Australian lamb production plummeted during August, declining 25pc year-onyear, as tight supplies, particularly of heavy lambs, underpinned historically high saleyard prices, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Meat and Livestock Australia reports that the ABS figures show lamb production during August only reached 27,400 tonnes (carcase weight) – the lowest monthly total since September 2004 and the fourth consecutive monthly decline.

The fall in lamb production during the month was driven by a 21pc year-on-year decline in lamb slaughter, to 1.4 million head, with a 5pc fall in average lamb carcase weights to 19.6kg/head.

The sharp decline in lamb numbers into August was largely a combination of increased turnoff earlier in the year and a poorer breeding season, which saw an overall decline in the number of lambs marked.

SA recorded the largest fall in lamb production during August – dropping 52pc year-on-year, to 3,718t cwt, as welcome August rains in the south-east of SA encouraged producers to hold onto stock.

Significant falls in lamb production were also recorded in Victoria (25pc) and NSW (16pc).

Lamb production in WA slipped 3pc, while production in Queensland and Tasmania increased 9pc and 19pc, respectively.