Feeder cattle market: Grids down as more rain builds

Feeder cattle grids have continued to drop this week as supply increases and pressure mounts from processors who are selling into tough meat market…Read More

Eric Barker, 17/08/2026

US beef exports to Australia barely raise a blip on the radar

Social media hysteria in Australia earlier this year over the re-admission of imported beef from the United States after a 20-year ban has proven unfounded, with total trade over the past 13 months barely enough to fill a tray-back utility…Read More

Jon Condon, 17/08/2026

Chris Howie: Markets changing gears

At a time of the year when supply naturally starts to increase, Chris Howie is urging producers to do their sums on chasing extra weight amid easing prices, and to get forward pricing locked if contracts are not already signed…Read More

Chris Howie , 17/08/2026

Canavan calls for one year delay of EPBC changes

Nationals leader Matt Canavan has called for a one year delay to sweeping changes to the Federal Government’s revised environmental laws, that will add a new layer of legislation to routine and ongoing land management activities. ..Read More

Beef Central, 17/08/2026

Prosperity Vs Adversity – unlocking genetic progress for your herd

Breeding Shorthorn cattle in the heat and ticks of Central Queensland automatically sets the Marellan herd apart. But for principals, Lincoln and Lisa Jobs, this location is just the beginning of their breeding program…Read More

Sponsored Content, 17/08/2026

Nationals move to reverse Federal gun laws

In a statement issued on Monday the Nationals confirmed they will move this week to reverse the Albanese Government’s firearms laws in Federal Parliament…Read More

Beef Central, 17/08/2026

Qld farm groups raise concerns about ‘critical minerals’ land access bill

Landholder Groups in Queensland are raising concerns about the Government’s new ‘critical minerals’ legislation, which they say could mean compulsory acquisitions…Read More

Beef Central, 17/08/2026

Feedgrain Focus: North firms as cutting starts

Time is up for some struggling wheat and barley crops on the Downs, while in the south, yield prospects for many crops are looking stellar after recent rain…Read More

Liz Wells, 17/08/2026



Industry Dashboard

Carbon Trading Market

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

Today

39
Source: Jarden

$A / $US

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.7085
Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

17 Aug 2026 (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

142624
Source: MLA's NLRS

EYCI

Eastern Young Cattle Indicator, c/kg

Today

916.7
Source: MLA's NLRS

90CL Cow

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

Today

1068
Source: Steiner Consulting, MLA

Live Export

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

Today

440
Source: Trade contacts

SOI

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

Today

-27.88
Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Feeder Steer

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

Today

482
Source: Feeder Steer

What readers are saying

Official reports tell different story on reef health to anti-beef activism campaigns

Thanks guys, it is certainly wonderful to know that all our work from producers, scientists and NRM groups is working and we are now the best managers in the....

Mick Alexander
More
Grower perspectives on the adoption, establishment and management of leucaena

Jeff Watson is correct. Leucaena can be found along coastal Queensland from Cairns to Brisbane. However, the origins of these infestations is not grazier plantings. As mentioned in my....

Max Shelton
More
Heavy vehicle regulator issues plea after jump in deaths on Australian rural roads   

You don’t have to be Einstein to work out why there are so many accidents. The majority of our rural road network is a disgrace. Increased heavy vehicle loads and....

Rob Atkinson
More
Opinion: The other side of the trade

Thanks for a great, well written yarn. The best way to look after a customer is to always let them know they are important. Highlighting these end users in....

Kenrick Riley
More

News

US beef exports to Australia barely raise a blip on the radar

Social media hysteria in Australia earlier this year over the re-admission of imported beef from the United States after a 20-year ban has proven unfounded, with total trade over the past 13 months barely enough to fill a tray-back utility…Read More

Jon Condon, 17/08/2026

Canavan calls for one year delay of EPBC changes

Nationals leader Matt Canavan has called for a one year delay to sweeping changes to the Federal Government’s revised environmental laws, that will add a new layer of legislation to routine and ongoing land management activities. ..Read More

Beef Central, 17/08/2026

Nationals move to reverse Federal gun laws

In a statement issued on Monday the Nationals confirmed they will move this week to reverse the Albanese Government’s firearms laws in Federal Parliament…Read More

