Home - Beef Central

SE Asia Report: Indonesia imports a massive 75,000 feeders in August

Also – frozen Indian buffalo back on shelves in Indonesia; China prices break through AUD$6/kg live weight; ASF disaster continues to sweep across Asia; plant-based burger takeover in New York; a very proud grandfather; some brave predictions and more in the latest South East Asia Report…Read More

Dr Ross Ainsworth, September 17, 2019

Trade

China drops pork/soybeans tariff, hog losses accelerate – estimated at 70pc by year end

The once estimated loss of China’s pig population of 50 percent by year’s end is now looking like a 70pc hog and a 60pc sow inventory loss, as China’s Africa Swine Fever problem accelerates…Read More

Simon Quilty, September 17, 2019

Markets

China swine fever impact spurs higher ABARES cattle price forecast

ABARES has upgraded its forecast for average saleyard cattle prices in 2019-2020 by 20c/kg, based on its expectations of strengthening demand for beef versus tightening supplies of cattle…Read More

James Nason, September 17, 2019

Live Export

Laporan Pasar: Industri Daging Sapi Asia Tenggara Edisi ke-69: Agustus 2019

Indonesia mengimpor 75.000 ekor sapi bakalan di bulan Agustus; Daging kerbau beku India kembali memenuhi rak penjualan di seluruh Indonesia; Harga sapi di China menembus batas AUD $6 per kg bobot hidup; Bencana wabah penyakit babi, African Swine Fever, terus berlanjut di seluruh kawasan Asia.
..Read More

Dr Ross Ainsworth, September 17, 2019

Production

Better animal welfare helps drive productivity on Birrindudu

Having seen the positive impact administering pain relief has made to animal welfare on Heytesbury Cattle Co’s Birrindudu Station in the Northern Territory, Kylie Hutley now describes it as ‘the only way forward’ for the cattle industry…Read More

Beef Central, September 17, 2019

News

Committee chosen to direct annual $100m drought resilience program

A committee of five people has been named by Minister for Drought David Littleproud to help deliver $100 million in drought resilience and preparedness programs to communities every year through the Future Drought Fund…Read More

Beef Central, September 17, 2019

Production

Plan summer water needs now

Agriculture Victoria is urging livestock producers to take steps to assess on-farm stock water storage levels and make plans now for peak livestock demand periods over summer…Read More

Beef Central, September 17, 2019

Markets

Wagga sale 16 Sep 2019: Spring buyers operate on smaller yarding

Leann Dax, September 17, 2019

Processing

Construction go ahead for Angus’ on-farm abattoir

James Nason, September 16, 2019

News

Farm invasion laws: Where is each State up to?

Colin Bettles, September 16, 2019

News

Ferocious debate erupts over ‘vegan terrorists’

Colin Bettles, September 16, 2019

Lotfeeding

$42 loss forecast in September grainfed trading budget

Jon Condon, September 16, 2019

Markets

Softer market in 10,000 head AuctionsPlus offering

Beef Central, September 15, 2019

Processing

Construction go ahead for Angus’ on-farm abattoir

IT’S official: Construction of the first significant greenfield beef processing plant to be built in Queensland in more than 20 years will begin on November 1…Read More

James Nason, September 16, 2019

Markets

Frenzy of stock movements out of NSW and southern Qld into Victoria

The dramatic contrast in seasonal fortunes between Victoria and states further north is being reflected in what appears to be unprecedented stock movement into the perhaps aptly named ‘Garden State’…Read More

Jon Condon, September 13, 2019

Live Export

New footage rocks live trade as independent overseer Bill passes Senate

New footage showing four Northern Territory steers being roped, forced to the ground and having their throats cut without stunning has triggered fresh outrage against the live export trade and more questions about why exporters continue to lose control of Australian animals from supposedly secure customer supply chains…Read More

James Nason, September 12, 2019

Weather

The air above Antarctica is suddenly getting warmer – here’s what it means for Australia

Record warm temperatures above Antarctica over the coming weeks are likely to bring above-average spring temperatures and below-average rainfall across large parts of New South Wales and southern Queensland…Read More

Harry Hendon, Andrew B. Watkins, Eun-Pa Lim and Griffith Young, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, September 12, 2019

