Home - Beef Central

Flat-rate levy vs percentage-based: Which producers would pay more?

Analysis of ten years of commercial cattle business benchmarking data suggests that moving from the existing flat $5-a-head transaction levy to a percentage-of-sales levy would shift more of the levy burden towards cattle-growing and trading enterprises…Read More

James Nason, 17/09/2026

Processing

Iconic wool operation cashes in on premium grassfed beef market

From Western Queensland to Northern Victoria – Lansdowne Pastoral Company has been supplying a high-end grassfed program in Victoria for three years. ..Read More

Lydia Burton, 17/09/2026

The Week in Beef - Podcast

Podcast: Longer road to better beef | EPBC meetings start | Thailand’s big China plans

In this episode: The team talk transport with Ethan Mooney from Teys; Dr Michael Patching discusses Thaliand’s plan to send more cattle to China and AgForce explains why it is doing a series of workshops on the new environmental laws…Read More

Lydia Burton and Eric Barker, 17/09/2026

News

Backpacker crackdown a ‘low blow’ that risks food security and regional economies

Farmers are furious after hearing yesterday that the Federal Government is moving ahead with a three-month processing timeframe for Working Holiday Maker visas. ..Read More

Beef Central, 17/09/2026

Trade

Wagyu entries dominate 2026 Sydney Show Fine Foods branded beef competition

Queensland’s Stockyard Beef has been recognised at the 2026 Sydney Royal Fine Food Awards, with its premium Wagyu brand, Stockyard Black, earning the grand champion beef title for the fourth consecutive year…Read More

Beef Central, 17/09/2026

The power of selenium in livestock

Selenium deficiency can silently undermine livestock health, fertility and performance well before clinical symptoms appear, making correct diagnosis, supplementation and administration essential to protect sheep and cattle. ..Read More

Dalby sale 16 September 2026: Interstate restockers target store cows

Local restockers and operators from Central New South Wales were also active across all classes of light weight cattle…Read More

Beef Central, 17/09/2026

News

Funeral arrangements for the late Mick Gibson

Mick Gibson, one of the true rags-to-riches success stories of the Northern Australian livestock industry, has passed away in Brisbane after a short illness, aged 83…Read More

Beef Central, 14/09/2026

Markets

Charters Towers 16 September 2026: Numbers lift by 1000

Beef Central, 17/09/2026

Property

Weekly property review: Recently completed sales

Property editor Linda Rowley, 16/09/2026

Property

Movement at the station: Properties for sale in NSW

Property editor Linda Rowley, 16/09/2026

Property

Properties for sale: Victoria, South Australia and Qld

Property editor Linda Rowley, 16/09/2026

Live Export

SE Asia Report: Thailand working on plan to ship 100,000 cattle per month to China

Dr Michael Patching, 16/09/2026

Processing

Tallow’s smooth path through Gulf conflict

Sue Webster, 16/09/2026

Industry Dashboard

Carbon Trading Market

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

Today

38.70

Source: Jarden

$A / $US

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.7201

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

17 Sep 2026 (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

150172

Source: MLA's NLRS

EYCI

Eastern Young Cattle Indicator, c/kg

Today

1002.8

Source: MLA's NLRS

90CL Cow

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

Today

994

Source: Steiner Consulting, MLA

Live Export

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

Today

440

Source: Trade contacts

SOI

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

Today

-13.89

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Feeder Steer

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

Today

529

Source: Feeder Steer

What readers are saying

SFOs say business case needed before cattle levy overhaul

There are some very worthwhile contributions coming forward in the discussion around the Cattle Transaction Levy, particularly the consistent call for transparency, accountability and a demonstrable return to levy....

Bim Struss

Truckie calls for regulator to find solutions after fleet grounded for two weeks

Without knowing any of the issues why Hawkins Transport was shut down by the NHVR it is very disconcerting that an organisation such as the NHVR can shut down....

Jamie Cupples

‘Education is both the lock and key’: Anthony Lee

Great story. As someone who worked with Anthony 20 years ago I can attest to his commitment to his team.....

Richard West

Call for Inquiry after Prime Minister’s ‘social licence’ pledge for renewables

Solar and Wind Energy is not sustainable It is payed for by taxpayers There is a net flow of wealth from Australian taxpayers to overseas companies to put what....

Jeanette Commins

Flat-rate levy vs percentage-based: Which producers would pay more?

