Home - Beef Central

AA Co steer disposal rides renewed wave of buyer confidence

AA Co’s drought-driven sale of 5000 young steers from its desperately dry Barkly Tableland properties today produced a better-than-expected result, enjoying a market lift of 15-20c/kg over recent comparative rates, and up to 25c/kg in places. A changing buyer mood following recent rain and prospects of more in coming days from Cyclone Trevor was clearly evident. ..Read More

Jon Condon, March 22, 2019

Lotfeeding

Feedgrain Focus: Prices firm despite northern rain

Despite rain in the north and big tonnages of grain arriving from the west, feedgrain markets from southern Queensland to Melbourne were paying as much or more for grain this week as they were last week…Read More

Liz and Henry Wells, March 22, 2019

Genetics

Angus breeders continue to embrace genomic technology

Angus breeders across Australia are continuing to embrace DNA testing in increasing numbers, with breeders supplying more than 17,500 animals for genomic testing through Angus Australia during 2018…Read More

Beef Central, March 22, 2019

Production

Lower cattle prices reflect lack of progress toward supply chain cooperation: CPA

Cattle Producers Australia says that despite a number of senate inquiries and an ACCC cattle and beef market study recommending whole of supply chain cooperation, particularly between producers and processors, the return to low cattle prices shows no progress has been made towards that goal. ..Read More

James Nason, March 22, 2019

Trade

African Swine Fever summits planned

A series of industry summits focussing on the current and future impact of African Swine Fever on global meat supply and demand will be held across the United States early next month…Read More

Beef Central, March 22, 2019

Recruitment

Recruitment: Eight points to note when giving employee feedback

We’ve all been there ourselves. We have received feedback and certainly know the way it’s delivered impacts the way it’s received. For managers of agribusinesses anywhere along the red meat supply chain, there are important aspects to consider when delivering feedback to employees…Read More

Beef Central, March 22, 2019

Markets

Dubbo sale 21 Mar 2019: Showers boost market

A shower of rain almost a week ago and the forecast for the chance of more rain in the next few days combined with the smaller yardings resulted in a stronger market in all sections with some people saying it is the largest turn around in the market they have witnessed…Read More

Beef Central, March 22, 2019

News

MSA program changes address indicus content, cooking styles, new cuts

Jon Condon, March 21, 2019

News

Rain sparks surge in oat plantings

Neil Lyon, March 21, 2019

News

Vale Paul Weidner

Fiona Myers, March 21, 2019

Processing

Govt’s migration plan would be disastrous for red meat processing, says AMIC

Beef Central, March 21, 2019

Property

Weekly Property Review: Focus on WA property market and Australia’s southeast corner

Property editor Linda Rowley, March 20, 2019

Production

Reef law anger as consultation sidetracked

Beef Central, March 20, 2019

Production

Plan now for prospect of dry autumn in the south, producers advised

In response to the dry conditions in southern Australia, specialist veterinarian Rod Manning recommends autumn calves be weaned now and here he shares his tips on how to get them to hit the ground running…Read More

Beef Central, March 17, 2019

Lotfeeding

Feedgrain Focus: Prices firm despite northern rain

Liz and Henry Wells, March 22, 2019

Ag Tech

Sydney summit to explore sustainable future for agriculture

Agtech opportunities will feature strongly in an international food and agriculture summit to be held in Sydney next week, examining challenges and solutions for creating a sustainable future for farming and agriculture…Read More

Beef Central, March 21, 2019

Recruitment

Recruitment: Eight points to note when giving employee feedback

Beef Central, March 22, 2019

Trade

African Swine Fever summits planned

A series of industry summits focussing on the current and future impact of African Swine Fever on global meat supply and demand will be held across the United States early next month…Read More

Beef Central, March 22, 2019

Markets

Dubbo sale 21 Mar 2019: Showers boost market

Beef Central, March 22, 2019

Genetics

Angus breeders continue to embrace genomic technology

Beef Central, March 22, 2019

News

MLA invites applications for sponsorship of producer events

Meat & Livestock Australia is inviting applications for sponsorship for events to be held between July and December 2019…Read More

Beef Central, March 21, 2019

Markets

Dalby sale 20 March 2019: Rainfall rouses restockers

Export buyer attendance was good and not all were operating, however there was a return of a feeder operator in the yearling heifer section…Read More

Beef Central, March 21, 2019

Production

Lower cattle prices reflect lack of progress toward supply chain cooperation: CPA

James Nason, March 22, 2019

Industry Dashboard

$A / $US Graph

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.7100

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

22 Mar 2019 (updated 10am daily)

Company	Price	Trending
Elders	$5.80
Australian Agricultural Co	$0.95
Graincorp	$9.18
Ruralco	$4.40
Ridley	$1.35
Woolworths	$30.63
Wellard	$0.05
	$

Source: ASX

Beef Kill

Eastern States, weekly

Last Week

152178

Source: MLA's NLRS

EYCI

Eastern Young Cattle Indicator, c/kg

Today

441.25

Source: MLA's NLRS

90CL Cow

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

Today

653.1

Source: Steiner Consulting, MLA

Live Export

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

Today

335

Source: Trade contacts

SOI Graph

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

Today

-13.5

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

What readers are saying

Biogas capture paying big energy, environmental dividends for Oakey Beef

Why haven't I seen this article published in the Engineers Australia monthly magazine - brilliant - it's green and positive - should be mandatory for all piggeries, dairy farms..

