Home - Beef Central

Weekly property review: Northern & western Qld update

Northern and western Queensland take centre stage in this week’s property review, where the lasting benefits of a strong wet season earlier this year continue to influence grazing market trends…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 30/09/2026

Trade

Harmony’s F1 Wagyu brand tops Melbourne Royal Show Food Awards

Victorian-based supply chain Harmony Agriculture & Food Co has topped the annual Melbourne Royal Show Food Awards branded beef division this week with a sample of the company’s Black Opal F1 Wagyu x Angus product. The Black Opal entry topped 21 medal-winning beef entries in this year’s competitions…Read More

Beef Central, 30/09/2026

Lotfeeding

Australian beef’s best strategy in challenging export market conditions

While the quickly changing environment and uncertainty has been a big challenge for meat traders this year, a panel of industry leaders at last week’s BeefEx conference discussed how Australian beef can maintain its strong position in the challenging market. We need to stay out of the bare-knuckle fight with Brazil in commodity markets by pushing deeper into grainfed premium markets, the audience was told…Read More

Eric Barker, 30/09/2026

News

First project under Queensland’s $500m Beef Roads program completed

The first early works project under the $500 million Central Queensland Beef Roads Program has been delivered, with construction now complete on Clermont-to-Alpha Road north of Alpha…Read More

Beef Central, 30/09/2026

Carbon

Call for food production to be protected in carbon market development

With the Federal Government reviewing the main policy underpinning demand for carbon credits, the National Farmers Federation says it needs to make sure food production is protected…Read More

Beef Central, 30/09/2026

Processing

Big energy savings, reduced carbon footprint through heat recycling at Gundagai Meat Processors

A New South Wales red meat processor has implemented a staged heat recovery system that reduces natural gas consumption, improves refrigeration efficiency and removes the need for a major boiler upgrade…Read More

Beef Central, 30/09/2026

Lotfeeding

Best practice guide to help producers prepare cattle for feedlots

In an effort to optimise feedlot performance, a new best practice guide has been developed for producers, outlining how to best prepare cattle for a feedlot. The new guide was promoted during BeefEx last week..Read More

Lydia Burton, 30/09/2026

Markets

Roma sale 29 September 2026: Numbers surge to 7800, as feeder steers average 522c/kg

Numbers surged in the face of dry weather at Roma sale yesterday, offering 7800 head – up more than 2000 head on last week. Heavy feeders +400kg lifted 17c to average 522c’ cows also improved, but some other categories lost ground ..Read More

Beef Central, 30/09/2026

Genetics

Weekly genetics review: Do you have a fertility problem in your herd?

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 29/09/2026

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

Egg industry’s advice to lotfeeders: Be ‘comfortable in your own skin’ over community engagement

Jon Condon, 29/09/2026

Processing

Weekly kill: Slaughter values hold up, as restocker and young cattle slide rapidly

Jon Condon, 29/09/2026

Lotfeeding

Pre-vaccination trend a big mover in feeder health, BeefEx audience told

Lydia Burton, 29/09/2026

Lotfeeding

Excellence in innovation, research, education and community leadership celebrated at BeefEx 2026

Finn Pickering and Lydia Burton , 29/09/2026

Industry Dashboard

Carbon Trading Market

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

Today

38.40

Source: Jarden

$A / $US

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.6986

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

01 Oct 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

906

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

Weekly genetics review: Do you have a fertility problem in your herd?

Thanks Alastair for another thought provoking article. Some respondent beef producers have commented that there may be a trade off between selecting for fertility and cull cow sale weights....

Fred Chudleigh

BeefEx 2026: Envisioning the feedlot of 2040

Outstanding article Finn. Feedlot 40 was all about reimagining the R&D undertaken by MLA and others on the feedlot industry’s behalf and extending it in an exiting and practically....

Christian Mulders

Christopher Pyne’s two tried and true methods for surviving a crisis

Excellent article. Awesome advice from Christopher Pyne. Peter Beattie was a master of managing media conferences. By admitting mistakes and taking personal ownership, and setting a....

Rod Thompson

The value of leucaena for control of internal parasites in livestock

During the 40 odd years that Max was the leading researcher on Leucaena, the studies focused on Condensed Tannins , their properties and potential benefits. I n this work....

Graham Kerven

First project under Queensland’s $500m Beef Roads program completed

The first early works project under the $500 million Central Queensland Beef Roads Program has been delivered, with construction now complete on Clermont-to-Alpha Road north of Alpha…Read More

Beef Central, 30/09/2026

Grey nomads of a different kind: Are we doing enough to retain the next generation?

