Home - Beef Central

People on the Move: Appointments, retirements, achievements

Beef Central publishes an occasional summary of appointments, departures and achievements occurring across the red meat and livestock supply chain. Send details for entries to admin@beefcentral.com Vale John Kerin Changes..Read More

Beef Central, 31/03/2023

News

Geographic, species spread paying off for JBS

At the time when US beef processor margins are in rapid decline due to cattle shortage after extended drought, processing giant JBS is highlighting its geographic and species spread around the world as a distinct hedge advantage over price and supply cycles…Read More

Jon Condon, 31/03/2023

Weather

Drier than average April to June forecast for majority of Australia

Below median rainfall is likely to very likely for the majority of Australia according to the Bureau of Meteorology’s Seasonal Climate Outlook for April to June…Read More

Bureau of Meteorology, 31/03/2023

Ag Tech

New tech fast-tracked to transform meat processing

Beef brands are on the cusp of being able to market eating quality characteristics based on intramuscular fat percentage.)…Read More

Beef Central, 31/03/2023

News

Cell-based salami deemed unsafe as Italy bans lab meat

Cell-based salami, prosciutto and scaloppine appear to be off the menu in Italian households, with the government voting to ban the production, marketing and importation of lab-grown meat products…Read More

Eric Barker, 31/03/2023

The Weekly Grill

S3 Ep9: Cattle market update, with Chris Howie & Matt Dalgleish

Australian young cattle and slaughter cattle prices have continued to descend since our opening markets summary podcast for the year with regular commentators, Stockco’s Chris Howie and Ep3’s Matt Dalgleish back in late January. Two months on, are we near the bottom of the price cycle? Is there still a way to go? What impact will the forecast drier winter have on cattle supply and demand? These and other questions are posed in today’s cattle market update podcast by Weekly Grill host, Kerry Lonergan…Read More

Beef Central, 31/03/2023

Production

Awards for excellence in Southern Australian livestock industries now open

The Southern Australia Livestock Research Council (SALRC) has announced the call for nominations for the 2023 Awards for Excellence in Southern Australian Livestock Industries…Read More

Beef Central, 31/03/2023

Recruitment

Recruitment: Are your staff Q Fever safe?

While management of Q Fever risk appears to be well advanced within the Australian beef processing industry, statistics suggest it is still largely overlooked within parts of the beef production sector…Read More

Beef Central, 31/03/2023

News

Govt action needed to avoid cattle price meltdowns due to processing labour woes

Beef Central, 30/03/2023

News

Arrested livestock carrier sold for $9m

Beef Central, 30/03/2023

News

Indonesian professor says more public awareness needed for FMD and LSD

Eric Barker, 30/03/2023

News

Agricultural R&D investment on the rise

Beef Central, 30/03/2023

Production

Producer Demonstration Site applications open for 2023/2024

Beef Central, 30/03/2023

News

National Farmer Wellbing Report reveals declining mental health

Beef Central, 30/03/2023

Industry Dashboard

Carbon Trading Market

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

Today

36.5

Source: Jarden

$A / $US

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.6650

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

31 Mar 2023 (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

114038

Source: MLA's NLRS

EYCI

Eastern Young Cattle Indicator, c/kg

Today

669

Source: MLA's NLRS

90CL Cow

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

Today

849.7

Source: Steiner Consulting, MLA

Live Export

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

Today

400

Source: Trade contacts

SOI

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

Today

10.51

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Feeder Steer

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

Today

349.5

Source: Feeder Steer

What readers are saying

Opinion: carbon trading – best scheme to lose your farm on since the 80’s offshore debt debacle

You can’t scrutinise farmers that are having a crack at carbon trading there’s plenty of highly educated farmers that are doing the research and implementing on farm. They are....

James Hegarty

Weekly genetics review: Breeding the horns off – it takes more than one generation

Alistair, A great article! I teach Genetics to my Year 10 Animal Husbandry students, at Tully State High School. We also run a financially self-sufficient Droughtmaster Stud, to industry standard....

Warren Giffin

Opinion: Guilt-free animal protein

Great article G K...

Will Cannon

Opinion: carbon trading – best scheme to lose your farm on since the 80’s offshore debt debacle

Very well said. Carbon trading was never designed to make small players rich. Everything the government gets its fingers in is about control. Our years of dairying showed us the....

John Cameron

People on the Move: Appointments, retirements, achievements

Beef Central, 31/03/2023

Geographic, species spread paying off for JBS

Jon Condon, 31/03/2023

Cell-based salami deemed unsafe as Italy bans lab meat

Eric Barker, 31/03/2023

Recruitment: Are your staff Q Fever safe?