Richard Crandon CPEng MIEAust.

Australian tropical beef genetics seen as a ‘mecca’ for South America

I would just like to commend both you and Dr. Baumgarten for your foresight. While several others have recognized and written about the huge opportunities of Australian Genetic Export........few have..

Paul D. Butler

‘No feed, no water’ and the grim reality of potential beef plant closures

Two factors are overlooked--the very doubtful ABS figures and extremely low conception. The calving will be a disaster and 20-22 million will be a more likely herd size by..

John Carter

Making the best use of NLIS tags, including genetic selection + VIDEO

First things first! Let’s produce a NLIS tag that does not fall out! Just purchased 90 cows and calves,14 cows had tags,76 missing!..

Wallace Gunthorpe

AA Co steer disposal rides renewed wave of buyer confidence

Jon Condon, March 22, 2019

Dubbo sale 21 Mar 2019: Showers boost market

Beef Central, March 22, 2019

Dalby sale 20 March 2019: Rainfall rouses restockers

Export buyer attendance was good and not all were operating, however there was a return of a feeder operator in the yearling heifer section…Read More

Beef Central, March 21, 2019

Roma store 19 Mar 2019: Price lift in rain contracted yarding

Cattle were drawn from the usual supply area and a good panel of buyers was present and saw increased restocker competition for heifers…Read More

Beef Central, March 20, 2019

Production

Lower cattle prices reflect lack of progress toward supply chain cooperation: CPA

James Nason, March 22, 2019

Reef law anger as consultation sidetracked

Relations between rural landholders and Anastasia Palaszczuk’s Government in Queensland, already heavily strained by the resurrection of stringent vegetation management controls in the State last year, have sunk to new lows over the introduction of reef protection laws that will further impact agricultural operations in one third of the State…Read More

Beef Central, March 20, 2019

Plan now for prospect of dry autumn in the south, producers advised

In response to the dry conditions in parts of southern Australia, veterinarian Rod Manning recommends autumn calves be weaned now and here he shares his tips on how to get them to hit the ground running…Read More

Beef Central, March 18, 2019

Dual-purpose canola has potential to fill winter feed gap

Dual-purpose canola has the potential to fill the winter feed gap, according to research from Charles Sturt University’s Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation…Read More

Beef Central, March 12, 2019

Processing

Govt’s migration plan would be disastrous for red meat processing, says AMIC

THE Federal Government’s plan announced yesterday to reduce the annual cap on migration to 160,000 people for each of the next four years could be disastrous for the labour-starved red meat processing sector, an industry spokesman said today…Read More

Beef Central, March 21, 2019

Biogas capture paying big energy, environmental dividends for Oakey Beef

A world-first biogas capture project is paying big dividends for Darling Downs red meat processor, Oakey Beef. Completed in late 2014, the far-sighted green energy initiative made by NH Foods Australia at its processing facility west of Toowoomba is helping moderate energy costs, delivering lower cleaner wastewater effluent, and reducing the business’s fossil fuel environmental footprint…Read More

Beef Central, March 20, 2019

Weekly kill: Rain brings halt to slaughter cattle price slide

Encouraging, if somewhat patchy falls since Thursday of anywhere from 25-150mm across eastern parts of Queensland and New South Wales have applied a handbrake to slaughter cattle over-supply and price deterioration this week…Read More

Jon Condon, March 19, 2019

Weekly kill: Slaughter prices enter freefall territory

Direct consignment slaughter cattle prices have entered free-fall territory in the past week, as the relentless surge in stock turnoff across eastern Australia pushes supply and demand seriously out of balance…Read More

Jon Condon, March 12, 2019

Lotfeeding

Feedgrain Focus: Prices firm despite northern rain

Liz and Henry Wells, March 22, 2019

Feedgrain Focus: Prices lift from season lows

Continuing dry conditions in summer-cropping areas, increased grazier demand and firming free-on-truck markets in Brisbane and Newcastle have lifted wheat, barley and sorghum markets by up to $10 per tonne in the past week…Read More

Henry and Liz Wells, March 18, 2019

Big drop in feeder prices improves grainfed trading budget outlook

In our second projection for the 2019 year, our latest 100-day grainfed trading budget has produced a negative $60 result on a typical 450kg flatback feeder steer, entering a Darling Downs feedlot today and closing-out after 105 days on feed in late June. Higher weightgain cattle are at, or very close to breakeven. Here’s how we arrived at the figures ..Read More

Jon Condon, March 12, 2019

Feedgrain Focus: White grain choppy as market chews into stocks

Limited grower selling has helped the sorghum market maintain values in the past week, but wheat and barley prices had a turbulent week as millers and traders worked through stocks…Read More

