Home - Beef Central

The North’s buffalo dilemma

A booming wild buffalo population descended from disease-free herds established post-BTEC in the 1990s presents a major challenge, with high costs, limited markets, and logistical hurdles preventing effective management. Without new markets or government support soon, the problem will only get worse, NT Buffalo Industry Council executive director Ross Ainsworth warns…Read More

Dr Ross Ainsworth, 24/04/2025

News

JBS formalises plans for dual listing on New York SX

Global protein giant JBS is formalising its long-touted move to dual listing on both the New York and Brazilian Stock Exchanges. The company outlined the process overnight, following a board decision on Tuesday to proceed. Existing shareholders will be asked to vote to approve or reject the dual listing move during an extraordinary general meeting on 23 May…Read More

Beef Central, 24/04/2025

News

Asparagopsis-fed low-methane beef on restaurant menus for first time

Grassfed Angus beef carrying low methane emissions claims through the use of feed supplements based on asparagopisis seaweed is now appearing on restaurant menus for the first time…Read More

Beef Central, 24/04/2025

The Weekly Grill

S5 Ep11: Nutritionist Anneline Padaychee on where red meat sits in a healthy diet

In today’s episode podcast host Kerry Lonergan catches up with prominent nutritionist and food scientist Dr Anneline Padayachee. Anneline is a strong advocate for the role of red meat..Read More

Beef Central, 24/04/2025

Recruitment

Recruitment: Understanding key drivers in attracting quality talent to ag

Attracting top talent in the agricultural sector is not just about filling positions—it is about securing skilled individuals who will drive innovation and productivity in the industry…Read More

Beef Central, 24/04/2025

Markets

Dalby sale 23 Apr 2025: Prices slightly dearer

The short working weeks continued to disrupt the supply of cattle into Dalby with numbers falling by another 1778 head to 2294. Prices for most categories were slightly dearer..Read More

Beef Central, 24/04/2025

Wagyu Feeder Check Generation II debuts at WagyuEdge’25

Beef producers will now have access to the most comprehensive form of genetic predictions for Wagyu cross cattle in the supply chain as Generation II of Wagyu Feeder Check is introduced…Read More

X-ray inspection: A critical first step for quality burgers and sausages

In a highly competitive market, processors creating processed meat products such as burgers, sausages, minced meat and meatballs, need to guarantee the highest levels of quality and consistency. Increasing numbers are using X-ray inspection to verify and control the quality of their incoming meat supply in order to achieve superior results…Read More

Farm alarm over “sneaky election promises”

Beef Central, 24/04/2025

News

Harmonisation of standards urgently needed for industry’s animal welfare responsibilities

Jon Condon, 23/04/2025

Top 25 Livestock Transporters 2025

Skilled drivers in short supply: Livestock transport’s growing challenge

James Nason, 23/04/2025

Trade

EU deforestation deadlines coming around quickly

Eric Barker, 23/04/2025

News

Allied Beef, Adcock Partners establish marketing partnership

Beef Central, 23/04/2025

Markets

Roma sale 22 April 2025: Quality yarding with just over 2600 head

Guest Author, 23/04/2025

Industry Dashboard

Carbon Trading Market

Aust. Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) - $/tonne of CO2 equiv.

Today

33.70

Source: Jarden

$A / $US

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.6359

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

25 Apr 2025 (updated 10am daily)

Company	Price	Trending
Elders	$8.96
Australian Agricultural Co	$1.52
Graincorp	$7.29
Ridley	$2.12
Woolworths	$36.64
Wellard	$0.06

Source: ASX

Beef Kill

Eastern States, weekly

Last Week

143887

Source: MLA's NLRS

EYCI

Eastern Young Cattle Indicator, c/kg

Today

697.8

Source: MLA's NLRS

90CL Cow

Imported 90CL cow beef price. Landed US, Ac/kg CIF

Today

1071

Source: Steiner Consulting, MLA

Live Export

Live export feeder steer prices ex Darwin (c/kg liveweight)

Today

360

Source: Trade contacts

SOI

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

Today

8.77

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Feeder Steer

NLRS-reported yards (feedlot buyers only); 0-600kg, 0-2T, c/kg LW

Today

382.9

Source: Feeder Steer

What readers are saying

Four ways technology has revolutionised livestock transport

I am very pleased trucking companies have adapted technology on their trucks to reduce drivers going to fast into corners etc. And drivers nodding off behind the wheel. By....

wayne mg tregear

EU deforestation deadlines coming around quickly

Its a bit pot kettle black when Europe is happy to destroy swathes of forest (Black Forest in Germany for one) to build wind farms with a huge carbon....

