Home - Beef Central

Weekly genetics review: Lifting heifer productivity – lessons from GirlPower

The four-year GirlPower project reinforces the importance of clear structured management for heifers supported by timely and effective phosphorus in rangelands and northern areas. The value can accumulate to around $29/AE, and if genetic selection improvement is going to be worthwhile, we need to get the base performance sorted first…Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 24/06/2025

News

Heifers dominating supply in many yards feeding domestic cattle for Woolies, Coles

Big price differences between lighter feeder steers and heifers this year have motivated a large swing towards feeding heifers for Coles and Woolworths supermarket supply. While heifers typically perform worse that steers in the feedyard and in the chillers, cheaper feeder purchase cost has been a big factor. ..Read More

Jon Condon, 24/06/2025

News

Lab-grown meat approved for consumption – is it a threat to red meat?

Lab-grown meat is now allowed to be consumed in Australia, what impact could that have on the red meat industry? ..Read More

Lydia Burton and Eric Barker, 24/06/2025

Processing

Weekly kill: Southern processors remain active in northern procurement

Despite a few slaughter cattle now being held back by vendors until July delivery for tax reasons, last week’s national beef kill hit another five-year record at 153,442 head…Read More

Beef Central, 24/06/2025

Markets

MLA rolls out two new price indicators for industry, covering feeder heifers and online sheep

MLA has released two new livestock market indicators – the National Feeder Heifer Indicator and the Online Sheep Indicator – marking a significant step forward in livestock market transparency and decision-making support…Read More

Beef Central, 24/06/2025

News

Opinion: Accurate emissions measurement holds the key to integrity

AgForce is calling for a pause on finalising key emissions-related policies until the next generation of calculators is complete and peer-reviewed. CEO Mike Guerin argues we must get this right — not just for fairness — the credibility of the entire system depends on it.
..Read More

AgForce chief executive officer Michael Guerin, 24/06/2025

News

Major global award for MLA’s 2025 summer lamb ad + VIDEO

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is proud to announce that its 2025 Summer Lamb campaign, The Comments Section, has won a Silver Lion at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity, marking the first-ever Silver Cannes Lions win in the Film category for Australian Lamb in the campaign’s 20-year history…Read More

Beef Central, 24/06/2025

CarbonLink trials new soil tech to lower carbon farming costs

Soil carbon service provider, CarbonLink, has commenced early-stage trials of emerging soil sensing technologies, aiming to make soil carbon measurement faster, more affordable, and more accessible for Australian producers…Read More

Weekly rainfall update + rainfall outlook 23 June 2025

Bureau of Meteorology, 24/06/2025

Lotfeeding

Feeder cattle market: Tight supply driving southern feedlots to lighter cattle

Eric Barker and Lydia Burton, 23/06/2025

News

‘Crossing the line’: ACF slammed over campaign tactics

Beef Central, 23/06/2025

Lotfeeding

Grainfed beef showcase reflects industry’s surging momentum

Jon Condon, 23/06/2025

Production

Women in Ag conference to explore leadership, innovation, sustainability

Beef Central, 23/06/2025

Lotfeeding

Feedgrain Focus: Wheat kicks on offshore rally

Liz Wells, 22/06/2025

Industry Dashboard

Carbon Trading Market

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

Today

35.6

Source: Jarden

$A / $US

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.6459

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

25 Jun 2025 (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

153442

Source: MLA's NLRS

EYCI

Eastern Young Cattle Indicator, c/kg

Today

700.1

Source: MLA's NLRS

90CL Cow

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

Today

1050

Source: Steiner Consulting, MLA

Live Export

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

Today

335

Source: Trade contacts

SOI

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

Today

3.62

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Feeder Steer

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

Today

384.1

Source: Feeder Steer

What readers are saying

Rural reality: How cattle producers are working with nature, not against it

Spot on Michelle. It was under the thick canopy cover of brigalow regrowth where we showed the then Qld Natural Resources Minister Stephen Robinson bare ground and erosion. He....

Ian McCamley

‘Crossing the line’: ACF slammed over campaign tactics

If these people come knocking at your door you do not have to speak to them or tell them anything. They have NO authority. They do not wish to....

Joanne Rea

Rural reality: How cattle producers are working with nature, not against it

Wonderful story guys - congratulations on getting the true message out on this forum - the time has come to combine everyone’s experiences....

Mick Alexander

Rural reality: How cattle producers are working with nature, not against it

It’s an excellent article. Sound practical management like this should be supported by science. Instead science is being directed to a narrow conservationist perspective with limited application for landholders.....

Jock Douglas

Heifers dominating supply in many yards feeding domestic cattle for Woolies, Coles

Jon Condon, 24/06/2025

Lab-grown meat approved for consumption – is it a threat to red meat?