Trade

China drops pork/soybeans tariff, hog losses accelerate – estimated at 70pc by year end

Simon Quilty, September 17, 2019

News

Ferocious debate erupts over ‘vegan terrorists’

A tempestuous political debate has zeroed-in on the rights of farmers to produce livestock for human food consumption, without suffering endangerment due to escalating threats and illegal intimidation driven by “vegan terrorists”…Read More

Colin Bettles, September 16, 2019

Production

Top MSA producers in New South Wales announced

Beef producers from throughout New South Wales have taken out the top awards at the 2019 Meat Standards Australia Excellence in Eating Quality Awards for the State, presented in Wagga Wagga last night…Read More

Beef Central, September 13, 2019

News

Farm invasion bill passes Federal Parliament

New laws that will strengthen farmer protections against escalating animal rights activism and harassment have passed the Federal Parliament, introducing tougher penalties for convictions…Read More

Colin Bettles, September 13, 2019

News

Committee chosen to direct annual $100m drought resilience program

Beef Central, September 17, 2019

Genetics

New GM for Droughtmaster Australia

The Droughtmaster Australia Board has announced the appointment of a new General Manager to take effect from October this year…Read More

Beef Central, September 16, 2019

Industry Dashboard

$A / $US Graph

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.6851

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

18 Sep 2019 (updated 10am daily)

Company	Price	Trending
Elders	$6.70
Australian Agricultural Co	$1.00
Graincorp	$8..30
Ruralco	$4.40
Ridley	$1.04
Woolworths	$36.62
Wellard	$0.05

Source: ASX

Beef Kill

Eastern States, weekly

Last Week

147112

Source: MLA's NLRS

EYCI

Eastern Young Cattle Indicator, c/kg

Today

475.5

Source: MLA's NLRS

90CL Cow

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

Today

726.1

Source: Steiner Consulting, MLA

Live Export

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

Today

315

Source: Trade contacts

SOI Graph

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

Today

-2.99

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Feeder Steer Graph

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

Today

315.4

Source: MLA's NLRS

What readers are saying

China drops pork/soybeans tariff, hog losses accelerate – estimated at 70pc by year end

Is it likely China will take a different view on tariffs for beef, as it would seem that the trigger would be pulled earlier than this year?....

Philip Downie

Construction go ahead for Angus’ on-farm abattoir

A young couple with a grand vision. Congratulations on yet another high achievement, you have both worked very hard for this and you deserve accolades for getting the....

Susan Salmond

Construction go ahead for Angus’ on-farm abattoir

Good on you Blair and Josie. Wish you all the good fortune in the world.....

Richard Golden

Live export ship worker tells media he was paid for animal cruelty pictures

How is it that creating life threatening situations to livestock is not an criminal offence. This individual has committed animal cruelty, then industrial sabotage for....

Fiona McCoy

Committee chosen to direct annual $100m drought resilience program

Beef Central, September 17, 2019

Farm invasion laws: Where is each State up to?

With the ink barely dry on new Federal laws passed last week to strengthen protections against illegal trespass and farm invasion, Colin Bettles looks at how moves by each State to ramp up legislative and enforcement activities are progressing. ..Read More

Colin Bettles, September 16, 2019

Ferocious debate erupts over ‘vegan terrorists’

Colin Bettles, September 16, 2019

NT Govt plans will suffocate ag investment: NTCA

The Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association has warned changes being made by the NT Government to the Non-Pastoral Permit system will have dire consequences for future agricultural investment in the Territory…Read More

Beef Central, September 16, 2019

Markets

China swine fever impact spurs higher ABARES cattle price forecast

ABARES has upgraded its forecast for average saleyard cattle prices in 2019-2020 by 20c/kg, based on its expectations of strengthening demand for beef versus tightening supplies of cattle…Read More

James Nason, September 17, 2019

Wagga sale 16 Sep 2019: Spring buyers operate on smaller yarding

The usual field of spring buyers attended and weaker export competition generally put a halt to the dearer rates of last week…Read More

Leann Dax, September 17, 2019

Softer market in 10,000 head AuctionsPlus offering

Prices and clearance fell across all categories this week for the 10,000 head offered on AuctionsPlus last week, in what was a generally weaker market…Read More

