Home - Beef Central

COVID, trade issues have big impact on Australia’s beef exports to the EU – Can they bounce back?

Australia’s exports to the European Union collapsed to their lowest level in 16 years during 2020, due to a range of short and longer-term factors. Can progress in Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the EU and the United Kingdom turn around the ship?..Read More

Jon Condon, January 20, 2021

Live Export

Ship stockies left uninsured as coverage dries up in COVID era

Australian stock handlers and veterinarians working on live export vessels say they are finding it almost impossible to secure basic health insurance for their voyages, which is adding to the pressures of working in the COVID era…Read More

James Nason, January 20, 2021

Weather

Weekly rainfall wrap + rain outlook, 20 January 2021

Tropical cyclone Kimi developed east of Cairns and tracked towards the coast, bringing moderate to heavy falls to the north tropical Queensland coast, while a cold front brought moderate falls to southern Victoria and western Tasmania…Read More

Bureau of Meteorology, January 20, 2021

Markets

Roma store 19 Jan 2021: Market opens with record light steer prices

Prices improved across the yarding markedly from the last sale for 2020 due to the reduced supply and strong competition, with light weight yearling steers under 200kg reaching new record prices…Read More

Beef Central, January 20, 2021

News

Sausages latest extension for plant-based meat pioneer

Burger chain baron Jack Cowin has launched a range of sausages in his latest venture into the plant-based meat market through his Australian company, v2foods…Read More

Beef Central, January 20, 2021

Processing

Weekly kill: Grids surge again, hitting new record highs – but how sustainable is it?

Queensland slaughter grids have surged for a second consecutive week, setting new all-time price records in several categories. But as attractive as current prices are, exporters are struggling to raise kills at this early stage in the 2021 season, with reports of three-day rosters at quite a number of large facilities, and record high losses on every beast slaughtered…Read More

Jon Condon, January 19, 2021

Genetics

Elders enters Wagyu genetics market

Elders has embraced the expanding Australian Wagyu genetics marketplace, launching its first sale of semen and embryos on February 10 via the AuctionsPlus online platform…Read More

Beef Central, January 19, 2021

Production

2019–20 Livestock Farm Monitor reveals insights on farm performance

Beef Central, January 19, 2021

Trade

Dan Tehan needs a game plan for China

Tony Walker, La Trobe University, January 19, 2021

Markets

Wagga sale 18 Jan: Numbers jump with strong demand

Leann Dax, January 19, 2021

Trade

2021 grinding beef export sales off to slow start

Jon Condon, January 18, 2021

Markets

Young cattle dearer in 10,920 head AuctionsPlus offering

Beef Central, January 18, 2021

News

Encouraging uptake of new National Vendor Declaration

Beef Central, January 18, 2021

Processing

Weekly kill: Grids surge again, hitting new record highs – but how sustainable is it?

Jon Condon, January 19, 2021

News

Cattle grid confuses modern car sensors and sends UK drivers into a spin

A humble old cattle grid is sometimes all it takes to trip up the most advanced car computer systems…Read More

Beef Central, January 15, 2021

Markets

Premiums being paid for heifers over steers in super-heated young cattle market

Heifers have gone past equivalent steers in value in young cattle trading during the opening stages 2021 in large parts of eastern Australia, for the first time in recent memory. What’s driving it?..Read More

Jon Condon, January 15, 2021

Trade

Meat in the mail – ButcherBox meeting grassfed beef demand in the US

Several years ago US tech entrepreneur Mike Salguero went in search of grassfed beef for his family but couldn’t find any. Five years later his ButcherBox is now a fully-fledged “meat in the mail” business supplying ethically-raised, grassfed beef, mostly from Australia and New Zealand, in curated boxes to subscribers across the US…Read More

Beef Central, January 18, 2021

Genetics

Elders enters Wagyu genetics market

Elders has embraced the expanding Australian Wagyu genetics marketplace, launching its first sale of semen and embryos on February 10 via the AuctionsPlus online platform…Read More

Beef Central, January 19, 2021

Trade

2021 grinding beef export sales off to slow start

It’s been a particularly quiet start to the year for Australia’s export grinding beef sales, with low January beef kills being balanced by continued subdued demand out of the US and other key export markets…Read More

