Home - Beef Central

SE Asia Report: Weathering the storm and GRSB outlook for Australia and Asia

Beef Central’s Southeast Asia report columnist Michael Patching has just returned from the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef meetings in Uruguay, and offers his take on the discussions. This month’s report also looks at Typhoon Yagi’s severe destruction in Vietnam and surrounding countries; Protein supply is front of mind for Indonesia with some exotic alternatives being considered; and the Philippines Senate approved an A$197million fund to boost the country’s livestock, poultry, and dairy industries and support small farmers…Read More

Dr Michael Patching, 10/10/2024

Trade

Welfare and environmental concerns in bigger-framed cattle warns Temple Grandin

Bigger-framed cattle are presenting welfare and environmental worries for the world’s best-known animal behaviourist, US scientist Dr Temple Grandin…Read More

Sue Webster, 10/10/2024

News

Young Beef Producer’s Forum celebrates 20 year milestone with November Roma event

The Young Beef Producer’s Forum is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024, with this year’s annual gathering taking place in Roma on 14-15 November…Read More

Beef Central, 10/10/2024

Processing

Carving a path to the future with robotic meat cutting innovation

Researchers at the University of Southern Queensland are advancing the development of automated meat cutting, teaching robots to ‘feel’ their way around a meat sample the way a boner or slicer does in the workplace…Read More

Beef Central, 10/10/2024

Lotfeeding

Are feedlots facing a profit squeeze?

With Darling Downs feed wheat prices at $322/t – the lowest since 2021 – and the current feeder steer indicator at 350¢/kg, the relationship between grain prices and feeder cattle prices are in uncharted territory, MLA suggests in this report..Read More

Beef Central, 10/10/2024

Markets

Dalby sale 9 Oct 2024: Heifers, cows sell to cheaper trend

Heifers and cows sold to a cheaper trend in a smaller yarding of 4900 at Dalby yesterday ..Read More

Trevor Hess, 10/10/2024

KOALA Farmland Fund 2 capital raise

Upscale Funds Management, a Fund Manager specialising in Natural Capital and agriculture, has its seventh fund, the Koala Farmland Fund 2 (KFF2). Koala Farmland Fund 2 (Fund) intends to create..Read More

Weekly property review: Recently completed sales

$110m raised for part of Qld’s Ray Scott Pastoral Portfolio | NQ’s Tabletop Station withdrawn from auction & listed POA | NQ’s Burlington Station fails to sell | CQ’s well-watered Fishpond for sale by negotiation..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 09/10/2024

Property

Movement at the station: Recent listings in southern and central NSW

Property editor Linda Rowley, 09/10/2024

Property

Movement at the station: Recent property listings in Qld, northern NSW and Tasmania

Property editor Linda Rowley, 09/10/2024

News

Will Qld’s State Election herald changes in the state’s punitive foreign-owned land tax?

Jon Condon, 09/10/2024

News

GRSB 2024: How cattle countries around the world are reporting beef sustainability

Beef Central, 09/10/2024

News

Lotfeeding industry marks 30 year milestone under NFAS

Jon Condon, 08/10/2024

News

ICPA takes unfair tax, funding protest to Canberra

Beef Central, 09/10/2024

Industry Dashboard

Carbon Trading Market

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

Today

36.05

Source: Jarden

$A / $US

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.6712

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

11 Oct 2024 (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

139755

Source: MLA's NLRS

EYCI

Eastern Young Cattle Indicator, c/kg

Today

619.50

Source: MLA's NLRS

90CL Cow

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

Today

932.7

Source: Steiner Consulting, MLA

Live Export

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

Today

305

Source: Trade contacts

SOI

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

Today

-0.29

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Feeder Steer

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

Today

353.5

Source: Feeder Steer

What readers are saying

Vale Santa Gertrudis stud stock legend Alastair Bassingthwaighte

Sad news indeed. What a wonderful contribution Alastair made to the Santa breed and to the wider industry. The associations between the Bassingthwaighte family and those with large Santa....

Greg Campbell

Leather Cattle Co recognised as one of the most sustainable cattle enterprises globally

Congratulations Mel and Rob on such worthy recognition of producers who lead our industry by example and advocacy.....