Beef Central, 17/08/2026

Qld farm groups raise concerns about ‘critical minerals’ land access bill

Landholder Groups in Queensland are raising concerns about the Government’s new ‘critical minerals’ legislation, which they say could mean compulsory acquisitions…Read More

Beef Central, 17/08/2026

Markets

Chris Howie: Markets changing gears

At a time of the year when supply naturally starts to increase, Chris Howie is urging producers to do their sums on chasing extra weight amid easing prices, and to get forward pricing locked if contracts are not already signed…Read More

Chris Howie , 17/08/2026

Online numbers fall to 9800, with young cattle prices mixed

Online cattle listings eased further this week, falling another 28pc to 9800 head. Offerings on Friday were down more than 8500 head from just a fortnight ago. Steer and heifer weight categories were erratic in c/kg price movements – some up, some down…Read More

Beef Central, 16/08/2026

Wagga sale 17 August 2026: Big surge in numbers to 4360 head,

Numbers offered rose significantly this week, reaching 4360 head. Lightweight steers experienced strong competition, resulting in a price increase of 36c/kg..Read More

Leann Dax, 17/08/2026

Dubbo sale 13 August 2026: Restocker demand kicks with rain

Following the good falls of rain over the last couple of days young cattle to the restockers were 30-50c dearer with the young steers selling from 425c to 576c/kg…Read More

David Monk, NLRS, 14/08/2026

Sponsored Content

Prosperity Vs Adversity – unlocking genetic progress for your herd

Breeding Shorthorn cattle in the heat and ticks of Central Queensland automatically sets the Marellan herd apart. But for principals, Lincoln and Lisa Jobs, this location is just the beginning of their breeding program…Read More

Sponsored Content, 17/08/2026

Still feeding the hard way?

Unlike traditional supplementation, which depends on cattle visiting a feeding point, water supplementation works with an animal’s natural daily behaviour. Every drink becomes an opportunity to deliver consistent nutrition…Read More

Sponsored Content, 10/08/2026

How much cow can your country afford?

Two dry seasons have put maternal efficiency under the microscope at Chalambra in Victoria’s Western District. Their experience, alongside commercial results across other systems, is building a wider case for Speckle Park as a complementary crossbreeding option…Read More

Sponsored Content, 03/08/2026

Beef Pro is here: Halter’s new planning layer already lifting pasture utilisation by up to 30pc

For Australian beef producers, the pressure to do more with the same land never really goes away. Feed costs, labour constraints, variable seasons – they all push in the same direction. The question is always the same: how do you get more from what you’ve already got?..Read More

Sponsored Content, 27/07/2026

Production

Grower perspectives on the adoption, establishment and management of leucaena

Veteran leucaena researcher Dr Max Shelton recently completed a 1400km trip through Central Queensland to assess the establishment and management of the browse legume and to identify key issues affecting its adoption and use. Here’s what he found…Read More

Dr Max Shelton, 13/08/2026

Emerald agent takes out Qld Young Auctioneer Competition at 150th Ekka

Emerald based livestock agent Lachlan Spry has taken out the 2026 Queensland Young Auctioneers Competition at the Ekka. ..Read More

Lydia Burton, 05/08/2026

Qld Government to adopt recommendations from cattle tick review

The Queensland Government has announced changes to the state’s cattle tick management system for the first time in 10 years, following a review into an outbreak in the state’s tick-free zone earlier this year…Read More

Lydia Burton, 29/07/2026

Latest gross margin figures show encouraging signs for most NSW beef producers

New beef gross margin budget calculations show that returns from all NSW beef enterprises have improved since July 2025, driven by rising cattle prices and strong performance in the feedlot sector. ..Read More

Beef Central, 23/07/2026

Processing

AI-powered manufacturing pilot delivers early wins for Kilcoy Global Foods

A research pilot project using digital twins and generative AI to identify, diagnose and resolve beef production issues in real time has delivered strong early results for Queensland beef processor Kilcoy Global Foods…Read More

Beef Central, 12/08/2026

Weekly kill: Qld grids slip another 20c/kg, as processors wrestle to align meat and livestock prices

Queensland direct consignment slaughter grids have fallen another 20c/kg over the past week, as export processors struggle to bring livestock prices and red meat returns into closer alignment.
Tough export meat trading conditions are the big driver of price falls of 80c/kg over the past eight weeks. ..Read More

Jon Condon, 11/08/2026

Red meat processor costs to operate under the microscope, compared with competitors in the US, Brazil and NZ

Australian red meat processing costs continue to rise and remain higher than key international competitors in New Zealand, the US and Brazil, new research shows…Read More

Jon Condon, 06/08/2026

Should the red meat industry be more proactive about the value of immigration?

