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Weekly genetics review: Fertility traits – using genetics to drive herd fertility

This week’s genetics review focuses on the development of the Days to Calving EBV. This is a valuable tool to assist in improving overall herd fertility, however data collection has been low, as many breeders do not realise that they need to collect more comprehensive data for the whole herd and submit this to Breedplan. Breed society pedigrees and cow disposals are not enough, and are not used in the analysis…Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, June 25, 2019

News

Sanger ‘changes tack’ on meat trading business, as senior staff move on

Red meat trader Sanger Australia is making some significant changes to its business, in the wake of senior meat trading staff departures…Read More

Jon Condon, June 25, 2019

News

All the winners from the 2019 RNA Paddock to Palate weight gain competition

Every single one of the major winners of the 2019 RNA Paddock to Palate weight gain competition announced at Mort & Co’s Grassdale feedlot this morning are enduring severe and long-running droughts, but yet all are still managing to produce cattle that perform ‘off the scale’ at a commercial level…Read More

James Nason, June 25, 2019

Trade

Success of McDonald’s US ‘all fresh’ burgers has implications for Australian beef

Burger restaurant giant McDonald’s has reported a dramatic 30pc increase in its Quarter Pounder burger sales in its US restaurant operations, since the adoption of a ‘fresh (never frozen)’ strategy a year ago. The move has significance for Australian beef trade, as virtually all of our grinding beef sales to McDonald’s US are in frozen form…Read More

Jon Condon, June 25, 2019

Genetics

New genetics hub helps demystify breeding values

Commercial cattle and sheep producers now have new tools to help them start using breeding values in their bull and ram buying decisions, following the launch of some important new genetics resources this week…Read More

Beef Central, June 25, 2019

Markets

Call for rangeland goat producers to retain young does for breeding

Australia’s rangeland goat producers needed to retain more does and support online marketing of females to help meet breeder demand and ensure the industry’s longevity, according to Queensland Elders agent Gus Foott. The Charleville agent assessed many of the goats offered in AuctionsPlus’ first national goat sale last week…Read More

Terry Sim, June 25, 2019

Lotfeeding

Roughage access reaching crisis point for lotfeeders

Access to roughages is becoming a major headache for eastern Australia’s feedlot industry as the prolonged drought wears on – and unless seasonal conditions turn around, could at some point limit the number of cattle that can be fed, some stakeholders believe…Read More

Jon Condon, June 24, 2019

Live Export

Live exporter LSS speaks on Israel, Vietnam welfare incidents

James Nason, June 24, 2019

Live Export

Draft report on livestock exported by air open for consultation

Beef Central, June 24, 2019

News

Red meat industry gathers to forge Meat Industry Strategic Plan 2030

Beef Central, June 24, 2019

Markets

Yearling and grown steers average 303c/kg in larger AuctionsPlus offering

Beef Central, June 22, 2019

News

Last chance to apply for CCA’s NAB Rising Champions award

Beef Central, June 24, 2019

Trade

NH Foods launches QLD Natural/Grassfed branded beef program

Jon Condon, June 21, 2019

Trade

China builds a bigger post-ASF food import pipeline – including beef

The Chinese government in recent months has adopted a number of important initiatives that will see larger import volumes of all food types from around the world, as the impact of African Swine Fever starts to be felt in tightening protein supplies and rising Chinese domestic pork prices, Simon Quilty reports…Read More

Simon Quilty, June 20, 2019

News

Sanger ‘changes tack’ on meat trading business, as senior staff move on

Red meat trader Sanger Australia is making some significant changes to its business, in the wake of senior meat trading staff departures…Read More

Jon Condon, June 25, 2019

Trade

NH Foods launches QLD Natural/Grassfed branded beef program

Red meat processor NH Foods has responded to the global beef market’s growing appetite for natural/grassfed product, launching the company’s first Queensland-based branded natural beef program. First consignments of product under the company’s new Nature’s Fresh natural beef program have been consigned to US-based customers…Read More

Jon Condon, June 21, 2019

Lotfeeding

Roughage access reaching crisis point for lotfeeders

Jon Condon, June 24, 2019

Live Export

Live exporter LSS speaks on Israel, Vietnam welfare incidents

The Australian livestock export industry is again in damage control mode over separate animal welfare incidents, just weeks after it dodged a bullet with the federal election defeat of the Australian Labor Party which had pledged to shut down entire sections of the trade due to animal welfare concerns if it won power…Read More