Jon Condon, January 18, 2021

Live Export

SE Asia Report: Access to stock tightens with return to normal wet season

Importers continue to struggle with a combination of a strong AUD and rising Australian cattle prices, while a “normal” Australian wet season after four weak monsoon years is restricting access to the small number of stock still available for live export, Dr Ross Ainsworth writes in this month’s South East Asian market report. ..Read More

Dr Ross Ainsworth, January 15, 2021

Markets

Roma store 19 Jan 2021: Market opens with record light steer prices

Beef Central, January 20, 2021

Markets

Young cattle dearer in 10,920 head AuctionsPlus offering

Young steer and heifer categories mostly rose in price in a larger AuctionsPlus offering last week, when 10,920 commercial cattle were offered. Above average seasonal conditions in many areas of eastern Australia continued to underpin very strong buyer demand…Read More

Beef Central, January 18, 2021

Trade

COVID, trade issues have big impact on Australia’s beef exports to the EU – Can they bounce back?

Jon Condon, January 20, 2021

Industry Dashboard

$A / $US Graph

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.7690

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

21 Jan 2021 (updated 10am daily)

Company	Price	Trending
Elders	$10.69
Australian Agricultural Co	$1.11
Graincorp	$4.38
Ridley	$0.96
Woolworths	$39.90
Wellard	$0.06

Source: ASX

Beef Kill

Eastern States, weekly

Last Week

86765

Source: MLA's NLRS

EYCI

Eastern Young Cattle Indicator, c/kg

Today

868

Source: MLA's NLRS

90CL Cow

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

Today

Source: Steiner Consulting, MLA

Live Export

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

Today

400

Source: Trade contacts

SOI Graph

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

Today

16.63

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Feeder Steer Graph

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

Today

Source: MLA's NLRS

What readers are saying

Cattle groups meet to end industry fragmentation

I was one of those heads in the room, and I'm happy to talk to anyone who has any questions. Constructive contributions and thoughts are very welcome. First....

Alice Greenup

London’s historic Smithfield meat market set to close, after 800 years + photos

Work there for 18 years 1972 to 1989 . Breaks my heart to know how the market has changed. Had the best working days of my life , with....

John gamon

Processing: ACC’s new business model adapts to changing times

Such a positive story. Congratulations to the Lee Family and to the long serving David Foote and the team.....

Greg Campbell

Unis must prepare students for the future of agriculture

The regenerative agricultural program offered by Southern Cross University attempts to address many of the issues covered by this interesting article. Our attempts to modernise the approach to agriculture....

Nick Burton Taylor

Sausages latest extension for plant-based meat pioneer

Burger chain baron Jack Cowin has launched a range of sausages in his latest venture into the plant-based meat market through his Australian company, v2foods…Read More

Beef Central, January 20, 2021

Encouraging uptake of new National Vendor Declaration

Positive uptake of the latest version of the Livestock Production Assurance National Vendor Declaration, the only version now accepted for all species of livestock being transferred, is being reported by MLA’s subsidiary, the Integrity Systems Company. ..Read More

Beef Central, January 18, 2021

Cattle grid confuses modern car sensors and sends UK drivers into a spin

A humble old cattle grid is sometimes all it takes to trip up the most advanced car computer systems…Read More

Beef Central, January 15, 2021

Recruitment: Operating smarter in 2021

The commencement of a new year is often a time for employers in the agricultural industries to reflect on their future hiring requirements, and for employees, to plan a career move. For employers and candidates alike, there are implications from operating in a COVID-affected job market…Read More

Beef Central, January 15, 2021

Markets

Roma store 19 Jan 2021: Market opens with record light steer prices

Beef Central, January 20, 2021

Wagga sale 18 Jan: Numbers jump with strong demand

Feedlot and restocker demand continue to drive cattle prices at Wagga, in a bigger yarding of 3080. ..Read More

