Home - Beef Central

Chris Howie’s market wrap: Nine months later, trades paying off

Traded cattle have been re-entering the market over the last four weeks with some very pleasing results, agents report…Read More

Chris Howie , 02/08/2021

Production

To restock or not: making good decisions when livestock prices are high

After years of drought depleting livestock numbers and with continued high prices in the saleyard and online auctions many producers are faced with some difficult decisions about restocking…Read More

Guest Author, 02/08/2021

News

The price of pests: Australia’s $390 billion invasive species bill over past 60 years

In the last 60 years alone, deliberately or accidentally introduced invasive species have cost the Australian economy $390 billion, a new analysis has revealed, with that number likely to rise unless better investments, reporting and coordinated interventions are introduced. While feral cats are the single-most costly individual species, costs arising from the management of invasive plants proved the worst of all, costing $204 billion, with ryegrass, parthenium and ragwort the costliest culprits…Read More

Beef Central, 01/08/2021

News

COVID forces Ekka’s cancellation, for second year

Due to the extension of the current South East Queensland lockdown and worsening local COVID- 19 outbreak, the 2021 Royal Queensland Show has been cancelled in the best interests of public health. It is the second year in a row that the Ekka has been cancelled due to the worldwide COVID pandemic…Read More

Beef Central, 02/08/2021

News

Dog deaths linked to contaminated horse meat

A recent spate of dog deaths in Victoria has been traced to a consignment of horses transported from the Northern Territory to be processed for pet meat, according to Primesafe and Agriculture Victoria…Read More

Guest Author, 02/08/2021

Markets

Offerings, clearances decline in online trading

Reports of buyers baulking at the higher prices required to secure quality lines impacted clearance rates for younger cattle online this week, with quality the main determining factor for lower average prices for confirmed breeding stock…Read More

Beef Central, 31/07/2021

Opinion

Definitions of Meat inquiry submission deadline extended, producers urged to speak up

The deadline for the Senate Enquiry into Definitions of Meat and other Animal products has been extended to the 13th of August providing a great opportunity for all cattle producers to make a statement on the issue. ..Read More

Mark Davie, 30/07/2021

Opinion

Biosecurity = food security = national security

Andrew Henderson, 30/07/2021

News

Qld police seek help to find missing cattle

Beef Central, 30/07/2021

The Weekly Grill

Episode 23: Veteran meatworks cattle buyer, David Ronalds

Beef Central, 30/07/2021

Weather

Seasonal climate outlook Aug-Oct 2021

Bureau of Meteorology, 30/07/2021

Trade

JBS’s Royal 100 brand program celebrates Brisbane show winners

Beef Central, 30/07/2021

Genetics

Angus bull sets new $225,000 breed record

Beef Central, 29/07/2021

Genetics

Angus bull sets new $225,000 breed record

The 2021 spring bull selling season is off to a cracking start, with a new national Angus breed record of $225,000 set this morning at the annual Texas Angus bull sale in northern NSW…Read More

Beef Central, 29/07/2021

Property

Weekly property review: Recently completed sales

Property editor Linda Rowley, 28/07/2021

Property

Movement at the station: Recent property listings

Property editor Linda Rowley, 28/07/2021

News

Qld police seek help to find missing cattle

Police believe the mob of mixed bred flat back steers went missing or were stolen sometime between 4.30pm on Tuesday, 27 July, and 8am Wednesday, 28 July…Read More

Beef Central, 30/07/2021

News

Australia remains well on top in global cattle and beef price ‘league table’

With cattle markets continuing to push to stratospheric levels during July, it’s perhaps no surprise that Australia remains well on top in the ‘international league table’ that represents live cattle and carcase beef prices around the world…Read More

Jon Condon, 28/07/2021

News

Banks refusing to finance law-abiding businesses should lose deposit guarantee, inquiry told

That activists can effectively blackmail “skittish financial organisations” to withdraw financial services to law-abiding businesses is of grave concern to Australia’s economy, a joint Parliamentary Inquiry was told yesterday…Read More

James Nason, 28/07/2021

News

AA Co AGM questions: What was on shareholders’ minds?