Beef Central, September 15, 2019

Frenzy of stock movements out of NSW and southern Qld into Victoria

Jon Condon, September 13, 2019

Production

Better animal welfare helps drive productivity on Birrindudu

Beef Central, September 17, 2019

Plan summer water needs now

Agriculture Victoria is urging livestock producers to take steps to assess on-farm stock water storage levels and make plans now for peak livestock demand periods over summer…Read More

Beef Central, September 17, 2019

Top MSA producers in New South Wales announced

Beef Central, September 13, 2019

Downs producers top Queensland’s MSA performance awards

Grain and grassfed beef producers from across Queensland’s Darling Downs region have taken out the top awards at the 2019 Meat Standards Australia Excellence in Eating Quality Awards for the State, presented in Biloela last night…Read More

Beef Central, September 11, 2019

Processing

Construction go ahead for Angus’ on-farm abattoir

IT’S official: Construction of the first significant greenfield beef processing plant to be built in Queensland in more than 20 years will begin on November 1…Read More

James Nason, September 16, 2019

Weekly kill: Grainfed cattle prices fall out of step with US

A BIG drop in US fed cattle prices over the past month has opened up a gap worth up to $300 a head in comparisons with similar grainfed export cattle out of Australia. The move has added considerable competition headwinds for Australia in key grainfed export markets like Japan and South Korea, trade sources say…Read More

Jon Condon, September 10, 2019

Weekly kill: Fed cows making up a growing proportion of slaughter

One of the features that is increasingly evident as the 2019 record-setting drought wears on is the sheer number of fed cows now finding their way to slaughter. Exact numbers are difficult to distinguish, because cows are rarely, if ever fed long enough to qualify for a grainfed cipher, but anecdotally, the numbers appear to be large…Read More

Jon Condon, September 3, 2019

Speculation grows that Kilcoy Global Foods may be eyeing-off public float

GRAINFED beef processor and exporter Kilcoy Global Foods may be close to announcing plans for a public float next year, on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Hong Kong-based trade and..Read More

Jon Condon, August 27, 2019

Lotfeeding

$42 loss forecast in September grainfed trading budget

A small downwards adjustment in 100-day grainfed cattle prices has taken the edge off profitability in Beef Central’s September monthly grainfed trading budget, calculated on Friday…Read More

Jon Condon, September 16, 2019

Feedgrain Focus: Shrinking supply lifts southern prices

Traders say it’s becoming a drought market again as frost, wind and heat are taking their toll on yield prospects and turning failed crops to fodder…Read More

Liz and Henry Wells, September 13, 2019

Wild tornado inflicts damage and stock losses at northern Vic’s Peechelba feedlot

A wild tornado ripped through ICM Agribusiness’s Peechelba Beef feedlot in northern Victoria late on Friday afternoon, causing damage to infrastructure and killing cattle struck by flying debris or collapsing infrastructure…Read More

Jon Condon, September 11, 2019

Feedgrain Focus: Prices firm as thin crops turn to hay

A tough start to spring is cribbing tonnage from the eastern Australian cereal crop as hay-cutting advances on struggling crops, and supports prices for cereals in nearby and new-crop slots…Read More

Liz and Henry Wells, September 9, 2019

Live Export

SE Asia Report: Indonesia imports a massive 75,000 feeders in August

Dr Ross Ainsworth, September 17, 2019

Laporan Pasar: Industri Daging Sapi Asia Tenggara Edisi ke-69: Agustus 2019

Dr Ross Ainsworth, September 17, 2019

New footage rocks live trade as independent overseer Bill passes Senate

James Nason, September 12, 2019

Live export ship worker tells media he was paid for animal cruelty pictures

A Pakistani live export ship worker has told Australian media he was paid several thousands of dollars by animal activists to gather evidence of animal cruelty…Read More

Beef Central, September 11, 2019

Trade

China drops pork/soybeans tariff, hog losses accelerate – estimated at 70pc by year end

Simon Quilty, September 17, 2019

Beef export growth for South America

Beef export growth from South America is expected to continue off the back of a strong 2019, Meat & Livestock Australia predicts…Read More

