Editor’s note: Entries for this year’s competition are now closed.
BEEF Central is extending a last call today for readers to participate in our 2025 Eastern Young Cattle Indicator guessing competition, with entries closing midnight tonight (Tuesday, 11 March).
There’s major bragging rights – and some fantastic prizes – at stake for the winner and runner-up in this year’s competition.
Last year’s inaugural competition attracted hundreds of reader entries, via Beef Central’s 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 Tuesday 9 December, 2025.
Young cattle prices have shown considerable volatility over the past two years, and 2025 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 seasonal conditions heading into autumn in some areas, and the potential void left in export markets as US beef production starts to slow.
For those ‘glass half-empty’ thinkers, there’s impacts like slower global beef demand as consumers face cost-of-living headwinds, an expanded national cattle herd and growing export competition out of Brazil.
Yesterday’s MLA Cattle Industry Projections report included predictions made by four analysts about where prices will be up to by 30 June this year. The average of the four analysts predictions suggested the National Young Cattle Indicator (NYCI) to trend sideways over the next four months, declining by 1pc to 358¢/kg liveweight on 30 June (note: the EYCI indicator used in our competition is reported in c/kg dressed weight, not liveweight).
Last year’s inaugural competition attracted hundreds of entries from across Australia, with the winner being Sydney-based red meat industry stakeholder Elise Mizzi, whose guess of 654.83c/kg was just 8.43c shy of the closing December EYCI entry of 646.4c/kg dressed weight equivalent.
Runner-up was former Queensland AgForce Cattle president Will Wilson, who guessed 657.1c/kg, 10.7c off the mark.
S.Kidman Australia clothing and apparel
There’s some great prizes up for grabs for the winner and runner-up this year, totalling around $1000. They include:
For the winner, a $650 voucher with high quality Australian country wear manufacturer S. Kidman Australia.
While S. Kidman will always be linked to its cattle empire roots, the company is evolving. S. Kidman is this year expanding into a new frontier – a premium, heritage-inspired clothing and footwear range that captures the essence of the outback. It’s a celebration of Australia’s traditions, its landscapes, and the hardworking fantastic Australians who make it what it is.
Kidman produces a wide range of high quality boots, hats, chinos and pants, shirts, caps, accessories, plus oilskin jackets, vests and coats via Driza-Bone.
Click here to learn more about the colourful history of the S. Kidman company and its new clothing and apparel brand.
For this year’s runner-up goes a bottle of Penfolds 389 Shiraz (the poor man’s Grange).
How to participate
To join Beef Central’s 2025 EYCI 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 today’s figure is is 649.25c/kg dressed weight equivalent). Full names required for entries, please.
We’re asking for your prediction of EYCI’s value at the close of business on Tuesday, 9 December, 2025. Feel free to add a sentence or two if you want, giving your reasoning.
Entries close midnight tonight – Tuesday, 11 March. Winners will be announced on Wednesday 10 December, based on the closing EYCI figure the day before.
Good luck!