Lab-grown meat is now allowed to be consumed in Australia, what impact could that have on the red meat industry? ..Read More

Lydia Burton and Eric Barker, 24/06/2025

Opinion: Accurate emissions measurement holds the key to integrity

AgForce chief executive officer Michael Guerin, 24/06/2025

Major global award for MLA’s 2025 summer lamb ad + VIDEO

Beef Central, 24/06/2025

Markets

MLA rolls out two new price indicators for industry, covering feeder heifers and online sheep

Beef Central, 24/06/2025

Online offering rises to 15,400, but clearance drops to 61pc

Online cattle listings totalled 15,420 head this week, lifting 9pc on the previous week, while clearance fell sharply to 61pc…Read More

Beef Central, 20/06/2025

Wagga sale 23 June: Numbers drop with more rain forecast

The market fluctuated in pricing and demand, with various weight categories responding differently to buyer interest…Read More

Leann Dax, 23/06/2025

Dubbo sale 19 June 2025: Agents yard 3820

It was a good quality yarding with good numbers of well finished grown cattle and yearlings to suit the processors along with fair numbers to suit the feeders…Read More

David Monk, 20/06/2025

Northern Australia’s growing potential to diversify and strengthen cattle operations through integrated feed and fibre production was highlighted during an industry gathering in Katherine yesterday…Read More

Bel Carlson, 20/06/2025

Experience cutting-edge technology on farm at this year’s GroWQ Innovation Expo

The annual GroWQ Innovation Expo is returning this July, taking participants on farm to showcase new technology. ..Read More

Beef Central, 19/06/2025

Restocking after rain: Don’t sacrifice your perennial pastures

With good rain across most of Victoria, farmers may be looking to return stock to paddocks following months of containment feed, but they are being urged to consider the potential impacts of returning stock to deep-rooted perennials too early…Read More

Beef Central, 18/06/2025

Processing

Weekly kill: Southern processors remain active in northern procurement

Despite a few slaughter cattle now being held back by vendors until July delivery for tax reasons, last week’s national beef kill hit another five-year record at 153,442 head…Read More

Beef Central, 24/06/2025

Weekly kill: Southern processors making their presence felt in Qld

With only a fortnight left in the 2024-25 financial year, tax considerations are coming into play for some cattle producers, with some electing to push slaughter cattle back until after June 30 on accountants’ advice. The same thing happens every year, but the impact is amplified in years like this when kill space becomes tight in some areas. ..Read More

Jon Condon, 17/06/2025

Weekly kill: Some Qld grids lift as ‘phantom’ numbers appear; rain impacts southern market

Export processors in the southern regions of Queensland have lifted direct consignment slaughter grid offers 10-20c/kg this week, after a period of relative price stability. So-called ‘phantom’ bookings have been a factor, with cattle kill spaces booked at two or more plants meaning slaughter stock failing to materialise..Read More

Jon Condon, 10/06/2025

Weekly kill: Weather, southern competition pressuring cow prices

Growing southern processor competition and smaller yardings following rain have pushed slaughter cow prices sharply higher in eastern states saleyards over the past week, but bookings already held by processors have seen direct consignment cow prices resist the trend – for the timebeing, at least…Read More

Jon Condon, 03/06/2025

Lotfeeding

Feeder cattle market: Tight supply driving southern feedlots to lighter cattle

Two speeds have emerged in Australia’s feeder cattle market, with prices increasing in the south pushing some lotfeeders towards lighter cattle to fill pens and a steady flow of cattle contiuing in the north…Read More

Eric Barker and Lydia Burton, 23/06/2025

Grainfed beef showcase reflects industry’s surging momentum

The first of a series of grainfed beef showcases held at a top Brisbane restaurant last week underlined the momentum in grainfed beef production and export that’s happened in recent times. Here’s what people at the event had to say ..Read More

Jon Condon, 23/06/2025

Feedgrain Focus: Wheat kicks on offshore rally

A rally in offshore wheat prices has spread to local values and boosted traded volumes amid cautious optimism about south-eastern Australia’s season…Read More

Liz Wells, 22/06/2025

Modest $10 loss in grainfed trading budget, latest breakeven shows

Typical flatback feeder steers entering a shortfed program this week and closing in early October would deliver a small $10 loss, Beef Central’s latest 100-day grainfed trading budget calculation suggests…Read More

Jon Condon, 19/06/2025

Live Export

Indonesia lifts quota restrictions on live cattle imports

After issuing two cattle import permit allocations so far in 2025, the Indonesian Government has made the surprise move of lifting quota restrictions on live cattle imports altogether…Read More

James Nason, 17/06/2025

SE Asia Report: Indonesia’s next permit move front of mind for exporters

China’s domestic cattle prices improving, but Australian live exports remain well below previous levels | Indonesia’s live cattle imports hesitate momentarily amid import permit uncertainty; positive government signals yet to translate into renewed buying | Vietnam’s weakening currency adds cost pressure on cattle imports as competition from boxed beef continues to weigh on demand…Read More

Dr Michael Patching, 13/06/2025

May live cattle exports to year high

Overall cattle exports totalled 87,080 head, 21 percent above the five-year-average for May…Read More

