MOST export slaughter direct consignment offers were unchanged this week across eastern and southern Australia, after some sharp rises the week before.

Rain in some regions has caused some setbacks in delivery of cattle consignments, but not enough to seriously disrupt operations. The growth in grainfed cattle occupying a portion of many plants’ weekly kill rosters in recent years is also serving to buffer processors from larger weather impacts on supply.

Symptomatic of the time of year, average vendor lot sizes in each day’s kill roster are now smaller, several large northern processors reported, as larger pastoral company operations and oats finishers have more or less closed down for the year, meaning processors are more dependant on consignments from smaller operators further east and south.

Also reflecting this, Queensland’s livestock train services serving larger western and northern operators are fewer in number each week, and hauling less wagons for each service than before.

The only exception we could find this week was a large run of around 1000 grass ox out of the Boulia area in northwest Queensland, that would normally be ‘next year’s bullocks’ but were brought forward due to HGP weightgain benefit and a sense that prices may have reached a peak. The prospect of breaking extra teeth by leaving those steers until next February might also have come into the equation.

Further north in Queensland, seasonal cattle supply appears to be in sharp decline, with the first large export shed in Central Queensland due to end its 2025 season at the end of next week.

Other northern sheds remain open, but are clearly struggling for numbers, with cattle procured this week out of saleyards like Silverdale and Gympie in the state’s southeast corner being loaded this week for slaughter at plants in the deep north, more than 1200km away.

After some 20c/kg rises in over-the hooks offers a week earlier, most large, competitive export processors have left grid offers untouched this week.

Most operators spoken to for this report acknowledged some tightening in supply since recent rain, saying numbers looked ‘adequate’ for the three-week run through to Christmas closures, mostly happening on 18-19 December. A few more saleyards cattle being presented this week will help the equation.

Direct consignment offers in southern parts of Queensland this morning have heavy cows on 750c/kg, and 830-840c/kg on heavy grass steers. The same cows two weeks ago were still making 710-730c/kg.

Central Queensland plants are 10-20c/kg behind those rates.

It’s way too early to gauge any cattle market reaction to Friday’s news that Brazil has gained considerable tariff relief for beef exports into the US, and how that might impact demand for Australian product heading into 2026.

Having said that, Chicago live cattle and feeder cattle futures fell by their limits on Monday – the first full day of trading since Trump’s tariff news broke. Live cattle contracts fell by US7.25c/lb while feeder cattle contracts dropped by their US9.25c/lb limit. Most-traded March futures for feeders settled at US297.8c/lb while January futures closed at US304.975c.

In southern Australia, where good slaughter-weight cattle remain scarce, direct consignment grid offers are mostly unchanged this week, with quality cows still making 800c/kg and grass four-tooth ox 860c in eastern regions of South Australian and southern NSW.

Slaughter rates erratic

The erratic nature of recent weekly kills recorded by NLRS continues through November, with the week ended 14 November (week ending 21 Nov not yet available) rising 4pc or almost 6000 head on the previous week, to 154,917 head.

Unless something unexpected happens, it means that weekly national kills this year peaked in July at just short of 159,000 head – still a long way from the +175,000 head numbers seen consistently back in the 2015-16 drought years when processing labour was more plentiful.

Saleyards see numbers grow

The recent lift in cattle prices has prompted producers to capitalise on the opportunity by offloading stock before summer, pushing most saleyard offerings higher early this week.

As well as the numbers presented below for sales held yesterday and this morning, Dalby is drawing for around 10,000 head tomorrow.

Wodonga yarded 2000 this morning, up 5pc on last week. Demand remained solid across all weights and grades. On the export front, not all buyers were operating, which did not impact the market. Heavy steers saw an increase of 11c, selling from 456-484c/kg. Bullocks remained unchanged to 5c stronger with prices from 434-489c/kg. Heavy cows were well supplied, and prices improved by 8c averaging 429c/kg, while leaner cows also gained 4c, selling from 346-418c/kg.

Wagga sale yesterday saw a rise of 1200 head to 6300. While the overall quality was mixed, there was a notable increase in well-finished steers and heifers +500kg. Midway through the sale, a southern processor increased their activity, taking advantage of the lower prices to buy feeder steers. This  move highlighted the fluctuating dynamics within the market. The prices for lightweight feeder steers experienced a decline of 23c, with prices ranging from 400-510c/kg. In contrast, medium weight feeder steers saw a slightly more competitive market, with a few additional buyers operating, resulting in a price decline of 15c to average 482c/kg. On the export front, heavy steers and bullocks saw a price increase of 13-19c, with the bulk selling from 466-493c/kg. Heavy feeder steers sold to a small group of buyers resulting in a price drop of 20c to average 478c/kg. Heavy cows were well supplied, with prices holding steady at 390-426c/kg. However, leaner types less than 520kg saw a price drop of 16c, averaging 375c/kg.

Gunnedah sale this morning yarded 4550, similar to last week. It was a good quality yarding with plenty of good lines of lighter conditioned cattle to suit feeders and backgrounders, while slaugher types were fewer in number.  The market sold to a dearer trend and there was strong competition across the board. Grown steers and heifers to process were much dearer with prime grown steers selling to 495c/kg and prime grown heifers from 410-478c/kg. Cows were dearer with 2 and 3 scores selling from 305-406c/kg and score 4 cows 11c/kg dearer from 390-428c/kg to average 416c/kg.

Roma yarded 9600 this morning, although part of that was carry-over from last week’s heavily rain-impacted offering. An interim report (full details tomorrow) quoted an exceptional line-up of quality cattle on offer, from the regular supply area as well as Western NSW. While cows were yet to sell, the market was described as very solid to dearer. Yearling steers +480kg to 458c/kg to processors, with grown steers 400-500kg to 450c/kg to processors. Grown steers 600-750kg from 448c to 484c/kg.

• We’ll start to gather meatworks closure dates for the 2025 season, and proposed 2026 re-opening dates for a summary to appear in early December.