Meat & Livestock Australia, September 13, 2019

Beef leaders urge Parliament to ratify Indo-Aus FTA

Leading Australian beef industry figures have urged Federal Parliamentarians to work quickly to ratify Australia’s free trade agreement with Indonesia as soon as possible, stressing that shifting political dynamics mean Australia’s relationship with its near neighbour has never been more important…Read More

James Nason, September 10, 2019

Competitor watch: 25 more Brazilian meat plants approved for China export

In growing signs of the momentum in beef trade out of Brazil to China, a further 25 Brazilian meat processing plants have been approved this week by Chinese authorities for export…Read More

Jon Condon, September 10, 2019

Genetics

New GM for Droughtmaster Australia

The Droughtmaster Australia Board has announced the appointment of a new General Manager to take effect from October this year…Read More

Beef Central, September 16, 2019

Weekly genetics review: Selection considerations around birth weight

Many producers focus solely on Birth weight EBVs to address issues around poor calving, genetics editor Al Rayner writes in this week’s genetics review. However many people may be overlooking the mature size of their cows, and are not managing nutrition to get them in calf, or are managing pre-calving nutrition poorly. There is also the risk of focussing on birth weight and impacting growth traits as a result. There is a better option if there really is an issue with calving ease, and that is to use the calving ease EBV (direct) which will also be less antagonistic to growth…Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, September 10, 2019

Charolais cross and Angus claim RAS Beef Challenge domestic and 100-day titles + PICTURES

High-performing Charolais x Angus entries claimed the overall domestic market title, while straightbred Angus entries topped the 100-day grainfed class in the RAS of NSW 2019 Sydney Royal Beef Challenge finalised last week…Read More

Alastair Rayner, September 9, 2019

Angus bull sets new breed record at $160,000

A new Australian breed record price of $160,000 was set at Millah Murrah’s annual Angus bull sale near Bathurst in central western NSW yesterday…Read More

Beef Central, September 6, 2019

Ag Tech

Logged out: Farmers in remote areas are being left behind by the digital economy

Farming families and communities in Qld’s remote north are a good example of people in remote regional and rural areas of Australia being left behind by the digital economy, putting them at significant social and economic disadvantage. A report released this month details the impacts of low levels of “digital inclusion” among farmers, for whom reliable internet connection is not a given…Read More

Dr Amber Marshall, research fellow, QUT, August 28, 2019

Regional ag businesses harvest the fruits of broadband internet

When two large Qld lotfeeding operations invested in broadband internet, questions were posed around whether the service would really help the businesses increase productivity, and whether it was ‘only going be used for social media and Netflix by staff.’ But improved connectivity has not only boosted productivity and staff retention, but also reduced maintenance, service costs and labour costs…Read More

Beef Central, August 21, 2019

GPS tracking devices help underpin animal production claims

GPS tracking devices aren’t just revolutionising livestock monitoring and offering up a solution to cattle theft – they’re also delivering guaranteed best practice certifications for consumers. Farming technology company IDS Australasia’s ‘GFARM’ tracker, which works hand-in-hand with livestock management tools to draw on real-time information, is now commercially available to producers…Read More

Beef Central, August 12, 2019

CQUni agtech tested for Argentinean farming systems

CQUniversity researchers are investigating Argentinean beef production systems with a view to opening markets for emerging agtech company, DataMuster…Read More

Beef Central, August 8, 2019

Property

Weekly property review: Recent sales of note

Chareville’s historic Gowrie makes more than $10m | Riverina’s Cooloon is carved up | Post auction: Mount Falcon on the market for more than $13.5m..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, September 11, 2019

Movement at the Station – Recent property listings

Strong interest in RIFA Salutory’s grazing portfolio | Augathella’s Gladys Downs listed for more than $20.5m | Well-watered Lancewood | Neighbouring Orange cattle properties hit the market | Grassed-up Waterview | Myrrlumbing offered as a going concern
..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, September 11, 2019

Weekly Property Review: Market heating up in the Top End

Over the last four years, an enormous amount of land has transacted in the Northern Territory. The figures, relative to the long-term averages, have surprised industry experts who claim the market is still on its way up. To date, 11 NT properties have sold in 2019, valued at well above $200 million – many at unprecedented prices, property editor Linda Rowley reports ..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, September 4, 2019