Home - Beef Central

March monthly exports slightly higher for China, but sharply down to the US

There was a modest recovery in beef exports to China in March, while shipments to the US declined sharply, monthly export figures released by the Department of Agriculture this morning showed…Read More

Jon Condon, April 3, 2020

Lotfeeding

Feedgrain Focus: New crop values for wheat and barley ease

New-crop values for wheat and barley have eased this week on rain which is improving prospects by the day for a big winter-cereal planting in eastern Australia, while price movements in nearby markets have been mixed…Read More

Liz Wells, April 3, 2020

Community News

Beef Central’s beef quiz – March 2020

Been staying up to date? Test your knowledge with Beef Central’s March 2020 beef and cattle industry quiz..Read More

Beef Central, April 3, 2020

Recruitment

Recruitment: Recognising six different bosses – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

You’ll likely encounter many different bosses during your working career, and it’s important to be able to identify the personality types you are working with, and be able to deal with ‘the good, the bad and the ugly.’ There are as many types of bosses as there are different personalities, but here are some common stereotypes you may encounter, and the best ways to respond.
..Read More

Beef Central, April 3, 2020

Lotfeeding

Never say never: Nuffield learnings about lotfeeding in the tropics

North Queensland cattleman Stewart Borg is using lessons learned from his 2018 Nuffield Scholarship to explore the development of his own commercial feedlot, in a region where unique challenges have limited feedlot development up to now…Read More

Beef Central, April 3, 2020

Markets

Dubbo sale 2 Apr 2020: Trade cattle firm to 6c cheaper

The good runs of trade cattle were firm to 6c cheaper with the prime steer yearlings selling from 365c to 398c, while the prime heifer yearlings sold from 360c to 405c/kg…Read More

David Monk, April 3, 2020

Uncategorized

2020 will be a difficult year, but Aussie farmers likely to ‘weather COVID-19 storm’

Despite significant challenges from the global economic downturn and downward pressure on commodity prices, Australia’s agricultural sector is in a good position to weather the COVID-19 storm, Rabobank says in its April Agribusiness Monthly…Read More

Beef Central, April 2, 2020

News

People on the Move: Appointments, retirements, achievements

Jon Condon, April 2, 2020

Markets

Chris Howie’s livestock market wrap – March 2020

Chris Howie, April 2, 2020

Production

Fall armyworm detected in NT and WA

James Nason, April 2, 2020

Production

Revised electronic National Vendor Declaration system released

Beef Central, April 1, 2020

Markets

RLX reiterates sales will continue following reports of misinformation

Beef Central, April 2, 2020

Markets

Dalby sale 1 Apr 2020: Prices lift with quality

James Nason, April 2, 2020

Trade

Contrasting approaches: Aus deems food supply essential, NZ closes butchers

Australian meat industry leaders have praised the Federal Government for “stepping up to the plate” and ensuring the essential nature of the agricultural supply chain in feeding the nation is recognised…Read More

James Nason, April 1, 2020

News

People on the Move: Appointments, retirements, achievements

Tom Maguire departs from Teys Australia | StockCo appoints high-profile business development manager | Former logistics executive to coordinate Govt’s airfreight support package | Sustainability management changes at MLA | New chief executive for Primary Industries SA | Dr Ron Granville earns biosecurity honour | New CEO from Nuffield International | Vale Jim ‘Grumpy’ Walkley | Auditors appointed for certified beef programs..Read More

Jon Condon, April 2, 2020

News

COVID-19 impacts key focus, as analysts’ digest JBS financial results

COVID-19 trade and operational impacts dominated questions from financial analysts and investors taking part in JBS’s annual global conference call on Friday, following the release of record financial results for the company’s 2019 trading year…Read More

Jon Condon, March 30, 2020

Markets

Chris Howie’s livestock market wrap – March 2020

With all that is going on in the world it seems the entire focus is on the issue at hand, and all other aspects of awareness have not moved down the list, but have faded away completely…Read More

Chris Howie, April 2, 2020

News

Green shoots showing, as China beef demand starts to re-emerge

Some early, if tentative green shoots are emerging in Australia’s export beef trade to China, as the Asian giant begins its long recovery from the ravages of coronavirus…Read More