Steve Taylor

All roads lead to Cunnamulla for 3rd Regenerative Rangelands Conference + PICS

Congratulations to Graham and Cathy Finlayson and the SLM staff for a magnificent event. The speakers were all great and the food was home cooked and reflected good....

Natalie Hick

Cattle Australia to call for international support of deforestation definition

It has been a long and arduous process. Arriving at a satisfactory definition of a Land Management Commitment is critical for all of agriculture, not only our grass fed cattle....

Rob Atkinson

Young Beef Producer’s Forum celebrates 20 year milestone with November Roma event

The Young Beef Producer’s Forum is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024, with this year’s annual gathering taking place in Roma on 14-15 November…Read More

Beef Central, 10/10/2024

Will Qld’s State Election herald changes in the state’s punitive foreign-owned land tax?

With less than three weeks remaining until Queensland’s state election, neither side of politics has shown any inclination to commit to dropping the state’s controversial and punitive foreign land tax. Neither Labor, nor the LNP, which is being tipped to wrest power from the ALP after nine years in government on October 26, have shown any real interest in the topic, despite considerable lobbying from ag sector interests over the past six months…Read More

Jon Condon, 09/10/2024

GRSB 2024: How cattle countries around the world are reporting beef sustainability

Several major cattle producing nations countries have provided updates on their work to measure and assess beef sustainability for the 2024 Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) progress report…Read More

Beef Central, 09/10/2024

Lotfeeding industry marks 30 year milestone under NFAS

A significant grainfed industry milestone will be reached next week when delegates attending the BeefEx 2024 conference in Brisbane pause to reflect on the passing of 30 years since the launch of the industry’s visionary, trail-blazing National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme. The first agricultural quality assurance program in Australia, NFAS underpins the integrity of the Australian lotfeeding industry. The often torturous story of how it came into existence bears retelling…….Read More

Jon Condon, 08/10/2024

Markets

Dalby sale 9 Oct 2024: Heifers, cows sell to cheaper trend

Heifers and cows sold to a cheaper trend in a smaller yarding of 4900 at Dalby yesterday ..Read More

Trevor Hess, 10/10/2024

Roma store sale 8 Oct 2024: Market firm for most descriptions

Roma store sale yarded 7313 head yesterday, down about 20pc in size on the previous week. With the continuing dry season quality was mixed and in mostly strong store condition, with a few pens of well finished bullocks and cows….Read More

Beef Central, 09/10/2024

Gunnedah sale 8 Oct 2024: Rates ease in larger yarding

There was a reduced buyer presence operating on the heavy weight feeder steers while not all processors operated at their recent levels…Read More

Beef Central, 09/10/2024

Chris Howie: Weaner sales approaching quickly

Chris Howie’s latest update on seasonal conditions and livestock markets around the country, with a few handy insights and opportunities thrown in for good measure. ..Read More

Chris Howie , 08/10/2024

The Victorian Government has announced the dingo unprotection order ito permit the control of dingoes on private land and along the boundaries of public land in north-east and eastern Victoria can continue until 1 January 2028…Read More

Beef Central, 26/09/2024

Diazinon de-registration prompts need to review buffalo fly control

Beef producers in northern Australia have been advised to urgently review their buffalo fly control program following the recent de-registration of several products containing the active ingredient, diazinon…Read More

Beef Central, 25/09/2024

Five tips to protect from rural crime

Whether it is a big, small or medium sized agricultural business, there is always plenty of stuff to steal. But as technology and connectivity improves there are also plenty of ways to make it harder for thieves targeting rural property…Read More

Eric Barker, 20/09/2024

Processing

Carving a path to the future with robotic meat cutting innovation

Beef Central, 10/10/2024

Weekly kill: Some Qld grids lose 10c/kg, as cattle flow with warmer weather

Warmer weather has flushed out a few extra slaughter cattle over the past week or ten days, with some saleyards and direct consignment traffic on the rise. Some Queensland grid offers have shed-off 10c/kg this week, as supply realigns with processing capacity, while offers in other regions are unchanged…Read More

Jon Condon, 08/10/2024

Weekly kill: Grids mostly unchanged, but southern cattle shortage continues to plague processors

Direct consignment offers from processors were mostly unchanged across eastern Australia this week, despite some recent rain impact on supply in some areas…Read More

Jon Condon, 01/10/2024

ICMJ visit delivers variety for future leaders + PICS

A future NSW Waratahs star and a Sydneysider with no farming background – the Inter Collegiate Meat Judging (ICMJ) Queensland roadshow this week underlined the industry’s ability to embrace diversity and encourage commitment…Read More

Sue Webster, 30/09/2024

Lotfeeding

Are feedlots facing a profit squeeze?