James Nason, 17/09/2026

Podcast: Longer road to better beef | EPBC meetings start | Thailand’s big China plans

Lydia Burton and Eric Barker, 17/09/2026

Backpacker crackdown a ‘low blow’ that risks food security and regional economies

Farmers are furious after hearing yesterday that the Federal Government is moving ahead with a three-month processing timeframe for Working Holiday Maker visas. ..Read More

Beef Central, 17/09/2026

Funeral arrangements for the late Mick Gibson

Mick Gibson, one of the true rags-to-riches success stories of the Northern Australian livestock industry, has passed away in Brisbane after a short illness, aged 83…Read More

Beef Central, 14/09/2026

Markets

Dalby sale 16 September 2026: Interstate restockers target store cows

Local restockers and operators from Central New South Wales were also active across all classes of light weight cattle…Read More

Beef Central, 17/09/2026

Charters Towers 16 September 2026: Numbers lift by 1000

Improved feeder and processor demand resulted in price improvements on most categories…Read More

Beef Central, 17/09/2026

Roma sale 15 September 2026: Most categories softer in larger 8300 head offering

Roma Agents yarded 8314 head yesterday as the season continued to deteriorate across the region. The market could not sustain the levels of the previous sale, losing up to 20-25c/kg over most categories…Read More

Beef Central, 16/09/2026

Gunnedah 15 September 2026: Numbers push to 3550, pushing prices lower

An influx of cattle as the warmer weather begins to hit saw 3550 cattle offered in Gunnedah this morning, 730 more than last week. It was a fair quality yarding with all categories represented, for an overall softer market…Read More

Beef Central, 15/09/2026

Are you getting the best value out of your fertiliser? Producers can take the guesswork out of soil testing and fertiliser decision making on pastures with a five-step phosphorus (P) tool…Read More

Beef Central, 10/09/2026

Watch for bloat as spring pastures take off

Livestock producers are being urged to remain vigilant for bloat in cattle as spring growth accelerates across the region…Read More

Beef Central, 07/09/2026

The gamechanger that helped Brahman steer trial winner across the line

It may seem like a small change to the management of a cattle herd, but one successful Queensland producer says bunk training has been a “gamechanger” to his cattle’s performance…Read More

Eric Barker, 04/09/2026

Processing

Iconic wool operation cashes in on premium grassfed beef market

From Western Queensland to Northern Victoria – Lansdowne Pastoral Company has been supplying a high-end grassfed program in Victoria for three years. ..Read More

Lydia Burton, 17/09/2026

Tallow’s smooth path through Gulf conflict

Australia’s world-leading trade in animal tallow is unlikely to be threatened by clashes in the Gulf, and could even be boosted by the conflict, according to an industry leader speaking ahead of the Australian Renderers’ Association’s International Symposium which started in Melbourne on Tuesday. ..Read More

Sue Webster, 16/09/2026

Weekly kill: Qld grids mostly steady as season-driven supply builds

Spring turnoff patterns are now well established across much of Eastern Australia, with the onset of hot, drier weather and forecasts of an El Nino event ahead prompting some vendors to push cattle out the gate…Read More

Jon Condon, 15/09/2026

Weekly kill: Weather impact now squarely driving slaughter cattle market

Weather conditions and outlook are now clearly established as the primary driving factor in the eastern states slaughter cattle supply-demand dynamic…Read More

Jon Condon, 08/09/2026

Lotfeeding

Feeder cattle market: Some grids rise as numbers increase

Some feeder cattle grids have increased in the past fortnight as seasonal conditions remain mostly strong and numbers slowly increase…Read More

Eric Barker, 14/09/2026

Feedgrain Focus: South feels weight of new crop

Wheat and barley prices have fallen in the south in the past week, while northern rates have firmed as quality and production prospects deteriorate for the southern Qld crop…Read More

Liz Wells, 14/09/2026

BeefEx 2026 preview: What can beef learn from eggs?

A livestock industry leader who helped turn around public perceptions of Australian egg production will share lessons from that experience with grainfed beef stakeholders on the Gold Coast later this month…Read More

James Nason, 07/09/2026

Feedgrain Focus: Grower selling picks up as heat rises

Wheat values have risen $10-$15/t in the past week, while southern barley has weakened amid increased grower selling…Read More

Liz Wells, 07/09/2026

Live Export

SE Asia Report: Thailand working on plan to ship 100,000 cattle per month to China

The Thai agriculture ministry announced on 17 June that it is targeting the collection of Thai beef cattle for export by ship to China at 100,000 head a month, or 1.2 million head a year, through a quarantine hub to be built at Bang Saphan – a privately owned deep-sea port that Australian exporters used to discharge cattle back in 2015…Read More

Dr Michael Patching, 16/09/2026

Cattle shipments and prices rise, defying Indonesia’s headwinds

Higher supply often correlates with lower prices, yet despite monthly cattle export volumes climbing to a year-high in August, the price of live export steers ex-Darwin climbed to 440c–450c/kg for good lines. So what is driving the apparent contradiction?..Read More

