Click here to discover where Australian meat processors are located.

• There are approximately 29 million head of cattle, 70 million sheep and millions of bush goats in Australia.
• Australia is one of the world’s most efficient producers of cattle and the world’s third largest exporter of beef.
• Australia is also one of the world’s leading producers of lamb and mutton, the world’s largest exporter of mutton and the second largest exporter of lamb.
• Australia is a relatively small producer of goat meat but is the world’s largest exporter of goat meat.

Source: Meat and Livestock Australia 

Learn about the meat and livestock industry.

• Farmers have an attachment to their cattle, sheep and goats as they have often raised animals from birth and they know that healthy and well cared for stock also produce better quality, beef, lamb, mutton and goat meat. It is widely acknowledged that consumers want their red meat produced humanely and ethically. As such, Australian cattle, sheep and goat producers are recognised around the world for their animal husbandry and farm management techniques.

• Good animal welfare is not only vital from a moral and ethical perspective, but also for farmers and processors’ productivity, profitability and sustainability. To continually improve the well-being of Australia’s cattle, sheep and goats, the industry invests in research and development to provide tools and knowledge for farmers, transporters and processors.
• Animal welfare research is undertaken on farms, at feedlots and at the processing sites of beef, lamb and goat meat.

• Around 200,000 people are employed in the Australian red meat industry, including on-farm production, transporters, processing and retail activities. 
• Australian cattle, sheep and goat farmers, livestock transporters and processors value highly the health and wellbeing of their stock.
• Farmers have an attachment to their cattle, sheep and goats, as they have often raised animals from birth and they know that healthy and well cared for stock also produce better quality, beef, lamb, mutton and goat meat. It is widely acknowledged that consumers want their red meat produced humanely and ethically. As such, Australian cattle, sheep and goat producers are recognised around the world for their animal husbandry and farm management techniques.

The Product

Farmers can sell their cattle, sheep and goats to abattoirs to be processed in Australia for local and export markets.
They can also sell cattle, sheep and goats directly to other producers or feedlots. Cattle, sheep and goats can be sold by auction at saleyards, direct consignment or digital auctions.
Looking after cattle, sheep and goats

Good animal welfare is not only vital from a moral and ethical perspective, but also for farmers and processors’ productivity, profitability and sustainability. To continually improve the well-being of Australia’s cattle, sheep and goats, the industry invests in research and development to provide tools and knowledge for farmers, transporters and processors.
Animal welfare research is undertaken on farms, at feedlots and at the processing sites of beef, lamb and goat meat.
Transportation

Cattle, sheep and goats are transported to abattoirs and meat processing plants where they are unloaded from the truck, grouped in lots and placed in holding yards. All animals are inspected to make sure they are healthy and haven’t been injured during transport and are fit for processing.
Each year in Australia, livestock transporters carry nine billion head of cattle, sheep and goats from farms to abattoir

• Around 200,000 people are employed in the Australian red meat industry, including on-farm production, transporters, processing and retail activities.
• Australian cattle, sheep and goat farmers, livestock transporters and processors value highly the health and wellbeing of their stock.
• Farmers have an attachment to their cattle, sheep and goats, as they have often raised animals from birth and they know that healthy and well cared for stock also produce better quality, beef, lamb, mutton and goat meat. It is widely acknowledged that consumers want their red meat produced humanely and ethically. As such, Australian cattle, sheep and goat producers are recognised around the world for their animal husbandry and farm management techniques.

• Farmers can sell their cattle, sheep and goats to abattoirs to be processed in Australia for local and export markets.
• They can also sell cattle, sheep and goats directly to other producers or feedlots. Cattle, sheep and goats can be sold by auction at saleyards, direct consignment or digital auctions.

• Cattle, sheep and goats are transported to abattoirs and meat processing plants where they are unloaded from the truck, grouped in lots and placed in holding yards. All animals are inspected to make sure they are healthy and haven’t been injured during transport and are fit for processing.
• Each year in Australia, livestock transporters carry nine billion head of cattle, sheep and goats from farms to abattoirs.