Jon Condon, April 1, 2020

Weekly Kill Reports

Weekly kill: Rates decline continues, as beef demand uncertainty mounts

Eastern states cattle slaughter leapt a remarkable 17pc last week, despite continuing downwards pressure on finished cattle prices. There’s been some further downwards adjustments in slaughter cattle direct consignment rates, but mostly to align offers with other competitors in a deteriorating market, rather than pushing still lower…Read More

Jon Condon, March 31, 2020

News

African Swine Fever confirmed in PNG

African Swine Fever (ASF) has been detected for the first time in Papua New Guinea, bringing the disease to within a few hundred kilometres of Australia’s coastline…Read More

James Nason, March 31, 2020

Property

Weekly property review: Solutions to marketing property in the COVID-19 era

The real estate industry is rapidly embracing online auctions, given Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s announcement last week that traditional public auction gatherings and ‘open houses’ will cease under COVID-19 control measures. The rural property market is no different, with a number of online auctions now scheduled for the months ahead…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, March 31, 2020

Markets

Feeder cattle prices drop 10pc in a matter of weeks

There’s been a dramatic retraction in feeder cattle prices over the past two or three weeks, with many export and domestic feeder categories falling 10 percent on values seen earlier in March…Read More

Jon Condon, March 31, 2020

News

‘Calm the farm, we’ve got this, have a great day’

Mungindi farmer Sam Heagney’s video message to Australian people: don’t sweat food security, Aussie farmers have got you covered…Read More

Beef Central, March 30, 2020

Industry Dashboard

$A / $US Graph

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.6060

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

05 Apr 2020 (updated 10am daily)

Company	Price	Trending
Elders	$8.25
Australian Agricultural Co	$1.15
Graincorp	$3.10
Ridley	$0.70
Woolworths	$35.50
Wellard	$0.04

Source: ASX

Beef Kill

Eastern States, weekly

Last Week

140944

Source: MLA's NLRS

EYCI

Eastern Young Cattle Indicator, c/kg

Today

704

Source: MLA's NLRS

90CL Cow

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

Today

690.5

Source: Steiner Consulting, MLA

Live Export

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

Today

380

Source: Trade contacts

SOI Graph

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

Today

-5.64

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Feeder Steer Graph

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

Today

360.9

Source: MLA's NLRS

What readers are saying

Contrasting approaches: Aus deems food supply essential, NZ closes butchers

We are a small family butcher shop in the Pilbara. We not only service the town of Karratha but some of the mining towns in the Pilbara who cannot....

Olwyn Snellin

Contrasting approaches: Aus deems food supply essential, NZ closes butchers

We need to have independent butchers. Otherwise if supermarkets control meat, price control on the sale of meat will be further affected which is not good for....

Shirley Peck

$110m Govt package to underpin ag airfreight export operations

Toowoomba was also set up for this? Toowoomba's Wellcamp international airport (aka Brisbane West) was definitely not included in the Government's announcement. It may have been an oversight -....

Val Dyer

Australian chilled beef exports notch up 50-year milestone

What a fantastic story. A serious credit to all the people involved. The beef industry is in great shape as a result.....

Greg brown

Beef Central’s beef quiz – March 2020

Been staying up to date? Test your knowledge with Beef Central’s March 2020 beef and cattle industry quiz..Read More

Beef Central, April 3, 2020

Recruitment: Recognising six different bosses – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Beef Central, April 3, 2020

People on the Move: Appointments, retirements, achievements

Jon Condon, April 2, 2020

Green shoots showing, as China beef demand starts to re-emerge

Some early, if tentative green shoots are emerging in Australia’s export beef trade to China, as the Asian giant begins its long recovery from the ravages of coronavirus…Read More

Jon Condon, April 1, 2020

Markets

Dubbo sale 2 Apr 2020: Trade cattle firm to 6c cheaper

The good runs of trade cattle were firm to 6c cheaper with the prime steer yearlings selling from 365c to 398c, while the prime heifer yearlings sold from 360c to 405c/kg…Read More

David Monk, April 3, 2020

Chris Howie’s livestock market wrap – March 2020

With all that is going on in the world it seems the entire focus is on the issue at hand, and all other aspects of awareness have not moved down the list, but have faded away completely…Read More

