecast to dip to 230,000t next year.