Beef Central, 10/10/2024

Feedgrain Focus: Prompt southern wheat kicks as dry bites

Time is running out for much of southern Australia’s winter crop to receive a yield-building rain, and markets have reacted this week with a lift in values for wheat for prompt delivery…Read More

Liz Wells, 08/10/2024

Automated bunk calling being commercialised for feedlot operators

Automated bunk management for feedlot operations of all sizes and locations is becoming a reality thanks to an innovation which can be used with or without a bunk scanner to increase lot feeding capability…Read More

Beef Central, 02/10/2024

Feeder cattle market: North/south price gap narrows

Feeder cattle prices are relatively similar across the country with this week, with big numbers of cattle on feed in the north and southern yards having to search other areas for heavy steers…Read More

Eric Barker and James Nason, 30/09/2024

Live Export

SE Asia Report: Weathering the storm and GRSB outlook for Australia and Asia

Dr Michael Patching, 10/10/2024

Live export market: Tightening supply pushes prices higher

After trading within a steady 300-310c/kg liveweight range for four months, live export steer prices at Darwin are moving higher as tightening late-dry season supply coincides with rebuilding new season..Read More

James Nason, 02/10/2024

Strategic review to determine Wellard’s future

The future of publicly-listed Wellard Limited, once Australia’s largest livestock exporting company, will be decided by a strategic review, the company announced today…Read More

James Nason, 23/09/2024

Brazil looks to end Australia’s monopoly on cattle exports to Indonesia

Incoming Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto’s ambitious pledge to provide free milk and lunches to all school children is shaping as a catalyst for Brazil to gain long-awaited access to the country’s large import market for live cattle…Read More

James Nason, 18/09/2024

Trade

Welfare and environmental concerns in bigger-framed cattle warns Temple Grandin

Bigger-framed cattle are presenting welfare and environmental worries for the world’s best-known animal behaviourist, US scientist Dr Temple Grandin…Read More

Sue Webster, 10/10/2024

Australian beef declared ‘The Greatest’ in MLA spring marketing campaign

A new Spring marketing campaign reminding Australians why Australian beef is ‘The Greatest’ was launched by Meat & Livestock Australia on the weekend…Read More

Beef Central, 08/10/2024

September beef exports maintain recent momentum, hitting 114,000t

Australia’s September monthly beef exports continued at a rapid pace, hitting 114,046t – 16pc higher than the same time last year. Barring big rain, it’s looking increasingly like that Australia will hit record export tonnage this calendar year, somewhere around 1.3 million tonnes. ..Read More

Jon Condon, 03/10/2024

Stockyard becomes a serious contender for branded beef competitions’ Hall of Fame

IF there was an award for consistency of performance in branded beef taste test competitions across Australia, Queensland’s Stockyard Beef would go straight into the Hall of Fame…Read More

Beef Central, 27/09/2024

Genetics

Weekly genetics review: Functionality – be clear on what you are selecting for

The term, functionality, is widely used in the beef industry, often with varied interpretations depending on the context. But to effectively improve a herd’s productivity, it is essential to be clear about what ‘functionality’ means and which measurable traits contribute to it…Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 08/10/2024

Weekly genetics review: Managing mortality and reproductive performance in young heifers

The Calf Alive project has been instrumental in identifying the causes behind high loss rates in young heifers in northern Australia and recommending strategies to manage both mortality and maximise re-conception rates…Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 01/10/2024

Outcomes and impacts of the COVID Pandemic on Australia’s beef producers

A report published recently in the CSIRO Journal of Animal Production Science focusses on the outcomes and impacts of the COVID pandemic on Australia’s beef producers, with a particular emphasis on regional variations, cattle prices, and the overall resilience of the supply chain…Read More

Beef Central, 01/10/2024

Weekly genetics review: Genetics and environmental influence on cow temperament at calving

A Texas A&M research study investigated the genetic and environmental components of temperament, specifically during the calving period, and how it correlates with reproductive and productivity traits. It came up with some surprising conclusions, some of which go against conventional thinking ..Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 24/09/2024