Chris Howie, April 2, 2020

RLX reiterates sales will continue following reports of misinformation

Regional Livestock Exchange has reiterated sales at its network of sites across Eastern Australia are scheduled to continue following concerning reports that misinformation about the function of saleyards during the COVID-19 pandemic is being circulated to industry, media and the general public…Read More

Beef Central, April 2, 2020

Dalby sale 1 Apr 2020: Prices lift with quality

A lift in the quality of the young light weight yearling steers and heifers resulted in some price improvements…Read More

James Nason, April 2, 2020

Production

Fall armyworm detected in NT and WA

The invasive pest fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) has been found in northern Western Australia and the Northern Territory, following its first detection in Australia on Queensland’s Cape York in January 2020…Read More

James Nason, April 2, 2020

Revised electronic National Vendor Declaration system released

A new, mobile-friendly version of the electronic National Vendor Declaration system is now available, providing what Meat & Livestock Australia says is an efficient and convenient platform to complete livestock consignments…Read More

Beef Central, April 1, 2020

Webinars: Rebuilding from natural disasters – practical help for livestock producers

A series of webinars starting tomorrow has been scheduled for livestock producers, offering practical tips to help rebuild on the back of the recent bushfires, drought, floods and storms…Read More

Beef Central, March 22, 2020

Pinpointing the real causes of calf loss

New research by CQUniversity postgraduate student Anita Chang has identified significant inconsistencies in the way calf mortality has been measured, limiting the ability to identify when calf loss occurs…Read More

Beef Central, March 11, 2020

Processing

Weekly kill: Rates decline continues, as beef demand uncertainty mounts

Jon Condon, March 31, 2020

JBS logs record pre-tax profit for 2019 year

The world’s largest meat processor, JBS has logged an adjusted pre-tax profit of R$19.9 billion (equivalent to about A$6.76b) in full-year financial results announced this morning, Australian time…Read More

Jon Condon, March 26, 2020

Weekly kill: Grids slide further on pessimistic trade outlook

Queensland processor direct consignment grid offers came under considerable pressure last week, as further reports about export trade difficulty surrounding COVID-19 surfaced…Read More

Jon Condon, March 24, 2020

Abattoirs working to reduce closure risk, as consumer meat demand soars

Australian meat processors are working to minimise the risk of abattoirs being forced to close in the event of one or more employees testing positive to COVID-19…Read More

James Nason, March 18, 2020

Lotfeeding

Feedgrain Focus: New crop values for wheat and barley ease

Liz Wells, April 3, 2020

Never say never: Nuffield learnings about lotfeeding in the tropics

Beef Central, April 3, 2020

Feedgrain Focus: Prices firm on export, domestic demand

Australia’s grain supply chain is operating efficiently amid COVID-19 measures in place across the country, and wheat, barley and new-crop sorghum are in hot demand…Read More

Liz Wells and Henry Wells, March 27, 2020

Cautious industry mood evident in latest 100-day grainfed trading budget

Uncertainty surrounding coronavirus is bearing an influence on Beef Central’s latest monthly 100-day grainfed trading budget calculated this morning. Both forward contract finished grainfed cattle prices and feeder cattle prices have softened in the past week, delivering a result not dissimilar to our previous monthly trading budget calculated back on February 18…Read More

Jon Condon, March 23, 2020

Live Export

Shearer sale reaps capital boost for Wellard

Livestock shipping company Wellard Limited has received a timley working capital boost following confirmation today that its sale of M/V Ocean Shearer to the Kuwait Livestock Transport and Trading Company (KLTT) has been completed…Read More

James Nason, March 27, 2020

Supply test for live export prices

After returning to previous highs not seen for three years, northern live cattle prices are set to come under pressure in coming weeks, as the first of the annual dry season mustering rounds pushes fresh supplies of export cattle back onto the market.
..Read More

James Nason, March 26, 2020

Stockies accreditation fast-tracked

Accreditation of livestock handlers is being fast-tracked to ensure enough experienced staff are available to protect the welfare of sheep and cattle on live export vessels..Read More