Helen Armstrong

“Icons of the road” preserving history of Australia’s livestock transport industry

Surely the Hansen family from Quilpie need a mention . First to use double deckers out of the channel country .....

Brian Ostwald

No 1: Martins Stock Haulage

Congratulations to Martin's Stock Haulage and the Team - a great achievement. It was nice to see the mention of Porter's Transport in the story. Col Porter (now deceased), originally....

Terry Nolan

The North’s buffalo dilemma

Dr Ross Ainsworth, 24/04/2025

JBS formalises plans for dual listing on New York SX

Beef Central, 24/04/2025

Asparagopsis-fed low-methane beef on restaurant menus for first time

Grassfed Angus beef carrying low methane emissions claims through the use of feed supplements based on asparagopisis seaweed is now appearing on restaurant menus for the first time…Read More

Beef Central, 24/04/2025

Recruitment: Understanding key drivers in attracting quality talent to ag

Attracting top talent in the agricultural sector is not just about filling positions—it is about securing skilled individuals who will drive innovation and productivity in the industry…Read More

Beef Central, 24/04/2025

Markets

Dalby sale 23 Apr 2025: Prices slightly dearer

The short working weeks continued to disrupt the supply of cattle into Dalby with numbers falling by another 1778 head to 2294. Prices for most categories were slightly dearer..Read More

Beef Central, 24/04/2025

Roma sale 22 April 2025: Quality yarding with just over 2600 head

Solid bidding and good cattle saw the Roma market hold firm right across the board this week…Read More

Guest Author, 23/04/2025

Dalby sale 16 Apr 2025: Short weeks reduce numbers

The restrictions on stock movements from the far west of the state is still evident however 360 head from New South Wales were included in the lineup…Read More

Beef Central, 17/04/2025

Roma sale 15 April 2025: Significantly larger offering

All regular processors, feedlotters, and backgrounders, were in attendance and actively bidding on a quality yarding that featured early weaners and heavy feeders…Read More

Beef Central, 16/04/2025

A desktop study into gross margins has indicated breakeven targets for supplementary feeding cottonseed to weaners and heifers in the Northern Territory…Read More

Sue Webster, 15/04/2025

April beef producer intentions survey will shed light on flood, weather impact

RECENT weather impacts will form an important part of intelligence gathered as part of Meat & Livestock Australia’s next Grassfed Beef Producer Intentions Survey. Producers can now participate in..Read More

Beef Central, 11/04/2025

Research grant will help progress cattle disease vaccines

Research into the development of combination vaccines tackling commercially significant venereal diseases in cattle will get a boost through research grants announced this week…Read More

Beef Central, 20/03/2025

Processing

Electronic tongue gets a taste for ‘off’ meat

Australian researchers trialling an electronic tongue – or ‘e-tongue’ – report that instrumental taste measurements successfully detected spoiled vacuum-packed mince…Read More

Sue Webster, 23/04/2025

Weekly kill: Grids soften, as drier track returns and short weeks exert impact

There are sharp corrections evident in direct consignment slaughter cattle grid prices this week, as stock access improves after earlier wet weather in some regions and the last of the backlog of rain-delayed process cattle is cleared…Read More

Jon Condon, 22/04/2025

Red meat processors record big gains in environmental performance

Big improvements were noted in lowering Green House Gas emissions, water utilisation, water quality, energy use and waste to landfill in a two-yearly Environmental Performance Review of Australian red meat processing released last week…Read More

Beef Central, 22/04/2025

Grading camera demonstrates high repeatability and reproducibility across all traits in ACC trial

RESEARCHERS working at the Australian Country Choice beef processing plant in Brisbane have successfully trialled new technology taking some of the guesswork out of grading beef carcase traits at the..Read More

Beef Central, 22/04/2025

Lotfeeding

Feedgrain Focus: Dollar rebound pressures values

A rebound in the Aus dollar has trimmed recent grain price gains, while dry conditions in Vic and SA continue to restrict grain flows…Read More

Emma Alsop, 22/04/2025

Feedgrain Focus: Weak dollar lifts values

The weaker A$ has lifted northern markets and southern wheat by up to $10/t in the past week, with sorghum the volume mover to supply buoyant Chinese demand…Read More

Liz Wells, 14/04/2025

Beef still rules the roost in grain use by sector

A broad-brush look at grain use in Australia’s major animal-production sectors still has lotfeeders on top for volume, and pork looking likely to overtake dairy in coming years…Read More

Liz Wells, 08/04/2025

Feedgrain Focus: Market ingests wet north, dry south

Soaking rain in the northern region has set it up for a strong and early start to winter cropping, while in the south, dry sowing is under way as growers wait for general rain to appear on the forecast…Read More