Leann Dax, January 19, 2021

Young cattle dearer in 10,920 head AuctionsPlus offering

Beef Central, January 18, 2021

Premiums being paid for heifers over steers in super-heated young cattle market

Jon Condon, January 15, 2021

Production

2019–20 Livestock Farm Monitor reveals insights on farm performance

Farm profit has been positively influenced by higher gross farm income and lower costs compared with the previous year according to data collected and analysed in the 2019–20 Victorian Livestock Farm Monitor report…Read More

Beef Central, January 19, 2021

New research targets bloat in southern beef production systems

Charles Sturt University researchers are calling on southern Australian beef producers to complete a short online survey as part of research examining the impact of bloat on the industry…Read More

Beef Central, January 12, 2021

Tag retention: NLIS tag losses still frustrating producers

Cattle producers are reporting high ongoing rates of National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) tag losses, almost 14 years after it became compulsory in Australia for all cattle to have an NLIS device at the time of sale for traceability purposes…Read More

James Nason, December 15, 2020

Million-dollar planet prize for CSIRO FutureFeed seaweed innovation

FutureFeed, a livestock feed made from seaweed that reduces methane emissions in beef and dairy cattle by more than 80 per cent has been awarded the world’s largest monetary reward on the global food arena…Read More

Beef Central, December 17, 2020

Processing

Weekly kill: Grids surge again, hitting new record highs – but how sustainable is it?

Jon Condon, January 19, 2021

Weekly kill: Processors’ ‘opening gambit’ cattle offers sharply higher

Two factors appear to be behind a a sharp lift in processor price grid offers for slaughter cattle across eastern and southern Australia since the start of the new trading year…Read More

Jon Condon, January 12, 2021

Processing: ACC’s new business model adapts to changing times

Changing circumstances are seeing Australian Country Choice transition into a much more diverse, multi-stream vertically integrated processing/supply chain business model…Read More

Jon Condon, December 18, 2020

TFI starts construction at its new Murray Bridge processing site

An official ground-breaking ceremony was held this morning on the site of the new Thomas Foods International processing plant site near Murray Bridge in South Australia’s east…Read More

Beef Central, December 16, 2020

Lotfeeding

Summer crops revel in ideal conditions

The return to favourable summer growing conditions this season has been a boon for summer crop growers throughout the eastern Australia growing regions…Read More

Neil Lyon, January 18, 2021

Feedgrain Focus: Prices firm on global strength

Domestic wheat, barley and sorghum values have firmed this week based on strength in Northern Hemisphere markets, and were bolstered by minimal post-harvest selling from growers…Read More

Liz Wells, January 15, 2021

Feedgrain Focus: Market firms as trade covers

Short covering in the barley and southern wheat markets has supported prices this week, while on logistics, export pace has hit its straps despite two rail derailments…Read More

Liz Wells, December 18, 2020

Feedgrain Focus: Values buckle under supply-side pressure

A whack of grower selling, a logistics-driven easing of nearby demand and a firming Australian dollar have combined to depress prices for wheat and barley in most markets by up to $10 per tonne in the past week…Read More

Liz Wells, December 11, 2020

Live Export

Ship stockies left uninsured as coverage dries up in COVID era

James Nason, January 20, 2021

SE Asia Report: Access to stock tightens with return to normal wet season

Dr Ross Ainsworth, January 15, 2021

Laporan Pasar: Industri Daging Sapi Asia Tenggara – Desember 2020

Edisi ke-85: Para importir masih terus berjuang menghadapai kesulitan akibat kombinasi antara nilai tukar AUD yang kuat dengan meningkatnya harga sapi Australia; Harga eceran daging sapi di Indonesia dan Vietnam tetap stabil, kendati terjadi kenaikan tajam pada CIF dan harga sapi potong; Setelah 4 tahun mengalami muson yang lemah, musim hujan Australia yang “normal” kembali membatasi akses ke sejumlah kecil kawanan sapi yang masih tersedia untuk diekspor sebagai ternak hidup…Read More

Dr Ross Ainsworth, January 15, 2021

Hull damaged live export ship hit with unprecedented two-year-ban by AMSA

The Australian Maritime and Safety Authority (AMSA) has taken the extraordinary step of banning an Australian livestock vessel from entering any Australian port for two years, after it suffered hull damage in the Indian Ocean during a ballast voyage on return from Indonesia two months ago…Read More

James Nason, January 13, 2021

Trade

COVID, trade issues have big impact on Australia’s beef exports to the EU – Can they bounce back?