Prospects for shareholder dividends, the future of the company’s mothballed Livingstone Beef abattoir near Darwin, and risk of cattle theft were among questions put to the Australian Agricultural Co board during this morning’s 2021 annual general meeting…Read More

Jon Condon, 29/07/2021

News

Dog deaths linked to contaminated horse meat

Guest Author, 02/08/2021

Production

To restock or not: making good decisions when livestock prices are high

Guest Author, 02/08/2021

News

Strong lift in AA Co’s share price in advance of today’s AGM

Swept along by a rampant beef cattle and property market, Australian Agricultural Co shares finished at a three-and-a-half year high of $1.405 yesterday, in advance of this morning’s 2021 annual general meeting, held online. A greater focus on sustainability, and weathering the COVID storm in international beef markets occupied much of this morning’s presentations to shareholders ..Read More

Jon Condon, 29/07/2021

Industry Dashboard

$A / $US

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.7360

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

03 Aug 2021 (updated 10am daily)

Company	Price	Trending
Elders	$11.34
Australian Agricultural Co	$1.38
Graincorp	$5.24
Ridley	$1.12
Woolworths	$38.78
Wellard	$0.07

Source: ASX

Beef Kill

Eastern States, weekly

Last Week

95226

Source: MLA's NLRS

EYCI

Eastern Young Cattle Indicator, c/kg

Today

985

Source: MLA's NLRS

90CL Cow

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

Today

789.2

Source: Steiner Consulting, MLA

Live Export

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

Today

415

Source: Trade contacts

SOI

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

Today

14.84

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Feeder Steer

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

Today

498

Source: Feeder Steer

What readers are saying

Weekly kill: Processor margins improving, but still a long way from ‘black ink’

how is this calculated? it doesn't add up. If they are making that big of a loss for that length of time, they would shut down. Don't take us....

Garrey+Sellars

Australia remains well on top in global cattle and beef price ‘league table’

What about Japanese beef prices? Feeder cattle in Japan are fetching over $30 per kg liveweight and finished cattle are fetching $25-30 per kg carcass weight for A2 and....

Andrew Dunlop

Will video replace the bull selling ring?

We started bull sales by video auction in the early 2000s and have now held more than 30 video sales. We were the first herd to do so and....

Bryan and Lucinda Corrigan

Farmers concerned about “anti-meat UN talkfest”

I gave up long ago paying any attention to anything that comes out of that United Nations building. Their very name is an oxymoron. Just get on with life, the....

Roger Crook

The price of pests: Australia’s $390 billion invasive species bill over past 60 years

Beef Central, 01/08/2021

COVID forces Ekka’s cancellation, for second year

Beef Central, 02/08/2021

Dog deaths linked to contaminated horse meat

Guest Author, 02/08/2021

Definitions of Meat inquiry submission deadline extended, producers urged to speak up

Mark Davie, 30/07/2021

Markets

Chris Howie’s market wrap: Nine months later, trades paying off

Traded cattle have been re-entering the market over the last four weeks with some very pleasing results, agents report…Read More

Chris Howie , 02/08/2021

Offerings, clearances decline in online trading

Beef Central, 31/07/2021

Cattle producers set for bumper spring: MLA Projections

Cattle producers are expected to experience the best spring in recent memory, according to Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) latest Australian Cattle Industry Projections…Read More

Beef Central, 29/07/2021

Dalby sale 28 July 2021: Firm demand for 3580

Demand remained firm with strong buyer competition however overall prices eased for steers and heifers with the exception of light weight yearling steers and medium weight yearling heifers, while heavy weight prime cows improved…Read More

Beef Central, 29/07/2021

Production

To restock or not: making good decisions when livestock prices are high

Guest Author, 02/08/2021

Cattle deaths from grass tetany linked to high protein hays left after mice plagues

A ‘perfect storm’ triggered by devastating mice plagues and the return of cold, wet weather has led to a spate of recent cattle deaths from grass tetany…Read More

James Nason, 23/07/2021

Vaccines work!

