Daily number of animals slaughtered for meat in Australia
Australia: Daily number of animals slaughtered for meat was 23,807 animals in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
23,807 animals
Change on year
up 17.5%
World rank
9th
of 198 countries
All-time high
35,528 animals
in 1978
All-time low
11,719 animals
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Daily number of animals slaughtered for meat in Australia, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in animals.
Analysis
Australia recorded 23,807 animals for daily number of animals slaughtered for meat in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 17.5% on the previous year and down 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, daily number of animals slaughtered for meat in Australia peaked at 35,528 animals in 1978 and was at its lowest, 11,719 animals, in 1961.
Australia ranks 9th of 198 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Daily number of animals slaughtered for meat in Australia, year by year
| Year | animals | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 11,719 animals | — |
| 1962 | 14,015 animals | +19.6% |
| 1963 | 16,250 animals | +15.9% |
| 1964 | 17,636 animals | +8.5% |
| 1965 | 18,751 animals | +6.3% |
| 1966 | 17,325 animals | -7.6% |
| 1967 | 15,480 animals | -10.6% |
| 1968 | 15,496 animals | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 15,365 animals | -0.8% |
| 1970 | 16,057 animals | +4.5% |
| 1971 | 16,082 animals | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 17,586 animals | +9.4% |
| 1973 | 22,320 animals | +26.9% |
| 1974 | 19,879 animals | -10.9% |
| 1975 | 23,116 animals | +16.3% |
| 1976 | 29,082 animals | +25.8% |
| 1977 | 32,823 animals | +12.9% |
| 1978 | 35,528 animals | +8.2% |
| 1979 | 31,086 animals | -12.5% |
| 1980 | 24,352 animals | -21.7% |
| 1981 | 23,115 animals | -5.1% |
| 1982 | 23,809 animals | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 24,965 animals | +4.9% |
| 1984 | 20,041 animals | -19.7% |
| 1985 | 19,275 animals | -3.8% |
| 1986 | 20,279 animals | +5.2% |
| 1987 | 21,872 animals | +7.9% |
| 1988 | 22,218 animals | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 19,841 animals | -10.7% |
| 1990 | 21,750 animals | +9.6% |
| 1991 | 22,950 animals | +5.5% |
| 1992 | 23,880 animals | +4.1% |
| 1993 | 23,224 animals | -2.7% |
| 1994 | 22,690 animals | -2.3% |
| 1995 | 22,651 animals | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 21,738 animals | -4.0% |
| 1997 | 23,046 animals | +6.0% |
| 1998 | 25,535 animals | +10.8% |
| 1999 | 24,922 animals | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 23,696 animals | -4.9% |
| 2001 | 24,011 animals | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 24,795 animals | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 24,401 animals | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 24,119 animals | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 23,196 animals | -3.8% |
| 2006 | 24,259 animals | +4.6% |
| 2007 | 24,384 animals | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 23,704 animals | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 23,044 animals | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 22,666 animals | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 21,760 animals | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 21,857 animals | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 24,751 animals | +13.2% |
| 2014 | 27,113 animals | +9.5% |
| 2015 | 27,680 animals | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 24,100 animals | -12.9% |
| 2017 | 20,338 animals | -15.6% |
| 2018 | 22,852 animals | +12.4% |
| 2019 | 24,787 animals | +8.5% |
| 2020 | 20,709 animals | -16.5% |
| 2021 | 17,269 animals | -16.6% |
| 2022 | 16,753 animals | -3.0% |
| 2023 | 20,258 animals | +20.9% |
| 2024 | 23,807 animals | +17.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 15,782 animals | 11,719 animals | 18,751 animals | 9 |
| 1970s | 24,356 animals | 16,057 animals | 35,528 animals | 10 |
| 1980s | 21,977 animals | 19,275 animals | 24,965 animals | 10 |
| 1990s | 23,239 animals | 21,738 animals | 25,535 animals | 10 |
| 2000s | 23,961 animals | 23,044 animals | 24,795 animals | 10 |
| 2010s | 23,790 animals | 20,338 animals | 27,680 animals | 10 |
| 2020s | 19,759 animals | 16,753 animals | 23,807 animals | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More agriculture & rural data for Australia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 13.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0227 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,476 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.5855 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1228 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.3% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is daily number of animals slaughtered for meat in Australia?
- Daily number of animals slaughtered for meat in Australia was 23,807 animals in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest daily number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 35,528 animals in 1978.
- What is the lowest daily number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 11,719 animals in 1961.
- How does Australia rank for daily number of animals slaughtered for meat?
- Australia ranks 9th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is daily number of animals slaughtered for meat rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Daily number of animals slaughtered for meat. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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