Beef Central, 31/03/2023

Markets

Dalby sale 30 Mar 2023: Market firm to dearer

Prices improved across most classes with yearling steers improving by 10c to 25c/kg…Read More

Trevor Hess, NLRS, 30/03/2023

Roma sale 28 Mar 2023: Quality improves in smaller yarding

Heavy grown steers and good heavy cows both saw gains of 10-15c/kg. Support for light weight restocker steers could not maintain the level of last week mainly due to reduced lines, selling to 504.2c to average 448c/kg…Read More

Beef Central, 29/03/2023

NVLX Wodonga 28 March 2023: Plainer offering in 890 head yarding

The reduced supply of vealers sold to mixed demand, while in the export sale not all processors operated…Read More

Leann Dax, 28/03/2023

Wagga sale 27 March 2023: Trade cattle dearer

All good quality trade cattle sold to dearer prices while the export market continues to soften…Read More

Leann Dax, 27/03/2023

Funding applications are now open for cattle and sheep producers throughout Australia who are interested in running local projects to demonstrate on-farm benefits of research and development findings…Read More

Beef Central, 30/03/2023

International factors kept diesel prices significantly higher than petrol prices

Petrol prices increased slightly and diesel prices remained significantly higher than petrol prices in the December quarter 2022, according to the ACCC’s latest quarterly petrol monitoring report…Read More

Beef Central, 24/03/2023

Lifting beef production in Fitzroy Basin through best practice predator management

The Barfield Road Producer Group aims to demonstrate improved calf survival and productivity gains in beef enterprises through the delivery of best practice wild dog management…Read More

Kim Woods, 27/02/2023

Processing

Weekly kill: Cattle supply starts to back-up, as short weeks approach

A series of short processor working weeks during April is adding to cattle supply congestion as the first quarter draws to a close…Read More

Beef Central, 28/03/2023

Red Meat R&D: One of Australia’s first AI-driven automated beef scribing systems installed

AMPC’s investment into advanced manufacturing technologies has resulted in an automated beef scribing system being installed at Kilcoy Global Foods’ processing plant near Kilcoy in southern Queensland…Read More

Beef Central, 27/03/2023

Weekly kill: Cattle prices continue rapid descent, as labour crisis comes into play

First signs emerged this week that the labour crisis afflicting beef processing operations is having direct impact on cattle prices – for both slaughter and feeder types. Some QLD and southern grids have slipped as much as 30c/kg on slaughter cattle this week, on top of earlier hefty drops…Read More

Jon Condon, 21/03/2023

Weekly kill: Slaughter cattle price slide takes a breather

Queensland slaughter cattle markets have paused to catch their breath this week, after a sequence of falls over the past couple of months that have knocked 50-60c/kg off some cattle values. However in southern states, some direct consignment grids have dropped another 10c/kg over the past seven-day cycle…Read More

Beef Central, 14/03/2023

Lotfeeding

Feedgrain Focus: Markets flat as grower selling thins

Quality barley in the north tightens. Southern pulses exporters keep busy. Early planting triggers fertiliser, seed decisions. ..Read More

Liz Wells, 24/03/2023

Feedgrain Focus: Sorghum focus lifts prices

Welcome rain has fallen over parts of NSW and Qld as markets firm on the occasional trade short and preoccupation in the north with a big sorghum harvest…Read More

Guest Author, 20/03/2023

Innovation puts a stop to cattle slipping on concrete

Going under cover: feedlot tour focusses on shade and shedding options

A feedlot tour taking place in May will focus specifically on shade and shedding concepts, design and construction…Read More

Beef Central, 11/03/2023

Live Export

Where will live export prices stabilise?

Against a backdrop of challenging demand conditions in Indonesia and Vietnam, how prices for northern export cattle trend as the supply of cattle from northern Australia increases post-Easter is attracting attention…Read More

James Nason, 27/03/2023

Govt says it made an offer to resolve livex class action

The Federal Government says it made an offer to the law firm leading the class action against the 2011 live export ban – as the group struggles to come to an agreement on a payout figure…Read More

Eric Barker, 23/03/2023

Why the livex class action payments are taking so long

Concerns have been raised about delayed payments for companies caught up in the 2011 live export ban, almost three years after a court ruled the government of the day had committed ‘misfeasance’ in office…Read More

Eric Barker, 21/03/2023

“Unintended consequences” of live sheep export ban dominate NTCA discussions + PICS

NT producers have raised serious concerns about their main market, with the Federal Government’s planned phase out of live sheep exports dominating discussions both from speakers at the NT Cattlemen’s Association’s annual conference in Darwin today and in general conversation…Read More

