Home - Beef Central

Weekly genetics review: Are you buying the bulls you planned to buy, or the bulls the sale persuaded you to buy?

This week’s genetics review divides typical bull buyers into six distinct categories. Which do you fall into?..Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 22/09/2026

Processing

Weekly kill: Fuel and transport price rises curbing southern buyer interest in the north

Rapidly elevating fuel prices are now having a significant effect on slaughter cattle buying patterns, with the sharply rising transport cost keeping some southern Australian buyers out of the Queensland market…Read More

Jon Condon, 22/09/2026

News

More beef from fewer cattle as Aus production passes three million tonnes

Australia’s cattle industry is producing more beef from an increasingly productive herd, with national beef and veal production set to exceed three million tonnes for the first time in 2026 despite cattle numbers beginning to ease…Read More

Beef Central, 22/09/2026

News

Cattle Australia Board elections open

The Cattle Australia’s 2026 Board election processed has commenced, with five nominees for two vacancies to bring new representation to the Cattle Australia Board…Read More

Beef Central, 22/09/2026

Processing

New MSA transport pathway opens opportunities for grassfed cattle

A new transport pathway for MSA will now allow more grassfed cattle to access the world-leading grading system, with eligible cattle still MSA-compliant after journeys of up to five days…Read More

Lydia Burton, 22/09/2026

Market Check launches first-of-its-kind grain marketing academy for growers and agribusiness

Grain marketing advisory firm Market Check has launched a new education platform aimed at demystifying grain markets for anyone involved in the ag industry, from growers through to bankers, agronomists, feedlotters and graduates just starting out in agribusiness…Read More

More than 200 cattle reported missing near Wilcannia

NSW Rural Crime Investigators are appealing for information from the public after more than 200 cattle were reported missing from a station in the state’s far west earlier this month…Read More

Beef Central, 22/09/2026

News

Ancient skeleton reveals brutal punishment for cattle thieves

Penalties for stock theft across Australia include maximum prison sentences of 10–14 years and substantial fines, but modern-day cattle rustlers can still be thankful some ancient penalties no longer apply…Read More

Beef Central, 22/09/2026

Weather

Weekly rainfall update + rainfall outlook 21 September 2026

Bureau of Meteorology, 22/09/2026

Markets

Gunnedah 22 September 2026: Feeder steers cheaper

Beef Central, 22/09/2026

Lotfeeding

Losses top $170 in latest 100-day grainfed trading budget

Jon Condon, 21/09/2026

Markets

Chris Howie: Northern export market rally; why aren’t lamb feedlots represented under ALFA?

Chris Howie , 21/09/2026

News

NFF rejects Albanese’s ‘right balance’ claim on visa changes

Terry Sim, 21/09/2026

Weather

El Niño strength doesn’t always match impact on Australia

Beef Central, 21/09/2026

Industry Dashboard

Carbon Trading Market

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

Today

38.20

Source: Jarden

$A / $US

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.7119

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

23 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

944.3

Source: MLA's NLRS

90CL Cow

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

Today

988

Source: Steiner Consulting, MLA

Live Export

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

Today

450

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

521

Source: Feeder Steer

What readers are saying

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

Percentage based levies are not new, this principle has been used for sheep and lambs as far back as 2008. If levies were based on a percentage of the....

Andrew Rea

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

Our profitability is underpinned by productivity which depends on good R&D Unfortunately R&D is expensive but various studies indicate extremely good returns to R&D investment Are we distracted....

Charles Nason

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

More beef from fewer cattle as Aus production passes three million tonnes

Beef Central, 22/09/2026

Cattle Australia Board elections open

The Cattle Australia’s 2026 Board election processed has commenced, with five nominees for two vacancies to bring new representation to the Cattle Australia Board…Read More

Beef Central, 22/09/2026

More than 200 cattle reported missing near Wilcannia

NSW Rural Crime Investigators are appealing for information from the public after more than 200 cattle were reported missing from a station in the state’s far west earlier this month…Read More

Beef Central, 22/09/2026

Ancient skeleton reveals brutal punishment for cattle thieves

Beef Central, 22/09/2026

Markets

Gunnedah 22 September 2026: Feeder steers cheaper

It was a fair quality yarding of predominately yearling and feeder type cattle however all grades were represented. All major buyers were in attendance for an overall much softer market…Read More

Beef Central, 22/09/2026

Chris Howie: Northern export market rally; why aren’t lamb feedlots represented under ALFA?

With the biennial BeefEx feedlot conference about to start, the benefit of the feedlot industry for all of us is it rewards both ways – continuity of product and supply to the processor and supply chain orders from weaners onwards for the producer. Understanding livestock performance is now essential at all levels, and is not just a quirky innovation. Genetic and paddock/feedlot performance will be held to account more and more in the coming years…Read More

Chris Howie , 21/09/2026

Young cattle values continue to slide, as AuctionsPlus clearance falls to 54pc

Most young cattle categories continued to be challenged in c/kg price in AuctionsPlus trading on Friday. Seven of the ten weight categories declined in c/kg value, with heifers most impacted. Heifer offerings continued to outweigh the steers among young cattle…Read More

Beef Central, 20/09/2026

Wagga sale 21 September 2026: Numbers surge to 5270, as ‘significant price correction’ seen

Numbers continued to rise this week due to hot weather, reaching 5270 head. Most categories experienced a notable price correction, particularly feeder types, while restockers sought to capitalise on the lower prices…Read More

Leann Dax, 21/09/2026

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

Are your phosphorus decisions delivering profit?

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

Processing

Weekly kill: Fuel and transport price rises curbing southern buyer interest in the north

Jon Condon, 22/09/2026

New MSA transport pathway opens opportunities for grassfed cattle

A new transport pathway for MSA will now allow more grassfed cattle to access the world-leading grading system, with eligible cattle still MSA-compliant after journeys of up to five days…Read More

Lydia Burton, 22/09/2026

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

Lotfeeding

Losses top $170 in latest 100-day grainfed trading budget

There’s an old saying that for lotfeeders to make a buck, they need two of the three key variables – feeder steer price, ration price and finished grainfed slaughter cattle price – to be working in their favour. Unfortunately in Beef Central’s latest 100-day grainfed trading budget calculated on Friday, all three appear to be working somewhat against them…Read More

Jon Condon, 21/09/2026

Feedgrain Focus: Prices firm after dry fortnight

Dry conditions, including some widespread frost, have been the domestic contributors to a lift in values for wheat and barley this week…Read More

Liz Wells, 21/09/2026

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

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

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

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: Are you buying the bulls you planned to buy, or the bulls the sale persuaded you to buy?

This week’s genetics review divides typical bull buyers into six distinct categories. Which do you fall into?..Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 22/09/2026

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

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