Jon Condon, January 20, 2021

Dan Tehan needs a game plan for China

Despite a lot of chest-thumping in government circles about the need to stand up to “Chinese bullying”, new Trade Minister Dan Tehan’s task will be to find a way to restore a constructive trading partnership with China in the national interest…Read More

Tony Walker, La Trobe University, January 19, 2021

2021 grinding beef export sales off to slow start

Jon Condon, January 18, 2021

Meat in the mail – ButcherBox meeting grassfed beef demand in the US

Beef Central, January 18, 2021

Genetics

Elders enters Wagyu genetics market

Elders has embraced the expanding Australian Wagyu genetics marketplace, launching its first sale of semen and embryos on February 10 via the AuctionsPlus online platform…Read More

Beef Central, January 19, 2021

Multi-breed EBVs will allow producers to compare bulls between breeds

A new $7.3 million research project launched in Armidale last week will ultimately enable beef producers to directly compare bulls of different breeds for a range of traits…Read More

Beef Central, December 12, 2020

2020 bull sales: Your complete guide to how each major beef breed fared

Fuelled by herd rebuilding across large parts of the country after drought, and a red hot restocker and slaughter cattle market, bull breeders have ridden a wave of producer confidence to re-set the bar for all major metrics for the industry this year. In Beef Central’s annual breed-by-breed analysis published today, major beef breeds have recorded dramatic growth in average prices paid for bulls, clearance rates of bulls offered, and numbers sold…Read More

Jon Condon, December 2, 2020

2020 bull sales: 10pc increase in numbers sold at auction

A combination of more bulls being catalogued for sale by bull breeders, and dramatically higher sale clearance rates has driven a 10pc increase in the number of bulls sold at auction this year across Australia…Read More

Jon Condon, December 2, 2020

Ag Tech

New service supports regional Aussies to solve phone & internet problems

Regional Australians can now access free, independent advice on the best internet and mobile phone connection for their work, study and lifestyle needs…Read More

Beef Central, December 14, 2020

Surgical robots may have application in red meat processing industry

Scientists are working to develop robotic principles that could help the red meat processing sector boost its global competitiveness – using technologies developed for use in human surgical procedures…Read More

Beef Central, November 25, 2020

Aussie start-up’s Wi-Fi solution picks up $500,000 prize in prestigious US agtech competition

An Australian company focused on resolving inadequate internet and phone connectivity in rural and remote parts of the country has claimed a US$500,000 prize in the hotly-contested US food and ag-tech competition, Grow-NY. ..Read More

Beef Central, November 24, 2020

World-first investigation raises ethical and policy challenges in using robots in agriculture

With automation poised to transform agriculture in Australia in the coming years, Monash University researchers have published the first-ever analysis of the ethical and policy issues raised by the use of robots in agriculture…Read More

Beef Central, November 22, 2020

Property

Weekly Property Review: What lies ahead for grazing land sales in 2021?

The rural property transaction space saw an increasing number of Australian farming families looking to expand in 2020. Many foreign-owned properties were returned to locals and cheap money and a scarcity of properties put upward pressure on land values. In our final weekly property review for the year, stakeholders reflect on the year that was and give their thoughts on what 2021 may bring…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, December 17, 2020

Movement at the station: Recently completed property sales

North QLD breeder country sells after several years | Gulf country purchased for a reported $23m | Around $19m for South Australia’s Calgara Station | Investors pay $10m for Victoria’s Kaloomah | Picturesque Flinders Ranges station settles | Record price for northern NSW cattle country | Historic Riverina property makes $9m+ | Picturesque red gum grazing in Victoria | Southern Tablelands block smashes reserve | CQ country sells to first-time property purchasers | Interstate buyer snaps up Cooladdi’s Nimboy
..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, December 17, 2020

Weekly property review: 2020’s defining property sales

This week’s property review showcases a state-by-state snapshot of the defining property sales across Australia, as reported over the past 12 months. The inclusions below are not necessarily the largest in each region, but properties that performed considerably above local expectations…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, December 9, 2020