James Nason, June 24, 2019

Production

New cattle tick incursion in Qld’s tick free-zone – UPDATED

A new detection of tick-infested cattle in Queensland’s tick-free zone has refocused attention on the State’s revised cattle tick management framework introduced three years ago…Read More

James Nason, June 20, 2019

News

All the winners from the 2019 RNA Paddock to Palate weight gain competition

James Nason, June 25, 2019

Recruitment

Recruitment: Four behaviours that define leadership effectiveness

Respected global management advisory company, McKinsey & Co set out to discover what the top behaviours are that successful leaders consistently demonstrate. With a list of 20 distinct leadership traits, it analysed responses from 189,000 people working in leadership roles in diverse organisations around the world. What did it find?..Read More

Beef Central, June 21, 2019

Production

Taking the endophyte to pasture dieback

Signicant new funding has been directed toward solving the worrying mystery of pasture dieback, which is disrupting productivity across increasingly large sections of inland Queensland and now also spreading into northern New South Wales…Read More

James Nason, June 20, 2019

News

Red meat industry gathers to forge Meat Industry Strategic Plan 2030

More than 50 people from across Australia’s red meat supply chain are gathering in Toowoomba over three days this week to contribute to high level programs of work for the next Meat Industry Strategic Plan, MISP 2030…Read More

Beef Central, June 24, 2019

Industry Dashboard

$A / $US Graph

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.6960

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

26 Jun 2019 (updated 10am daily)

Company	Price	Trending
Elders	$6.29
Australian Agricultural Co	$0.98
Graincorp	$8.10
Ruralco	$4.16
Ridley	$1.13
Woolworths	$33.12
Wellard	$0.02
	$

Source: ASX

Beef Kill

Eastern States, weekly

Last Week

154528

Source: MLA's NLRS

EYCI

Eastern Young Cattle Indicator, c/kg

Today

488.5

Source: MLA's NLRS

90CL Cow

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

Today

687.5

Source: Steiner Consulting, MLA

Live Export

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

Today

295

Source: Trade contacts

SOI Graph

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

Today

-9

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Feeder Steer Graph

Shortfed feeder steer 380-500kg - c/kg paddock sales, eastern states.

Today

307.5

Source: MLA's NLRS

What readers are saying

New cattle tick incursion in Qld’s tick free-zone – UPDATED

Biosecurity fund, Biosecurity fund - the answer is not rocket science..

Tom Campbell

Taking the endophyte to pasture dieback

We were wondering if you have had any comment on die back and Lime. We are in the coastal belt and our country needs lime every so often. We have..

Bruce Glasby

When is a drought man-made?

Great article Terry, the evolution of new management practices and great innovative progressive ideas works at different speeds depending on people's perception of the benefits...

Malcolm Malone

Controlling kangaroos is essential to increase carbon flows

Fantastic enlightening article..

Dr Sandra Jephcott

Sanger ‘changes tack’ on meat trading business, as senior staff move on

Red meat trader Sanger Australia is making some significant changes to its business, in the wake of senior meat trading staff departures…Read More

Jon Condon, June 25, 2019

All the winners from the 2019 RNA Paddock to Palate weight gain competition

James Nason, June 25, 2019

Red meat industry gathers to forge Meat Industry Strategic Plan 2030

Beef Central, June 24, 2019

Last chance to apply for CCA’s NAB Rising Champions award

Young Australian beef industry stakeholders have until this Sunday to apply for the 2020 NAB Agribusiness Rising Champions Initiative. Now in its tenth year, the Rising Champions gives young, passionate beef industry representatives access to some of Australia’s key agricultural leaders, and provides them with tools and opportunities to boost their personal career development…Read More

Beef Central, June 24, 2019

Markets

Call for rangeland goat producers to retain young does for breeding

Terry Sim, June 25, 2019

Yearling and grown steers average 303c/kg in larger AuctionsPlus offering

Cattle numbers edged 3pc higher to 8260 head on AuctionsPlus sales this week, while clearance rate eased a little to 63pc. Yearling and grown steers continued to generate stronger prices, up 13c on last week to average 303c, while yearling and grown heifers jumped 36c to average 251c…Read More

