New Zealand’s dairy cow slaughter is estimated to be up 27 per cent on last year, an increase of 253,000 cattle, all of the kill lift attributed to dairy cows, said Beef+Lamb’s economic service.
It is the first decrease in New Zealand dairy cattle numbers in 24 years.
Two seasons of sharply lowered milk prices because of a global glut of dairy product and reduced export market demand has resulted in dairy farmers packing non-productive and marginally productive cows and many young female cattle that might normally be retained as herd replacements off to the works by the truckload.
Beef+Lamb economic service executive director Rob Davison said 39 per cent or just under 100,000 head of cattle in this increase were sent for slaughter in the September quarter.
The heifer kill was up 46,000 head or 11 per cent – again from the national dairy herd, he said.
The level of dairy cow slaughter equates to the first decrease in dairy cattle numbers since 1991-1992, Davison said.
Final statistics for the 2015 meat export year ending September 30 are yet to be received from processing companies, he said.
The increased cow cull coincided with high beef prices.
Source: Stuff