Beef Central, March 24, 2020

Live exporters write to Minister over coronavirus issues

Livestock export industry leaders say they are working with ports and federal and State Governments to find ways to ensure the trade can continue to operate through the new restrictions introduced to curb the spread of coronavirus…Read More

James Nason, March 20, 2020

Trade

March monthly exports slightly higher for China, but sharply down to the US

Jon Condon, April 3, 2020

Contrasting approaches: Aus deems food supply essential, NZ closes butchers

James Nason, April 1, 2020

$110m Govt package to underpin ag airfreight export operations

The Federal Government has launched a $110 million package designed to get air freight exports of red meat and other perishable food commodities moving again. The cancellation of international passenger flights into, and out of Australia as part of COVID-19 management saw airfreight of chilled red meat exports grind to a halt a fortnight ago…Read More

Beef Central, April 1, 2020

Australian chilled beef exports notch up 50-year milestone

Exactly 50 years ago today, the Australian beef industry embarked on an export project that would change the face of the industry forever. The nation’s first commercial shipment of chilled beef was consigned on 29 March, 1970 to customers in Japan, in what was arguably the biggest single step the beef industry has taken in moving from its traditional ‘commodity-driven’ focus to a ‘quality-driven’ approach…Read More

Jon Condon, March 29, 2020

Genetics

Weekly genetics review: Is the industry making progress in net feed efficiency

Improving feed efficiency within the beef industry has long been a topic of great interest to breeders as well as those involved in finishing cattle on either grass or grain. This week’s review starts a series of reports looking into NFI from a range of perspectives – breeders, lotfeeders and researchers included. ..Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, April 1, 2020

Does genetic progress have to slow during herd rebuilding phase?

With the current lack of stock across the country, many herd managers will not have the luxury of culling that they normally would. This raises the question of how genetic progress is affected by, and should be managed in, different seasonal conditions…Read More

Michael Wellington and Karissa de Belle, Bush AgriBusiness, March 31, 2020

Bull breeders respond to COVID-19 with online selling strategies

Bull breeders across Australia have been quick to respond to latest government restrictions over gatherings of people, swinging quickly to online auctions in place of face-to-face bull sales this year…Read More

Beef Central, March 25, 2020

Weekly genetics review: Considerations for bulls heading north

While many of the bulls sold over the autumn period head to southern production regions, a considerable portion are purchased with the intention of using them in herds based in the northern production zones. To ensure the successful adaption of bulls into a northern based program, there are some practical options that both seedstock producers and commercial producers should consider prior to transport..Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, March 24, 2020

Ag Tech

Webinar: Options for a connected northern beef industry

This free webinar to be held on Monday, March 30, will explore current farm connectivity opportunities that provide best returns on effort and investment…Read More

Beef Central, March 23, 2020

Cattle producers size up agtech opportunities at EvokeAg

Several groups of North Queensland cattle producers travelled from one end of the country to the other last week to find out first-hand what is happening in the agtech space. What did they find?..Read More

Beef Central, February 24, 2020

GPS-enabled livestock monitoring tags reach the commercial market

A GPS-enabled cattle ear tag providing accurate and timely information about livestock location and movement has been commercially released for the first time…Read More

Beef Central, March 17, 2020

Reality check for agtech startups

Amidst the hype, polished pitches and slick branding of agtech startups at EvokeAG last week also came some words of wisdom from experience, and the reality check that any new innovation must still meet a genuine need if it is to become a commercial success…Read More

James Nason, February 26, 2020

Property

Weekly property review: Solutions to marketing property in the COVID-19 era

Property editor Linda Rowley, March 31, 2020

Options emerge for online property auctions

What options are out there for prospective rural property vendors looking at moving to online auction, in the wake of COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings of people? A recent investigation showed there are five or six platforms already in the market, each offering somewhat different services…Read More

Jon Condon, March 31, 2020

FIRB extends overseas buyer scrutiny, in the wake of COVID-19

The Federal Government last night announced deeper levels of scrutiny of foreign investments in Australia, in the wake of any economic impact brought on by COVID-19. It stressed, however, that the move was not a ‘foreign investment freeze.’..Read More

Beef Central, March 30, 2020