Henry and Liz Wells, March 11, 2019

Live Export

ASEL report delivers improved certainty for exporters: ALEC

Livestock exporters can operate with improved certainty following the finalisation of a long-running review of the standards governing Australian livestock exports, the Australian Livestock Exporter’s Council says, while WA’s PGA group wants the minister to “take a deep breath” before implementing the recommendations. ..Read More

Beef Central, March 20, 2019

Long-awaited final ASEL review report released

Stocking densities on live export voyages will be reduced, and Bos Taurus cattle sourced from south of the 26th parallel – the Northern Territory/South Australian border – will be restricted from crossing the equator from May to October, under changes recommended in the review of Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL) released this afternoon. ..Read More

Beef Central, March 19, 2019

Export activity jumps at Port Alma

Port Alma near Rockhampton has become the fastest growing cattle export port in Australia, with 17,500 cattle in four shipments transported from the port since Christmas, and a fifth scheduled to leave in coming days…Read More

James Nason, March 15, 2019

SE Asia report: Indo backlog impacts | Philippines meteoric rise | China price quandary

October imports are still having strong negative impact on Indonesian market, while slaughter cattle prices in The Phillippines continue their meteoric rise.
..Read More

Dr Ross Ainsworth, March 13, 2019

Trade

African Swine Fever summits planned

A series of industry summits focussing on the current and future impact of African Swine Fever on global meat supply and demand will be held across the United States early next month…Read More

Beef Central, March 22, 2019

US beef facing possible tariff hike in Japan, TPP members not affected

The United States is facing the prospect of potentially significant tariff increases on its beef exports to Japan in coming months, hikes its main competitors would be safeguarded from due to economic partnership agreements with the country…Read More

James Nason, March 19, 2019

Quest begins to find Australia’s World Butchers’ Challenge team-members

Australia is starting to assemble its teams to compete in the 2020 World Butchers’ Challenge, being staged in Sacramento, California next year…Read More

Jon Condon, March 18, 2019

Is China the new US for world beef trade?

It was once accepted that the US market set global beef prices, but strong evidence is starting to say that China is now dictating global pricing and the US is losing its mantle as the number-one driver of global beef demand and supply, reports independent meat analyst Simon Quilty…Read More

Simon Quilty, March 4, 2019

Genetics

Angus breeders continue to embrace genomic technology

Beef Central, March 22, 2019

Australian tropical beef genetics seen as a ‘mecca’ for South America

Australia should be seen as a ‘mecca’ by South American beef producers seeking genetic improvement, a visiting Paraguan beef industry leader and cattle vet said during a Queensland visit this week…Read More

Jon Condon, March 19, 2019

Weekly genetics review: Selection for resistance to buffalo fly

The economic impact from buffalo fly has been reported to cost the northern beef industry around $99 million each year – but parasite resistance is a measurable genetic trait. ..Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, March 19, 2019

Angus sire benchmarking program notches up its first decade

From humble beginnings utilising 906 calves from 35 Angus sires bred in 2010 to the latest cohort measuring performance of 8500 calves from 299 sires, the Angus Sire Benchmarking Program has come a long way in its ten-year history…Read More

Beef Central, March 15, 2019

Ag Tech

Feedlot ration auto-delivery system shows promise + VIDEO

A prototype feed truck auto-delivery system, suitable for retrofitting on existing feed delivery trucks in feedlots, has been developed to ensure more consistent and efficient delivery of feed into bunks…Read More

Beef Central, March 8, 2019

14 young ag researchers share in $330,000 worth of grants

14 agricultural researchers have shared in $330,000 worth of grants through the Federal Government’s Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry annonced today. ..Read More

Beef Central, February 27, 2019

Is this Australia’s AgTech capital? + VIDEO

It’s a big claim but one agricultural technology specialist Jerome Leray is happy to defend…Read More

James Nason, February 25, 2019

Swarm Farm Robotics aims to break new AgTech ground + VIDEO

While Queensland farm-based ag tech company Swarm Farm Robotic Agriculture’s business has been largely based on servicing the robotic needs of crop farmers, its founder and others now see potential uses for robots in horticulture, pasture and livestock systems…Read More

Terry Sim, February 22, 2019

Property

Weekly Property Review: Focus on WA property market and Australia’s southeast corner

In this week’s review, we take a look at two property regions of interest – the southeastern corner of Australia and WA’s pastoral zone…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, March 20, 2019

CPC property sell-down continues, with Mimong Station sale

Continuing a sequence of divestments since October, Consolidated Pastoral Company has offloaded another of its northern pastoral assets, agreeing to sell Mimong Station in Northwest Queensland to Northern Territory pastoral identity Sterling Buntine…Read More

Jon Condon, March 15, 2019

Weekly Property Review: Deals emerge for northwest grass

Sales, contracts emerge for grassed Northwest Qld properties | Surat’s The Homestead sells after 50 years | Local expansion underway in New South Wales | Guyra’s Oban View sells under the hammer for $5.2m

Property editor Linda Rowley, March 13, 2019