Liz Wells, 07/04/2025

Live Export

SE Asia Report: Beef in high demand as Indonesia navigates supply woes during ramadan

Eid al-Fitr drives beef demand in Indonesia amid slow beef import progress and rising prices | Indonesia government is unlikely to realise it’s 200,000 head dairy cattle import goal | Philippines is set to approve commercial access to Vietnam’s African Swine Fever vaccine.
..Read More

Dr Michael Patching, 07/04/2025

Livex ban compensation hearings set for mid-April

It’s a topic many in the northern cattle industry say they are sick and tired of talking about but one that they will never give up on pursuing…Read More

James Nason, 31/03/2025

SE Asia Report: Ramadan underway in Indonesia amid supply challenges

Import quotas remain uncertain as demand surges | Pakistan emerges as a new buffalo meat supplier in Indonesia, adding competition to Australia’s cattle exports | Vietnam Government restructures.
..Read More

Dr Michael Patching, 10/03/2025

Live cattle export volumes forecast to hit five-year high

In its annual agricultural commodity update released at this week’s Outlook conference in Canberra, ABARES has predicted cattle exports to increase by 23 percent year-on-year in 2024-25 to 817,000 head…Read More

Beef Central, 05/03/2025

Trade

EU deforestation deadlines coming around quickly

DEADLINES for the European Union’s ban on the import of goods linked to deforestation are coming in surprisingly quick, with the majority of Australian beef needing to be compliant by..Read More

Eric Barker, 23/04/2025

ACCC clears path for Woolworths to acquire B&J value-added business

Regulatory watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will not stand in the way of a proposed takevover by national supermarket retailer Woolworths of large value-added foods business Beak & Johnston Holdings…Read More

Beef Central, 10/04/2025

Australia’s March beef exports hit 112,000t; first quarter tonnage amongst the highest on record

Despite some serious logistical challenges caused by Cyclone Alfred, Australian beef exports held up remarkably well during March. Total export shipments to all markets last month reached 112,423t, only 5000t less than February, and 6000t higher than March last year. ..Read More

Jon Condon, 07/04/2025

Australia finishes with bronze in World Butchers’ Challenge competition

Australia’s team of six crack tradesmen finished third in the biennial World Butchers Challenge event staged in Paris overnight…Read More

Beef Central, 02/04/2025

Genetics

Weekly genetics review: Don’t discount the importance of being seen

Genetics editor Al Rayner has served as a Sydney Royal Easter Show RAS Councillor for the past 15 years. In this week’s genetics review, he reflects on the importance of relationship-building between seedstock and commercial cattle producers and the broader community – a fundamental role played by Royal Shows…Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 15/04/2025

Weekly genetics review: Bull buyers selective as southern seasonal pressures mount

Reflecting on what has been a challenging few months, it is clear that while clearance rates and prices have been lower than many would have hoped, producers are not disinterested nor is the market oversupplied…Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 08/04/2025

One-month countdown begins to World Angus Forum

More than 600 seedstock and commercial cattle breeders, researchers and industry leaders from at least 26 countries are already registered to attend the 2025 Neogen World Angus Forum taking place in Australia in early May. A leading global event for the Angus beef industry, the event will highlight genetic advancements, sustainability and trade opportunities, positioning Australia at the forefront of the $500 billion global beef industry…Read More

Beef Central, 04/04/2025

Weekly genetics review: Beyond six years – insights into cow longevity

Looking at the performance of a herd or of individual cows, the focus of evaluation is often a simple “did she ‘stay’?” In many cases this question is applied in the context of ‘stayability’, defined as The proportion of heifers that calve for the first time at two years of age and remain in the herd, producing a calf every year up to 6 years of age. But while this is a good definition, asking simply if a cow ‘made it’, doesn’t always give the information needed to make improvements…Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 01/04/2025

Ag Tech

AgTech success story as Optiweigh delivers 1000th in-paddock weighing unit

One of Australia’s agtech success stories has crossed a significant milestone, with the delivery of the 1000th Optiweigh unit to one of the company’s early adopters…Read More

Eric Barker, 30/01/2025

Scholarship to help keep Luke on the land after life-altering car crash

A North Queensland cattleman who became a quadraplegic after a car crash has received a bursary to become a drone pilot, to assist with work on his family’s cattle property…Read More

Beef Central, 29/01/2025

Green ammonia – Are we overlooking the opportunity for the livestock sector?

What if protein was no longer a limiting factor in our northern beef systems? Qld beef industry RD&E professional Dr Lindsey Perry looks at how small-scale, on-farm ‘green’ ammonia technologies could provide localised systems to potentially fill the protein gap in future…Read More

Lindsey Perry, 20/12/2024