Beef Central, June 22, 2019

Murray Arnel: Fair result for inaugural Ray White Wodonga sale + southern market wrap

The Ray White Livestock network conducted its inaugural store cattle sale at the NVLX Barnawartha complex on Thursday offering a modest yarding of 940 head put together by a small handful of local producers and topped up by a number of drafts trucked in by northern branches…Read More

Murray Arnel, June 21, 2019

Dubbo Sale 20 June 2019: Young cattle to restockers ease

Young cattle to the restockers were up to 30c dearer at Dubbo yesterday, where 5365 mainly plainer quality cattle were yarded..Read More

David Monk, June 21, 2019

Production

New cattle tick incursion in Qld’s tick free-zone – UPDATED

A new detection of tick-infested cattle in Queensland’s tick-free zone has refocused attention on the State’s revised cattle tick management framework introduced three years ago…Read More

James Nason, June 20, 2019

Taking the endophyte to pasture dieback

James Nason, June 20, 2019

Time running out to nominate beef achievers for NABRC Medals

Nominations are drawing to a close for the 2019 North Australia Beef Research Council Medals, which recognise the achievements of those who have made a significant contribution to the northern Australian industry in the fields of production, research and development, communication and extension, and emerging achievers…Read More

Beef Central, June 20, 2019

Effective yard weaning can minimise BRD incidence, Hereford forum told

At the Herefords Australia breed forum at Hamilton last week, Queensland cattle vet Lachy Strohfeld outlined his requirements for effective yard weaning of beef weaners, which included good, clean trough water…Read More

Terry Sim, June 18, 2019

Processing

Woodward Foods in expansion mood, following deal with Chinese investor

Victorian lamb and beef processor Woodward Foods has completed a deal to sell a 49pc minority shareholding in the diversified business to a substantial Hong Kong based Chinese investor. The completion of the deal will provide a capital base for Woodward to embark on an expansion plan for both beef and sheepmeat production, targeted primarily at China. ..Read More

Jon Condon, June 18, 2019

ICMJ’s 2019 Wagga workshop to celebrate 30 years

One of the red meat industry’s most successful capability-building programs, the Australian Intercollegiate Meat Judging Association, will celebrate its first 30 years in July, during the 2019 Australian ICMJ workshop and competition being held at Charles Sturt University in Wagga,
..Read More

Beef Central, June 13, 2019

Weekly kill: Grid prices steady, as rates of kill continue to climb

The prolonged and lingering impact of drought across eastern Australia continues to be reflected in unusually high rates of kill, especially for cows. Grid price offers remained steady across Queensland and NSW last week, as processors are well supplied with slaughter stock until mid-July…Read More

Jon Condon, June 11, 2019

TFI to re-build Murray Bridge processing facility after 2018 fire + VIDEO

Seventeen months after fire ravaged its Murray Bridge meat processing plant in South Australia, Thomas Foods International has announced plans to rebuild on a site not far from the original facility. The project, which the company said would cost ‘some hundreds of millions of dollars’ is expected to see the first stage for beef processing completed by November next year…Read More

Beef Central, June 6, 2019

Lotfeeding

Roughage access reaching crisis point for lotfeeders

Jon Condon, June 24, 2019

Feedgrain Focus: First WA new-crop booked for Brisbane

NEW-CROP wheat and barley from Western Australia has started to trade into Brisbane to reflect the reality of the poor winter-crop outlook for most of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales…Read More

Henry and Liz Wells, June 21, 2019

$32 loss in latest grainfed trading budget, as GF slaughter prices creep higher

A moderate lift in finished slaughter cattle value and easier feeder cattle prices have had positive impact on Beef Central’s latest 100-day grainfed trading budget projection calculated on Friday…Read More

Jon Condon, June 17, 2019

Feedgrain Focus: Diverging seasons split wheat, barley market

Much-needed rain from WA to southern NSW has seen wheat and barley values in southern markets ease, but prices in the northern markets have been steady to higher as prospects for late planting get slimmer by the day…Read More

Liz and Henry Wells, June 14, 2019

Live Export

Live exporter LSS speaks on Israel, Vietnam welfare incidents

James Nason, June 24, 2019

Draft report on livestock exported by air open for consultation

The draft report of the review into the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock by air is now open for public consultation…Read More