Make no mistake, vaccines work and work very well, writes veterinarian Dr Ross Ainsworth, drawing on decades of experience working across Australia’s livestock sector…Read More

Guest Author, 23/07/2021

Browse legume leucaena proves its worth across Northern Australia

Impressive weightgain performance on marginal far north Queensland and Northern Territory grazing country has reinforced the benefits of investment in leucaena-grass pastures across Northern Australia…Read More

Beef Central, 21/07/2021

Processing

Weekly kill: Processor margins improving, but still a long way from ‘black ink’

There’s been a moderate improvement in beef processor profitability on cattle slaughter this month, but it remains a long way from ‘black ink’. The monthly processor margin calculated by TEM’s Matt Dalgleish recorded an average loss per head of cattle processed last month of $253…Read More

Jon Condon, 27/07/2021

Weekly kill: Export weight grass steers crash through 700c/kg

Slaughter cattle direct consignment price grids have surged deeper into record territory this week, driven by a rise in international beef demand in some countries as COVID confidence grows, at a time when mid-winter supply becomes chronically tight across large parts of eastern Australia…Read More

Jon Condon, 20/07/2021

Red meat R&D: Working towards greater sustainability in water use

Red meat processors have reduced water intensity by nine percent in their operations since 2009, mostly through water efficiency actions. The next big challenge is advanced water recycling, using reverse osmosis…Read More

Beef Central, 08/07/2021

Hides and co-product prices surge higher in 2021

Hides and most other beef co-product prices are higher than month-ago and year-ago levels…Read More

Beef Central, 06/07/2021

Lotfeeding

Feedgrain Focus: American dry, lower dollar lift bids

A weakening Australian dollar and more hot and dry weather for North America’s northern wheat regions have lifted export bids for nearby and new-crop grain this week…Read More

Liz Wells, 23/07/2021

Persistent wet winter conditions drive feedlot performance lower

Commercial feedlots across eastern Australia are reporting particularly poor cattle feeding performance this winter, as persistent wet and cold conditions weigh heavily on average daily gains and rates of ration consumption…Read More

Jon Condon, 22/07/2021

Six finalists from four states to contest 2021 Young Lotfeeder award

A record 19 entries have been received for the Australian Lot Feeders Association’s Young Lot Feeder of the Year 2021 Award, to be announced at the upcoming ALFA SmartBeef conference to be held at Dalby in October…Read More

Beef Central, 20/07/2021

Feedgrain Focus: Buying interest latches on to central NSW

Markets have softened in the past week with traders more active on selling than growers who are busy spreading urea and booking new-crop canola…Read More

Liz Wells, 19/07/2021

Live Export

DAWE investigating new allegations of cattle mistreatment in Indonesia

The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment is investigating new claims of animal cruelty allegedly involving Australian cattle in Indonesia, in what is understood to be the first such complaint lodged by animal rights group the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)…Read More

James Nason, 16/07/2021

SE Asia Report: COVID surge creating havoc across Asia

The Covid 19 surge is creating havoc across Asia with human health and market supply chains, Northern Australian cattle prices remain high in June for the first time and Indonesian imports increase rise sharply to just over 50,000 for June…Read More

Dr Ross Ainsworth, 14/07/2021

Australian cattle exports lift in June, COVID outbreaks cloud outlook

AUSTRALIA recorded its highest monthly cattle export volumes for 12 months in June, with shipments increasing to 97,542 cattle for the month despite the sustained high price of Australian cattle…Read More

James Nason, 14/07/2021

Laporan Pasar : Industri Daging Asia Tenggara – Edisi 91: Juni 2021

Poin-poin Utama: Lonjakan Covid-19 membuat kekacauan di seluruh negara Asia dan berdampak pada kesehatan manusia dan rantai pasokan pasar | Harga sapi di Australia Utara tetap tinggi di bulan Juni untuk pertama kalinya | Impor Indonesia meningkat tajam menjadi lebih dari 50.000 untuk bulan Juni | Harga sapi hidup China melonjak setelah Argentina mengurangi ekspor…Read More