The current debate around immigration in Australia and how it could impact visa programs agriculture relies on, has been a popular topic of conversation at industry events…Read More

Lydia Burton, 05/08/2026

Lotfeeding

Feeder cattle market: Grids down as more rain builds

Feeder cattle grids have continued to drop this week as supply increases and pressure mounts from processors who are selling into tough meat market…Read More

Eric Barker, 17/08/2026

Feedgrain Focus: North firms as cutting starts

Time is up for some struggling wheat and barley crops on the Downs, while in the south, yield prospects for many crops are looking stellar after recent rain…Read More

Liz Wells, 17/08/2026

Cattle numbers on feed notch up another record, topping 1.66 million head

  NUMBERS of cattle on feed in Australian feedlots continued its recent trajectory in the June quarter, setting a new record of 1.66 million head – up another 30,000 head..Read More

Beef Central, 14/08/2026

Vote for the feedlot industry’s best innovation

Vote for the best innovation in the feedlot industry through the ALFA Innovation Competition, which celebrates the clever ideas and innovations that are incorporated into day-to-day feedlot operations…Read More

Beef Central, 12/08/2026

Live Export

What’s in store for the live cattle trade for the rest of 2026?

During the Ekka last week, Beef Central asked several people close to the northern live cattle trade – Australian exporters, northern producers and Indonesian importers – what they see in store for the sector for the remaining five months of 2026…Read More

James Nason, 13/08/2026

Opinion: The other side of the trade

A recent visit to Indonesia showed Jessie Daniels what the live cattle trade means at the other end of the northern cattle supply chain…Read More

Jessie Daniels , 13/08/2026

Opinion: Over-charged, over-regulated and over it

The Australian National Audit Office’s (ANAO) damning audit of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s (DAFF) biosecurity cost recovery program has severely eroded industry confidence in the department’s ability to deliver a fair, transparent and credible outcome through its current review of export cost recovery arrangements…Read More

ALEC CEO Mark Harvey-Sutton, 11/08/2026

Higher cattle prices and weaker rupiah weigh on first-half live exports

Australian cattle exports fell almost 30 percent in the first half of 2026, with an earlier Lebaran, higher cattle prices, rising input costs and a weak Indonesian rupiah combining to impact trade volumes to Australia’s largest live export market…Read More

James Nason, 30/07/2026

Trade

Export cow beef prices continue to deteriorate, as trade winds blow 

Prices for Australian export lean beef trimmings and cow beef used for burgers, tacos and other popular ground beef items have continued to deteriorate, as global beef trading conditions adjust to recent tariff headwinds…Read More

Jon Condon, 28/07/2026

Booming slow-cook BBQ movement explores fusion, secondary cuts

Some of the world’s most acclaimed competition BBQ chefs gathered in Brisbane for a Low & Slow BBQ festival on the weekend, attracting around 8000 meat-loving patrons. The talent on hand provided the perfect opportunity to get a handle on where the American BBQ movement is heading and what’s new…Read More

Jon Condon, 14/07/2026

Manufacturing meat markets under pressure, as Brazilian challenge mounts  

There’s plenty of evidence of ‘tougher going’ on the export beef sales front as the new financial year unfolds – especially at the manufacturing meat end…Read More

Jon Condon, 10/07/2026

Aussie beef takes centre stage with Soccer World Cup TV coverage

Millions of people have had a taste of Aussie beef during the FIFA World Cup, with an Australian Beef ad campaign by MLA scoring goals across SBS’s coverage…Read More

