Home - Beef Central

Weekly property review: Recently completed sales

ACT’s Uriarra Station makes $20m+ | Locals expand with SA’s Gilles Downs Station | Pye family pays $20m for Qld’s Dongon Plains & Combo | NQ’s Yappar River sells under the hammer | $8m for NQ’s Mugwee..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 12/08/2026

Property

Movement at the Station: Recent property listings in Qld

$40m+ for SW Qld Carbon Regeneration Portfolio | Webb family auctions transformed NQ cattle property | $10m asking price for Gympie’s Bellmary | NQ’s Ella Vale listed for sale..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 12/08/2026

Property

Recent property listings in NSW and South Australia

Historic Nimagee Station lists with carbon project | Offers for Berryjerry Station close on August 21 | Warren Aggregation offered separately | EOIs underway for SA’s Illawarra & Koonunga Hill Aggregation..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 12/08/2026

News

$5 cattle levy could face major shake-up

One month into a nationwide series of producer meetings, some clear messages are emerging about the future of the cattle transaction levy, with major reform for the first time in two decades potentially on the table…Read More

James Nason, 12/08/2026

News

From the killfloor at Oakey meatworks to champion Wagyu producer

From the outside, Darren and Len Henschell’s cattle operation in Southern Queensland seems pretty modest. The father and son own 100 cows and have spent most of their lives working on the floor at the Oakey meatworks. But to look at the leaderboard of the Wagyu section at last week’s Paddock to Palate competition, the cattle bred by the Henschells are anything but modest…Read More

Eric Barker, 12/08/2026

Processing

AI-powered manufacturing pilot delivers early wins for Kilcoy Global Foods

A research pilot project using digital twins and generative AI to identify, diagnose and resolve beef production issues in real time has delivered strong early results for Queensland beef processor Kilcoy Global Foods…Read More

Beef Central, 12/08/2026

Genetics

Cattle producers set to gain from targeted genetics tech investment

The QLD Government has invested $2 million in a Brisbane-based cattle breeding technology startup through its Sowing the Seeds of Farming Innovation Fund. The investment in embryo transfer technology company Nbryo will enable the company to expand its technology to improve access to superior livestock genetics, reducing production costs and improving productivity for beef producers…Read More

Beef Central, 11/08/2026

Lotfeeding

Vote for the feedlot industry’s best innovation

Vote for the best innovation in the feedlot industry through the ALFA Innovation Competition, which celebrates the clever ideas and innovations that are incorporated into day-to-day feedlot operations…Read More

Beef Central, 12/08/2026

Still feeding the hard way?

Unreleased CSIRO report proposed a hybrid livestock gene bank model

Terry Sim, 12/08/2026

Markets

Roma sale 11 August 2026: Yarding drops to 7831 head

Beef Central, 12/08/2026

Genetics

Weekly genetics review: What does a sale catalogue really tell you about bull fertility?

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 11/08/2026

Genetics

Spring bull sales: Here’s Beef Central’s take on the first third of the season

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 11/08/2026

Processing

Weekly kill: Qld grids slip another 20c/kg, as processors wrestle to align meat and livestock prices

Jon Condon, 11/08/2026

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

0.7062

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

12 Aug 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

142624

Source: MLA's NLRS

EYCI

Eastern Young Cattle Indicator, c/kg

Today

905.5

Source: MLA's NLRS

90CL Cow

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

Today

1068

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

-27.88

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Feeder Steer

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

Today

521

Source: Feeder Steer

What readers are saying

Should the red meat industry be more proactive about the value of immigration?

As a significant organization involved in the training and recruitment of a large number of smart, young, educated and highly motivated young Vietnamese workers from our three training abattoirs....

Neil Barrie

Could a percentage-based cattle levy deliver a fairer outcome?

As we all have the option of which sector of the beef industry we wish to partake in, I believe that a flat rate is the most equitable. When we....

Steve Taylor

Should cattle producers be able to redirect levy spending?