• Australian Meat Processors and Butchers are passionate about delivering top quality, safe and nutritious products to the market. 
• The Australian Meat Processing Sector is a world leader in processing beef, lamb and goat meat and processing plants employ the latest technologies to ensure superior levels of meat product. 
• Australia has approximately 300 abattoirs (including boning rooms) with a workforce of around 34,000 people. The red meat processing industry is estimated to contribute just under $23 billion of value added to the Australian economy including flow-on impacts, equivalent to 1.5 percent of Australia’s Gross industry value added. It generates 134,000 jobs equivalent to 1.4 percent of full-time equivalent (FTE) employment when flow-on effects are taken into account. 
• Source: Heilbron, S.G. 2016. Evaluating the Socio-economic benefit of the red meat processing industry in regional Australia, pages 14 and 20. (Unpublished)
• Red Meat Processors trim and prepare the beef, sheep and goat carcases to specific standards. They grade the carcasses for colour, tenderness, fat, age, sex and bruising according to AUS-MEAT standards and weigh and brand each carcase. The weight is used to calculate how much farmers are paid. 
• Meat Processors who work in abattoirs include Trimmers, Boners, Graders and Packers.
• A ‘Trimmer’ skins, cleans, trims, dresses, hangs and prepares the beef, lamb or goat carcasses to specific standards.
• Each carcass is cut in half and carefully chilled in the chiller room. The chiller room keeps the meat at the correct temperature to ensure the red meat is tender and fresh. 
• After chilling, meat ‘Graders’, grade the beef, lamb and goat meat for colour, tenderness, fat, age, sex and any bruising on the meat. Each carcass is tagged by the ‘Graders’ to show the classification, the date of processing and the brand of meat, as well as the plant in which it was processed.
• After chilling for at least 24 hours the ‘Boners’ cut the beef, lamb and goat meat into different cuts of meat or prepare the carcaseses to be sent to a butcher who will prepare the smaller cuts of meat.
• Meat ‘Packers’ pack the varying cuts of beef, lamb and goat meat ready for sale and delivery to local, regional, interstate and overseas customers.
• Red meat products are transported from the processing plant to butchers, wholesalers, restaurants and supermarkets, in refrigerated trucks. There are Australian Standards that must be followed during transportation to make sure that the red meat is kept hygenic for people to eat.
• Red meat for export markets is packed into large refrigerated containers and delivered to ports and airports for transport overseas. 
• Stringent food safety standards are applied by the Quality Assurance team to ensure the meat is hygienic to eat by consumers in Australia and overseas.

• Australians eat around 32.5kg of beef per person annually equating to approximately $6.6 billion.
• Australians eat around 9.7kg of lamb annually equating to approximately $2 billion. 
• Goat meat is the most widely consumed meat in the world and Australians are eating more of it. 

• Red meat products are transported from the processing plant to butchers, wholesalers, restaurants and supermarkets, in refrigerated trucks. There are Australian Standards that must be followed during transportation to make sure that the red meat is kept hygienic for people to eat.
• Red meat for export markets is packed into large refrigerated containers and delivered to airports for transport overseas.

Beef

• Australians eat around 32.5kg of beef per person annually equating to around $6.6 billion to Australia’s economy.
• There are so many tasty and juicy beef cuts of meat...what’s your favourite? Check out the different Australian beef cuts of meat below.

Prepare a Beef Burger

Find more recipes here!

Lamb

• Australians eat around 9.7kg of lamb annually equating to around $2 billion to Australia’s economy.
• There are so many tasty and juicy lamb cuts of meat...what’s your favourite?

Check out the different Australian cuts of lamb here!

Prepare a quick and healthy Easy Lamb Wrap.

Goat Meat

• Goat meat is the most widely consumed meat in the world and Australians are eating more of it.

Check out the different Australian cuts of goat meat here!