Editor’s note: Entries now closed.
THERE’S major bragging rights – and great prizes – at stake for the winner of Beef Central’s Eastern Young Cattle Indicator guessing competition, asking readers to predict where the indicator will sit at the end of 2024.
Participation in the competition (see details below) closes at 5pm this afternoon, Monday, March 4.
Already hundreds of readers have submitted a number, either via the reader comment facility at the base of this page, or via email. Participants are asked to predict the EYCI’s level at the close of business on Monday, 2 December, 2024.
Young cattle prices have shown remarkable volatility over the past two years, and 2024 is shaping up to be no different. There are plenty of influences in play again this year that could impact young cattle values.
For those in the ‘glass half full’ camp, there’s the impact of better than expected seasonal conditions heading into autumn, and the potential void left in export markets as US beef production starts to slow. For those ‘glass half empty’ thinkers, there’s the impacts like slower global beef demand as consumers face cost of living headwinds, a greatly expanded national cattle herd and growing export competition out of Brazil.
There’s some great prizes up for grabs for the winners, including:
- An oilskin riding coat (full length or three-quarter, winner’s choice) from high quality Australian apparel manufacturer Claybourn, western outfitters since 1910 (retail value $659). Claybourn produces a wide range of country style jackets, vests, coats, shirts, chinos and pants, caps, accessories and other gear. Click here to learn more about the colourful history of the Claybourn brand, items from which will appear on Beef Central’s trade display at Beef 2024 in May.
- a bottle of Penfolds 389 Shiraz (the poor man’s Grange) for the runner-up.
To join the competition, simply register your prediction using the reader comment facility at the base of this page. We ask that entries include a number with at least one decimal point, to help separate similar entries (NLRS reports the EYCI indicator to two decimal places – ie yesterday’s closing figure was 619.61). Full names required for entries, please.
We’re asking for your prediction of EYCI’s value at the close of business on Monday, 2 December, 2024. Feel free to add a sentence or two if you want, giving your reasoning.
Entries close this afternoon – Monday, 4 March, at 5pm. Winners will be announced on Tuesday 3 December.
To kick things off, we asked a few industry identities to have a stab at where they think the EYCI will end the year:
- Beef Central’s Weekly Grill podcast host, Kerry Lonergan: 921.5c/kg
- Simon Stahl, NCMC Casino: 401.1c/kg
- Ep3 analyst Matt Dalgleish: 705.1c/kg.