The answer to the above question l believe is ‘yes’. May I also suggest that the current roadshow of the Levies review committee has not been adequately promoted. As....

Sandy Maconochie

SE Asia Report: El Nino moves from forecast to fact as the region starts pricing it in

SE Asian report 17/7/26. A great report, extensive, informative. I really enjoyed reading it.....

Stephen Holt

$5 cattle levy could face major shake-up

James Nason, 12/08/2026

From the killfloor at Oakey meatworks to champion Wagyu producer

Eric Barker, 12/08/2026

The two W’s that will influence Australia’s cattle market

A leading market researcher says there are two main factors that will drive Australia’s cattle market in the near future – factors he labelled the two w’s…Read More

Lydia Burton and Eric Barker, 11/08/2026

JBS swings to US$102m loss in second quarter, while strong results continue in Australian operations

Global protein producer JBS swung to a US$102m net loss in its second quarter ended 30 June, despite reporting significant revenue growth. Australian operations again performed strongly, notwithstanding a 24pc increase in cattle prices, year-on-year…Read More

Beef Central, 11/08/2026

Markets

Roma sale 11 August 2026: Yarding drops to 7831 head

All the regular buyers were in attendance, operating in a mixed quality market. Despite the presence of a southern interstate restocker, local buyers dominated purchasing activity on light weight cattle…Read More

Beef Central, 12/08/2026

Gunnedah 11 August 2026: Heavier cattle improve, while all other descriptions cheaper

Gunnedah yarded 1550 this morning, down 730. The market saw the few prime heavier weight cattle offered improve, while most other grades were cheaper…Read More

Beef Central, 11/08/2026

Online heifer numbers exceed steers – a rare occurrence

Friday’s AuctionsPlus catalogue included some unusual statistics that reflect the current declining state of the cattle market, with beef producers keeping a close eye on the BOM forecast about prospects of a ‘Super El Nino’ becoming a key part of their thinking…Read More

Jon Condon, 10/08/2026

Heifers and lighter steers down in c/kg price in online trading

Heifers and light steers dropped in c/kg value this week, while heavier steers showed a little improvement in AuctionsPlus online trading on Friday. Listings fell 25pc to 13,668 head, while clearance dropped to 54pc…Read More

Beef Central, 07/08/2026

The Queensland Government has announced changes to the state’s cattle tick management system for the first time in 10 years, following a review into an outbreak in the state’s tick-free zone earlier this year…Read More

Lydia Burton, 29/07/2026

Latest gross margin figures show encouraging signs for most NSW beef producers

New beef gross margin budget calculations show that returns from all NSW beef enterprises have improved since July 2025, driven by rising cattle prices and strong performance in the feedlot sector. ..Read More

Beef Central, 23/07/2026

AA Co invests in implant contraception for cattle, to replace spaying

Australia’s largest cattle company has invested in the development of a biodegradable pregnancy prevention implant for female cattle as an alternative to spaying…Read More

Lydia Burton, 22/07/2026

Processing

AI-powered manufacturing pilot delivers early wins for Kilcoy Global Foods

Beef Central, 12/08/2026

Weekly kill: Qld grids slip another 20c/kg, as processors wrestle to align meat and livestock prices

Queensland direct consignment slaughter grids have fallen another 20c/kg over the past week, as export processors struggle to bring livestock prices and red meat returns into closer alignment.
Tough export meat trading conditions are the big driver of price falls of 80c/kg over the past eight weeks. ..Read More

Jon Condon, 11/08/2026

Red meat processor costs to operate under the microscope, compared with competitors in the US, Brazil and NZ

Australian red meat processing costs continue to rise and remain higher than key international competitors in New Zealand, the US and Brazil, new research shows…Read More

Jon Condon, 06/08/2026

Should the red meat industry be more proactive about the value of immigration?