Dr Ross Ainsworth, 14/07/2021

Trade

JBS’s Royal 100 brand program celebrates Brisbane show winners

In the countdown to Brisbane Royal Show starting next Thursday, JBS Australia is showcasing samples from the prestigious RNA Paddock to Palate competition, with a limited-release beef offering across retail and food service outlets in Brisbane and regional areas of Queensland…Read More

Beef Central, 30/07/2021

$1.5m grant for MLA to explore new meat export channels

The Australian government has invested $72.7 million through its AgriBusiness Expansion Initiative to help Australia’s agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries diversify and expand export markets. ..Read More

Guest Author, 26/07/2021

Darling Downs beef producer’s global push supported with Qld Govt grant

Darling Downs boutique beef producer Clayton’s Organic Beef is aiming to extend its online reach into Dubai and Vietnam and boost its American sales, a goal that will be supported with a $10,000 Queensland Government grant. ..Read More

Beef Central, 19/07/2021

June beef exports slump, on back of rebuilding and JBS cyber-attack closures

JBS Australia’s dramatic week-long closure early last month due to a cyber attack on its operating systems played a part in substantially lower Australian beef exports during June…Read More

Jon Condon, 05/07/2021

Genetics

Angus bull sets new $225,000 breed record

The 2021 spring bull selling season is off to a cracking start, with a new national Angus breed record of $225,000 set this morning at the annual Texas Angus bull sale in northern NSW…Read More

Beef Central, 29/07/2021

Weekly genetics review: How will COVID impact the northern NSW spring bull sales?

As health authorities move to restrict movement and stem the spread of COVID into regional areas, restrictions and border closures will have an impact on many northern NSW bull sales in coming weeks. Here’s some advice for prospective bull buyers and vendors on what to expect, and how to prepare. ..Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 27/07/2021

The cost of an extended calving period

There’s been strong reader comment response to last week’s genetics item discussing advantages of a shorter gestation length (click here to view). Here’s a second item from genetics editor Alastair Rayner on the cost of an extended calving period and related topics……Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 27/07/2021

CQLX Gracemere retains mantle as southern hemisphere’s largest stud selling venue

Rockhampton’s CQLX Gracemere selling centre easily retained its mantle as the largest stud cattle selling facility in the southern hemisphere last year, accounting for 2628 head of bulls and registered females, spread across 15 sale fixtures and eight major breeds. This year, another 14 sales are scheduled between August and October, as the northern Australian spring sales period prepares for what promises to be another record-setting year…Read More

Beef Central, 27/07/2021

Ag Tech

What will the ag tech farm of the future look like?

The time is fast-approaching when farmers will be operating their businesses fully underpinned by automation, artificial intelligence and real-time data…Read More

Neil Lyon, 14/06/2021

What’s the secret to boosting ag tech adoption on Australian farms?

Developing ag tech products that save farmers time and money, securing venture capital and applying effective marketing strategies hold the key to increasing the adoption of ag tech by the agricultural sector…Read More

James Nason, 07/06/2021

Major forum to bring together agrifood innovators

Toowoomba will host a major agrifood innovation forum in June, which will help drive the adoption of AgTech…Read More

Beef Central, 29/04/2021

How Isis Downs has tackled remote water monitoring

The manager of a large western Queensland cattle station has described how a significant company investment in remote water monitoring has led to a series of not only expected but also unexpected benefits for the large operation…Read More

James Nason, 19/04/2021

Property

Weekly property review: Recently completed sales

Property editor Linda Rowley, 28/07/2021

Movement at the station: Recent property listings

Property editor Linda Rowley, 28/07/2021

Weekly property review: $700m worth of northern extensive grazing country looking for buyers

This week’s property review completes a two-part series about the motivations of northern Australian property owners listing their quality large-scale grazing assets. The current listings are showcased and an industry expert explains who is looking to capitalise on the positive property market fundamentals…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 21/07/2021