Agriculture, for all its economic importance, still asks young people to accept a level of isolation, uncertainty and capital risk that most other industries do not, without always offering a correspondingly clear path to leadership or ownership in return. Are we doing enough to retain the next generation?..Read More

Trent Thorne, Hamilton Locke, 29/09/2026

Feedback from cattle levy review consultation meetings released

The Cattle Transaction Levy Review Committee has released a summary of feedback from its consultation on the Cattle Transaction Levy, with more than 1000 responses and attendances recorded across producer surveys, regional face-to-face sessions and written submissions…Read More

Beef Central, 27/09/2026

New January 1 EU deforestation regulations launch looks set in stone

A recent webinar for Australian stakeholders stepped through the requirements to export a range of commodities into the European Union from 2027, under the new EU Deforestation Regulation. The workshop appears to have removed any doubt that the new EUDR regulations will in fact go ahead as planned from 1 January, after a series of lengthy postponements…Read More

Jon Condon, 28/09/2026

Markets

Roma sale 29 September 2026: Numbers surge to 7800, as feeder steers average 522c/kg

Beef Central, 30/09/2026

Gunnedah 29 September 2026: Market lifts for smaller 2150 head offering, with cows to 376c/kg

It was a generally dearer market at Gunnedah this morning, where the yarding of 2150 head dropped about 1200 on last week. Cows were dearer with prime heavy drafts ranging from 370-397c/kg…Read More

Beef Central, 29/09/2026

Wagga sale 28 September 2026: Vendors reduce offering to 3400, on back of cheaper markets

Numbers fell significantly at Wagga this morning in respone to cheaper markets last week, with producers opting to hold cattle for weight gain due to the abundance of feed across most of the supply area…Read More

Leann Dax, 28/09/2026

Red ink eveywhere in dry-weather impacted 16914 head AuctionsPlus offering

Dry weather in many cattle producing areas and a pessimistic BOM forecast continued to drive prices lower in AuctionsPlus online trading this week…Read More

Beef Central, 25/09/2026

Researchers are using technology similar to the Fitbit used in human health and wellbeing, to better understand how cows care for their calves and uncover new ways to address calf loss in northern Australia’s beef industry…Read More

Beef Central, 28/09/2026

The value of leucaena for control of internal parasites in livestock

Multiple research articles show that Leucaena, already well known as a highly productive forage legume, can also play an important role in reducing worm burdens and pasture contamination when used as part of an integrated parasite management program…Read More

Max Shelton, 23/09/2026

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

Processing

Big energy savings, reduced carbon footprint through heat recycling at Gundagai Meat Processors

Beef Central, 30/09/2026

Weekly kill: Slaughter values hold up, as restocker and young cattle slide rapidly

A sharp contrast is emerging between slaughter cattle and feeder prices, relative to the lighter restocker descriptions which are currently falling rapidly in the saleyards system…Read More

Jon Condon, 29/09/2026

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

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

Lotfeeding

Australian beef’s best strategy in challenging export market conditions

Eric Barker, 30/09/2026

Best practice guide to help producers prepare cattle for feedlots

Lydia Burton, 30/09/2026

Egg industry’s advice to lotfeeders: Be ‘comfortable in your own skin’ over community engagement

What can other intensive livestock industries teach cattle lotfeeders about responding to community expectations? Egg industry leader Rowan McMonnies provided some sage advice during last week’s BeefEx conference…. ..Read More

Jon Condon, 29/09/2026

Pre-vaccination trend a big mover in feeder health, BeefEx audience told

Pre-entry vaccination against respiratory diseases has been the biggest mover in cattle health in feedlots and is paying dividends to lotfeeders, the delegates at BeefEx 2026 were told last week…Read More

Lydia Burton, 29/09/2026

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

Harmony’s F1 Wagyu brand tops Melbourne Royal Show Food Awards

Beef Central, 30/09/2026

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

Genetics

Weekly genetics review: Do you have a fertility problem in your herd?

This week’s column uses weaning results as the starting point and looks at why producers often put poor performance down to either nutrition or genetics, when both can be factors. It draws on CashCow and the 2025 Northern Genomics analysis, and builds on genomic prediction and Days to Calving material we discussed in an earlier column…Read More

Genetics editor Alastair Rayner, 29/09/2026

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

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: Northern & western Qld update

Property editor Linda Rowley, 30/09/2026

Weekly property review: Recently completed sales

Meldora expands with Riverina aggregation | Willow Tree grazing makes $7m..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 23/09/2026

Ogilvies relaunch Te Angie Station and Forest Lodge with expectations around $30-$35m

A new expressions of interest campaign will launch next week for the Ogilvie family’s two highly developed grazing properties in the New England region of northern New South Wales…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 23/09/2026

Movement at the station: Properties for sale in Qld

Stuart Ramsey’s Channel Country station heads to auction | Campbells list dress circle Augathella country | $13.5m for CQ calf factory | The Bluff lists for $30m+..Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, 23/09/2026

AgCarbon Central

Call for food production to be protected in carbon market development

With the Federal Government reviewing the main policy underpinning demand for carbon credits, the National Farmers Federation says it needs to make sure food production is protected…Read More

Beef Central, 30/09/2026

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

New method makes dual emissions reporting available to cattle companies

A new research paper has developed the first methodology enabling livestock companies to report their greenhouse gas emissions using both GWP100 and GWP*…Read More

James Nason, 02/09/2026

NFF raises concerns about proposed changes to soil carbon

The National Farmers Federation has raised concerns about proposed changes to Australia’s soil carbon methodology…Read More

Beef Central, 25/08/2026