The current debate around immigration in Australia and how it could impact visa programs agriculture relies on, has been a popular topic of conversation at industry events…Read More

Lydia Burton, 05/08/2026

Lotfeeding

Vote for the feedlot industry’s best innovation

Beef Central, 12/08/2026

Feedgrain Focus: Contrasting seasons see spreads widen

Troubled yield prospects for northern crops and bumper ones in the south have widened the market’s spread this week as the Mallee prepares to make an early start on hay…Read More

Liz Wells, 10/08/2026

Should the red meat industry be more proactive about the value of immigration?

The current debate around immigration in Australia and how it could impact visa programs agriculture relies on, has been a popular topic of conversation at industry events…Read More

Lydia Burton, 05/08/2026

Feeder cattle market: Downward pressure on all fronts, rain in the forecast

Feeder cattle grids are down across the board this week as frosts kick-in, numbers continue to flow out of the north, and export meat price trends start to add pressure…Read More

Eric Barker, 03/08/2026

Live Export

Opinion: Over-charged, over-regulated and over it

The Australian National Audit Office’s (ANAO) damning audit of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s (DAFF) biosecurity cost recovery program has severely eroded industry confidence in the department’s ability to deliver a fair, transparent and credible outcome through its current review of export cost recovery arrangements…Read More

ALEC CEO Mark Harvey-Sutton, 11/08/2026

Higher cattle prices and weaker rupiah weigh on first-half live exports

Australian cattle exports fell almost 30 percent in the first half of 2026, with an earlier Lebaran, higher cattle prices, rising input costs and a weak Indonesian rupiah combining to impact trade volumes to Australia’s largest live export market…Read More

James Nason, 30/07/2026

New live export State of the Industry report released

Australia exported more than 1.16 million livestock worth almost $1.1 billion in 2025, with live cattle exports reaching their highest level since 2019 and animal mortality rates remaining at historically low levels, according to a new industry report released today by LiveCorp…Read More

Beef Central, 24/07/2026

SE Asia Report: El Nino moves from forecast to fact as the region starts pricing it in

NOAA has declared an El Nino, formed in June and tipped to strengthen into 2027, and across Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines governments have moved from watching to spending | A dry year’s feed and disease stress lands on the part of the Indonesian trade already squeezed between a capped feedlot price and dearer Australian cattle | Manila is building home-grown foot-and-mouth and swine fever vaccine capability…Read More

Dr Michael Patching, 17/07/2026

Trade

Export cow beef prices continue to deteriorate, as trade winds blow

Prices for Australian export lean beef trimmings and cow beef used for burgers, tacos and other popular ground beef items have continued to deteriorate, as global beef trading conditions adjust to recent tariff headwinds…Read More

Jon Condon, 28/07/2026

Booming slow-cook BBQ movement explores fusion, secondary cuts

Some of the world’s most acclaimed competition BBQ chefs gathered in Brisbane for a Low & Slow BBQ festival on the weekend, attracting around 8000 meat-loving patrons. The talent on hand provided the perfect opportunity to get a handle on where the American BBQ movement is heading and what’s new…Read More

Jon Condon, 14/07/2026

Manufacturing meat markets under pressure, as Brazilian challenge mounts

There’s plenty of evidence of ‘tougher going’ on the export beef sales front as the new financial year unfolds – especially at the manufacturing meat end…Read More

Jon Condon, 10/07/2026

Aussie beef takes centre stage with Soccer World Cup TV coverage

Millions of people have had a taste of Aussie beef during the FIFA World Cup, with an Australian Beef ad campaign by MLA scoring goals across SBS’s coverage…Read More

Beef Central, 09/07/2026

Genetics

Cattle producers set to gain from targeted genetics tech investment

Beef Central, 11/08/2026

Unreleased CSIRO report proposed a hybrid livestock gene bank model

A CSIRO report completed four years ago recommended Australia establish a livestock gene bank as insurance against the impact of exotic disease incursions or natural disasters…Read More

Terry Sim, 12/08/2026

Weekly genetics review: What does a sale catalogue really tell you about bull fertility?

If a reference sample of bull sale catalogues is any indication, there’s wide variation in what fertility information they provide, raising questions about what buyers need to understand about the tests and individual results provided by bull breeders…Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 11/08/2026