Although official figures are still to be confirmed for the last two weeks, the total cattle kill over the course of 2017 looks set to be the largest since 2012.To the middle of December 2017, the total cattle kill of 431,163 is already ahead of that for all of 2016 (429,649). If we assume normal kill patterns to the end of this year, it is likely to finish around the 445,000 mark.