James Nason, 11/09/2026

SE Asia Report: An early flicker of life in a stalled market

First-half Australian cattle exports fell 29 per cent and the squeeze is now biting downstream as Indonesian feedlots discount stock and ask for extended payment terms, while exports to another market in July represent potential green shoots in a previously large market…Read More

Dr Michael Patching, 01/09/2026

Nominations open for 2026 Livestock Export Young Achiever of the Year

The search is on for the next generation of leaders who will help shape the future of Australia’s livestock export industry…Read More

Beef Central, 28/08/2026

Trade

Wagyu entries dominate 2026 Sydney Show Fine Foods branded beef competition

Beef Central, 17/09/2026

August beef exports at 128,000t bear signs of tariff impacts

Recent imported beef tariff impacts in China and the United States are clearly evident in Australia’s August beef export statistics…Read More

Jon Condon, 04/09/2026

Retail red meat prices strongly impacted by livestock value, report suggests

Australian retail red and white meat prices have taken two very different directions between 2025 and 2026, with beef and lamb recording strong increases at both the livestock and retail levels, while pork and chicken prices have barely moved, a recent report has found…Read More

Beef Central, 02/09/2026

Trade restrictions starting to reshape global beef flows – Rabobank

The triggering of a range of trade restrictions – primarily from China – is beginning to reshape beef flows around the world, rural lender Rabobank says in its latest quarterly Global beef Report…Read More

Beef Central, 31/08/2026

Genetics

Weekly genetics review: Larger catalogues test the depth of the spring bull market

While there are still plenty of significant bull sales to be held over the next few weeks, there is now enough data on hand to draw some conclusions on a bull selling season that has in general been more rewarding than what many expected when it opened…Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 15/09/2026

Moving beyond breed boundaries – what could multibreed evaluation change?

What does MLA’s proposed multibreed genetic evaluation mean for traditional breed societies? It’s one of the questions explored by genetics editor Al Rayner in this week’s genetics column ..Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 15/09/2026

Information hub launched for next-gen multibreed beef genetic evaluation

Beef producers, bull breeders and other industry stakeholders can now access a dedicated online resource explaining the development of one of the most significant advancements in the nation’s livestock genetics system with the launch of MLA’s new Multibreed Beef Genetic Evaluation Information Hub…Read More

Beef Central, 15/09/2026

Weekly genetics review: Selection for harsher environments

This week’s genetic review looks at the interaction between nutrition, management and genetics, and draws on northern research to explain how selection can improve reproductive performance without overlooking environmental limitations…Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 08/09/2026

Ag Tech

User-friendly drone technology targeting weeds hovers into view

Land managers are closer to harnessing the benefits of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies to help them manage Australia’s large and diverse exotic weed pest challenge…Read More

Beef Central, 28/08/2026

Technology to bolster on-farm biosecurity compliance

For biosecurity plans to be successful, they must be followed by everyone who enters a property. Technology has been developed to help make this easier…Read More

Lydia Burton, 07/08/2026

Virtual fencing delivers 99pc sheep, 96pc cattle compliance in US grazing trial

A year-long grazing trial in the United States has demonstrated high rates of compliance for cattle and sheep managed with virtual fencing technology…Read More

James Nason, 08/07/2026

High-tech simulator boosting safety on Queensland farms

A machinery simulation unit will be deployed to schools and feedlots across Qld as AgForce Training works to boost farm safety…Read More

Beef Central, 08/07/2026

AgProperty Central

Weekly property review: Recently completed sales

Palgrove expand with CQ’s Panhandle | Macka’s secures flagship Liverpool Plains holding | $23.75m for far west NSW’s Borrona Downs | Capella family expands with NQ’s Sayah Park | Jackson Ag offloads NSW’s King Ranch..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 16/09/2026

Movement at the station: Properties for sale in NSW

Lawsons Angus lists Cobwell Station near Barham | $11m-$12m for regenerative farm near Albury | Western Division property heads to auction | Price drop for Riverina’s Kilnyana..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 16/09/2026

Properties for sale: Victoria, South Australia and Qld

Western District aggregation return to the market | $20m+ for Qld beef & irrigation operation | SA’s Campbell House drops to $18m..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 16/09/2026

Century-old Central Qld cattle enterprise brought to market

A 101,600ha Central Queensland cattle enterprise with almost a century of operating history has been brought to market, with the sale of Laglan Pastoral Co’s assets near Clermont…Read More

Beef Central, 14/09/2026

AgCarbon Central

Opinion: A bad time to be a tree in Queensland

James Henderson is a producer from Monto in Central Queensland and a co-founder of carbon and natural capital advisory IsidoreAg. In this contributed article, he argues that the Federal Government’s new environmental laws combined with a tightening of carbon and natural capital opportunities is pushing landholders to clear more trees than necessary…Read More

James Henderson, 08/09/2026