Beef Central, June 24, 2019

New footage casts cloud over Israel live cattle trade

Israel has been one of Australia’s fastest growing markets for live cattle exports in 2019, but the trade is facing renewed calls for its closure as a result of new footage and images released in recent days by animal rights activists…Read More

James Nason, June 19, 2019

SE Asia Report: Indo on ropes, Vietnam imports strengthen

Several factors are colliding to push the Indonesian feedlot industry to its lowest point in decades, while Vietnam is a stand out performer with consistently high domestic slaughter cattle prices and growing imports, writes Southeast Asia market columnist, Dr Ross Ainsworth…Read More

Dr Ross Ainsworth, June 17, 2019

Trade

Success of McDonald’s US ‘all fresh’ burgers has implications for Australian beef

Jon Condon, June 25, 2019

NH Foods launches QLD Natural/Grassfed branded beef program

Jon Condon, June 21, 2019

China builds a bigger post-ASF food import pipeline – including beef

Simon Quilty, June 20, 2019

Japan’s ‘cars for cows’ trade deal with US could neutralise Australia’s beef tariff advantage

It’s looking increasingly likely that Japan will soon strike a trade deal with the United States that could strip away Australia’s hefty tariff advantage in beef exports to our largest export market. ..Read More

Jon Condon, June 19, 2019

Genetics

Weekly genetics review: Fertility traits – using genetics to drive herd fertility

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, June 25, 2019

New genetics hub helps demystify breeding values

Beef Central, June 25, 2019

Weekly genetics review: Breeding objectives underpin production gains

A focus on and commitment to defined breeding objectives underpins the ongoing success of the Rangeland Bulls ‘breeding collective’ in western Queensland…Read More

Genetics editor, Alastair Rayner , June 18, 2019

Webinar: Managing a high-fertility beef herd

A free webinar providing valuable information for cattle breeders and consulting veterinarians wanting to understand fertility in beef cattle herds, and how it can be better managed, will be held later this month…Read More

Beef Central, June 17, 2019

Ag Tech

10 inaugural AgFrontier regional agtech innovators announced

The inaugural cohort of ten agtech innovators selected for the AgFrontier Regional AgTech Incubator Program, led by the Central Highlands Development Corporation (CHDC) based in Emerald, Queensland, has been announced…Read More

Beef Central, June 21, 2019

Blockchain and agtech can create unexpected jobs in regional Australia

A project to protect producers from food fraud by verifying and promoting the provenance of the region’s beef exports to China turned out to be a source of creative work in the region as well…Read More

Marcus Foth and John (Jock) McQueenie, QUT, June 14, 2019

FarmFest 2019: Ag Tech for cattle + VIDEO

Beef Central went in search of ag tech for cattle on the opening morning of Farmfest near Toowoomba today and found plenty to keep us busy from DNA ear-tissue sampling kits and solar pumps to a ‘hydropanel’ that literally turns the air around you into drinkable water…Read More

James Nason, June 4, 2019

Agtech: Young farmer’s mission to simplify farm-management software

Returning home to his farming roots and Victorian family property, engineer turned entrepreneur Jock Lawrence is on a mission to simplify the farm management recording system. ..Read More

Beef Central, April 17, 2019

Property

Weekly Property Review: Does woody weed management impact land value?

It is generally accepted that woody and annual weeds reduce grazing land productivity and profitability, but how much do lighter or heavier infestations due to management level impact on cattle property values in northern Australia?..Read More

Property editor, Linda Rowley, June 19, 2019

CPC property selldown continues, with Ucharonidge divestment

The gradual sell-down of northern grazing assets has continued this week for Terra Firma’s Consolidated Pastoral Co, with a deal announced today to sell the company’s Ucharonidge station in the Northern Territory to Malcolm Harris’s Cleveland Agriculture…Read More

Jon Condon, June 18, 2019

Property: NT’s Suplejack Station makes $21 million under the hammer

Northern Territory extensive cattle operation Suplejack Station sold under the hammer for $21 million at an unreserved auction in Alice Springs on Friday…Read More

Beef Central, June 15, 2019

Weekly Property Review: Recent sale highlights

Property editor Linda Rowley, June 12, 2019