Beef Central, 09/07/2026

Genetics

Cattle producers set to gain from targeted genetics tech investment

The QLD Government has invested $2 million in a Brisbane-based cattle breeding technology startup through its Sowing the Seeds of Farming Innovation Fund. The investment in embryo transfer technology company Nbryo will enable the company to expand its technology to improve access to superior livestock genetics, reducing production costs and improving productivity for beef producers…Read More

Beef Central, 11/08/2026

Unreleased CSIRO report proposed a hybrid livestock gene bank model

A CSIRO report completed four years ago recommended Australia establish a livestock gene bank as insurance against the impact of exotic disease incursions or natural disasters…Read More

Terry Sim, 12/08/2026

Weekly genetics review: What does a sale catalogue really tell you about bull fertility?

If a reference sample of bull sale catalogues is any indication, there’s wide variation in what fertility information they provide, raising questions about what buyers need to understand about the tests and individual results provided by bull breeders…Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 11/08/2026

Spring bull sales: Here’s Beef Central’s take on the first third of the season

Tonight’s weekly genetics review examines the performance of first third of the spring bull sales, where average prices have remained firm but lower clearance rates point to a more selective market…Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 11/08/2026

Ag Tech

Technology to bolster on-farm biosecurity compliance

For biosecurity plans to be successful, they must be followed by everyone who enters a property. Technology has been developed to help make this easier…Read More

Lydia Burton, 07/08/2026

Virtual fencing delivers 99pc sheep, 96pc cattle compliance in US grazing trial

A year-long grazing trial in the United States has demonstrated high rates of compliance for cattle and sheep managed with virtual fencing technology…Read More

James Nason, 08/07/2026

High-tech simulator boosting safety on Queensland farms

A machinery simulation unit will be deployed to schools and feedlots across Qld as AgForce Training works to boost farm safety…Read More

Beef Central, 08/07/2026

In-the-box solution harnesses solar power for remote agriculture

Charles Sturt University is trialling new technology that will allow equipment and infrastructure to be operated in remote areas where grid power is unavailable…Read More

Beef Central, 29/06/2026

AgProperty Central

Weekly property review: Recently completed sales

ACT’s Uriarra Station makes $20m+ | Locals expand with SA’s Gilles Downs Station | Pye family pays $20m for Qld’s Dongon Plains & Combo | NQ’s Yappar River sells under the hammer | $8m for NQ’s Mugwee..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 12/08/2026

Movement at the Station: Recent property listings in Qld

$40m+ for SW Qld Carbon Regeneration Portfolio | Webb family auctions transformed NQ cattle property | $10m asking price for Gympie’s Bellmary | NQ’s Ella Vale listed for sale..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 12/08/2026

Recent property listings in NSW and South Australia

Historic Nimagee Station lists with carbon project | Offers for Berryjerry Station close on August 21 | Warren Aggregation offered separately | EOIs underway for SA’s Illawarra & Koonunga Hill Aggregation..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 12/08/2026

Weekly property review: Top tier cattle assets finding eager market

In this week’s property review, six trophy cattle assets have changed hands in just six months, in a sales run described by a veteran marketing agent involved in the sales as unlike anything he has seen in three decades…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 05/08/2026

AgCarbon Central

Modelling suggests carbon farming could generate $5.5b for industry

The company behind one of the country’s most prominent carbon faming investors says the carbon market could remove half of Australia’s annual emissions without taking a hectare out of food production, while putting $5.5b into agriculture…Read More

Beef Central, 07/08/2026

Soil carbon projects get green light as long-awaited review handed down

A periodic review of Australia’s soil carbon methodology has been handed down this week, with a few minor changes recommended…Read More

Beef Central, 29/07/2026

Scientists warn ‘carbon tunnel vision’ risks misguided climate policies on livestock

“Carbon tunnel vision” that over emphasises greenhouse gas emissions as the primary metric evaluating environmental impacts risks compromising reasonable pathways to reducing livestock emissions, a new scientific paper warns…Read More

James Nason, 16/07/2026

We’re counting cattle emissions wrong (and why it matters to every Australian)

Australia is taking responsibility for increased warming it is not causing, and the consequences stretch far beyond the farm gate, according to a recently published paper…Read More

Beef Central, 10/07/2026
Get Beef Central's news headlines emailed to you -
FREE!