Beef Central, 11/06/2025

Setback for cattle industry in livex class action

A Federal Court judge has delivered a blow to plaintiffs in the long-running class action over the Gillard Government’s 2011 suspension of cattle exports to Indonesia…Read More

James Nason, 10/06/2025

Trade

Australia ranked world’s best destination for steak restaurants, with Sydney the top city

An attempt to rank the best destinations in the world for steak restaurants has placed Australia, and the city of Sydney, on top of the pile…Read More

Jon Condon, 20/06/2025

Brazil surges past Australia as largest US imported beef supplier

In another reflection of the rapidly tightening supply of domestic beef in the United States this year, Brazil has for the first time surged past Australia as the largest supplier of imported beef to the US. Should Australia be concerned?..Read More

Jon Condon, 11/06/2025

May beef exports surge to third highest on record

Australia’s beef exports in May surged to their third highest volume level on record, reaching 129,478t. The big question on everybody’s minds in latest trade data is how much impact the recent tariff wars, especially those between the US and China, have had on Australia’s recent export beef performance…Read More

Beef Central, 06/06/2025

OECD’s weaker global economic growth forecast not good news for beef

Global economic prospects are weakening, with substantial barriers to trade, tighter financial conditions, diminishing confidence and heightened policy uncertainty projected to have adverse impacts on growth, according to OECD’s latest Economic Outlook…Read More

Beef Central, 04/06/2025

Genetics

Weekly genetics review: Lifting heifer productivity – lessons from GirlPower

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 24/06/2025

Weekly genetics review: Gauging maternal productivity in the rangelands

Given much of Australia’s grazing land is technically classified as rangelands – much of it in arid and semi-arid landscapes where it is harder to manage the environmental impact on production, genetic selection becomes even more important. A paper delivered during the recent Rangelands Congress in Adelaide provided a neat summary of some learnings on this, and how they apply…Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 17/06/2025

Beware of bull breakdown this sale season

With this year’s winter-spring bull sales underway, as with any investment, it’s important to consider how to best protect assets and maximise productivity. When it comes to bulls, particularly virgin bulls, one of the largest threats is balanoposthitis – or inflammation of the penis and prepuce…Read More

Beef Central, 17/06/2025

Weekly genetics review: If the ‘bull to bullock ratio’ is any guide, it will be a strong season ahead for spring bull sales

What are the prospects like for the 2025 spring bull selling season that lies ahead? A simple metric of the number of commercial bullocks required to buy a typical bull is providing some encouraging signs, genetics editor Al Rayner writes this week ..Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 10/06/2025

Ag Tech

Victoria set to follow other States by legalising virtual fencing

Victoria is set to follow most other Australian states in legalising the use of virtual fencing technology for managing livestock…Read More

Beef Central, 22/05/2025

SA producers still blocked from proven technology as NSW green lights virtual fencing

Livestock SA is calling on the South Australian Government to urgently reform outdated regulations that continue to block livestock producers from using virtual fencing, as New South Wales becomes the latest state to legalise the technology…Read More

Beef Central, 02/05/2025

AgTech success story as Optiweigh delivers 1000th in-paddock weighing unit

One of Australia’s agtech success stories has crossed a significant milestone, with the delivery of the 1000th Optiweigh unit to one of the company’s early adopters…Read More

Eric Barker, 30/01/2025

Scholarship to help keep Luke on the land after life-altering car crash

A North Queensland cattleman who became a quadraplegic after a car crash has received a bursary to become a drone pilot, to assist with work on his family’s cattle property…Read More

Beef Central, 29/01/2025

AgProperty Central

Weekly property review: How the Federal Govt’s proposed super tax will impact rural landholders

This week’s property review continues our two-part examination of the impact of the Federal Government plans to tax unrealised gains in superannuation for rural landholders. This week, three senior financial advisors and accountants add their perspective to the likely impact of the tax on rural landholders…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 18/06/2025

Weekly property review: What are the implications of the Govt super tax on property?

IN this first part of a two-part series, industry experts advise landholders on what course of action to take in the light of Federal Government’s moves to tax unrealised gains in superannuation. If approved, the new Bill will impose an additional 15pc tax on the earnings of superannuation balances above $3m. The Superannuation Fund Association says there are 17,000 super accounts holding farmland, and of those, 3500 have land valued at more than the $3m threshold…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 11/06/2025

Australia’s farmland price boom hits the brakes

After explosive growth that saw national agricultural land values more than double since the pandemic began, Australia’s farmland price boom has hit the brakes, a report by property marketers Ray White Rural suggests…Read More

Beef Central, 09/06/2025

Weekly property review: Recently completed sales

Brett Cattle Co secures Augathella’s Valera Vale | Chinese-owned Qld aggregation splits two ways | Circa $25m+ for landmark northern NSW holding | Miles family pays $15m for Goulburn Valley aggregation | Flinders Ranges lease sells locally | Local expands with Moonie district backgrounding country | NSW Golden Triangle property makes $10m | G&G’s Cashmere West goes under offer..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 04/06/2025