Eric Barker, 17/03/2023

Trade

UK approves trade agreement with Australia

The Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement has received Royal Assent in the UK Parliament, paving the way for both countries to bring the agreement into force “as soon as possible”, according to Australian Minister for Trade Don Farrell…Read More

Beef Central, 27/03/2023

China resumes Brazilian beef imports, and adds more plant to eligible list

China has re-admitted Brazilian beef imports overnight, after a month-long market closure following Brazil’s detection of an atypical case of BSE…Read More

Beef Central, 24/03/2023

Waste management company dumped imported pork products

An Australian-wide waste management business will not be fined despite incorrectly dumping imported pork products at a non-approved disposal facility, according to the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry…Read More

Terry Sim, 22/03/2023

Brazil remains optimistic about China beef market re-start

Despite approaching week-four of its China beef market suspension, Brazil remains optimistic about re-gaining access to its dominant beef export market in coming days…Read More

Beef Central, 13/03/2023

Genetics

Weekly genetics review: How often should you change your bull breeders?

Some commercial cattle producers believe they should be rotating their bull breeders every three to five years. In exploring this concept, it becomes clear there is not necessarily a clear reason for wanting to make a change – some are vaguely associated with a desire to have ‘fresh genetics’, or to try new things, or because their current breeders’ bulls are ‘a bit too dear.’..Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 28/03/2023

Weekly genetics review: Breeding the horns off – it takes more than one generation

While genetics does have the potential to effectively help producers achieve a polled herd, it is a process that can take multiple generations. While many producers are prepared to undertake the process, they often overlook the basis of genetics and can become very disappointed when their new polled bull sires calves that are scurred or possibly horned. ..Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 21/03/2023

Sexed semen could be the next drought mitigation strategy for beef

As semen sexing technology rapidly gains traction, commercial beef producers are increasingly turning to the process as a drought recovery tool…Read More

Kim Woods, 21/03/2023

Increasing lifetime productivity by selecting for stayability

Stayability or longevity of breeding females and bulls in Australian beef herds is a hot button topic as producers seek to lift one of the most economically impactful traits in their commercial cow-calf operations. More than 70 commercial and seedstock producers attended a NSW Angus Seminar in Wagga Wagga earlier this month to hear from a wide range of industry experts on the trait of Stayability…Read More

Kim Woods, 21/03/2023

Ag Tech

New tech fast-tracked to transform meat processing

Beef brands are on the cusp of being able to market eating quality characteristics based on intramuscular fat percentage.)…Read More

Beef Central, 31/03/2023

Innovation helping to bring Aussie farmers home safely

A safety tracking and alert solution developed by a Victorian agtech start-up is giving farming families peace of mind, whilst protecting loved ones and their assets…Read More

Kim Woods, 28/03/2023

Livestock theft a growing problem, but technology offers hope

Innovations in policing and agricultural technology appear to offer some promising progress to combat farm crime…Read More

Kyle J.D. Mulrooney and Alistair Harkness, University of New England, 23/02/2023

Parts manufacturers say agriculture needs legal right to repair

The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) has reaffirmed its support of the agricultural industry’s right to repair fight after a major John Deere announcement earlier this month…Read More

Beef Central, 25/01/2023

AgProperty Central

Weekly property review: Wagyu sector driving New England property demand

A sequence of eye-catching high-value property sales across the NSW New England and Northern Tablelands over the past 12 months suggests there is a two-speed market for the region’s grazing country at present: ‘conventional values’ and ‘Wagyu values’…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 29/03/2023

Movement at the Station: Recent property listings

THIS week’s property review includes a wrap-up of interesting recent listings across the country, and a separate article of recently relisted properties of note…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 22/03/2023

WA’s Stone Axe secures showcase Vic Wagyu property

Western Australian-based Wagyu supply chain Stone Axe Pastoral has expanded its eastern Australian footprint, purchasing highly-regarded Victorian Wagyu breeding property Moyhu, south of Wangaratta…Read More

Beef Central, 22/03/2023

Weekly property review: Recently completed sales

This week’s property review includes a wrap up of recently completed sales, and a separate article on interesting recent listings across the country…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 22/03/2023

AgCarbon Central

Govt introduces nature repair market legislation

Federal environment minister Tanya Plibersek has today introduced the government’s highly anticipated Nature Repair Bill to the parliament, highlighting some key details…Read More

Eric Barker, 29/03/2023

Opinion: the big part of the safeguard mechanism attracting little attention

In this contributed article, Raphael Wood argues that debate over the Federal Government’s recently passed Safeguard Mechanism bill has lacked an important detail. He explains the new Safeguard credits and why they are central to the new legislation…Read More

Raphael Wood, 28/03/2023