Australian Cattle and Beef Market Report

This week, Ripley Atkinson, Australian Meats & Livestock Manager, unpacks all the key drivers behind recent cattle market performance, with prices either at or approaching levels last seen in 2022.

Ripley discusses the rain event across Queensland to Northern New South Wales, including how it has influenced producer behaviour and influenced market pricing in recent weeks. He also explores the current supply picture and how tightening availability has shifted the demand landscape from buyers’ perspective as producers retain stock and add weight.

From restocker activity to shifting supply-demand dynamics, this episode unpacks a detailed look at what’s dr...

The 2026 Australian Beef Report from Bush Agribusiness has found strong correlations between cattle prices and industry profitability – Ripley Atkinson, Australian Meats & Livestock Manager at StoneX, welcomes Ian MacLean, Managing Director of Bush Agribusiness, to the podcast this week to take a deeper look at those findings, dissecting what’s instore for producers and what details in their report could signify in future trends.

Ripley also provides his analysis on price volatility in the Australian cattle market and the key drivers which could enhance these fluctuations. Finally, Ripley & Ian list potential solutions for the Australian beef sector, including help...

This week, Ripley Atkinson, Australian Meats & Livestock Manager at StoneX, examines the forces behind the cattle market, unpacking key drivers across parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory, as well as New South Wales. 

Ripley discusses how an impending storm system due this week for large parts of the Northern Territory and Queensland could motivate producer confidence while boosting market activity. He also covers the slump of confidence from New South Wales producers and how slaughter numbers may rebound in Q4 under continued demand from China and South Korea.   

To cap off, Ripley unpacks the price sp...

Pricing pressure is building across livestock markets as dry conditions persist and producer confidence softens.

In this week’s episode Ripley Atkinson, Australian Meats & Livestock Manager at StoneX, unpacks the growing challenges facing restockers, the impact of reduced participation from southern buyers, and what elevated freight costs mean for feeder cattle prices and broader market dynamics.

Listen in for a wide-ranging discussion on the trends shaping the market and the outlook ahead.

This week, Ripley Atkinson provides his views on key drivers influencing the Australian cattle markets – specifically, how weather continues to shape market sentiment.

As weather events continue to influence producer confidence and price direction, Ripley explores the shifts in performance, and what it could mean for months ahead with the changing seasonal conditions.

Ripley caps off with considerations on how Angus feeder prices are performing and identifies potential drivers of why the market in Northern NSW has remained strong – particularly, due to a lack of supply and the China demand effect.

This, and more...

With the recently released key data reports on the beef industry’s second half of 2026, Ripley Atkinson, StoneX Australian Meats & Livestock Manager, dives right into the results from both reports and unpacks what is in store for an undoubtedly exciting remainder of the industry’s year.

Ripley dissects how Q2 saw the highest slaughter results since 1978 at the same time as beef production reaching a staggering record high. While these figures seem remarkable, Ripley highlights that they did not happen by accident and are the result of significant herd growth – the likes of which the industry has observ...

This week, Ripley Atkinson, Australian Meats & Livestock Manager visits the StoneX Kansas City office, visiting Adam Stout and Ben Parks, who run the StoneX U.S. Meats & Livestock desk.

In a wide-ranging discussion on the U.S. market, Adam and Ben provides detailed insights into seasonal conditions, supply - discussing the U.S./Mexican border’s gradual reopening and what it might means for markets moving forwards.

This episode’s key topic revolves around U.S. consumer demand, and where that currently sits from a seasonal perspective, especially on its demand forecast leading into Thanksgiving and...

In this unmissable episode, Ripley Atkinson, StoneX Australian Meats & Livestock Manager, brings exciting forecasts into the outlooks for the beef industry in 2026, with the release of the StoneX H2 2026 Australian Cattle & Beef Market Outlook Report. The market looks to remain grounded with strong domestic market fundamentals, despite colliding with global macro headwinds, and Ripley unpacks it all as he walks us through what it means for the beef supply chain.

We cover key production forecasts, discussing herd size, slaughter, production and exports. Ripley also provides his take on where prices and supply are headed, as well as...

This week, Ripley Atkinson, Australian Meats & Livestock Manager breaks down current market conditions, following updates from our last episode. Ripley discusses the pricing landscape, in particular, how current price levels are operating at Decile 9 and 10. Acknowledging the recent market volatility, Ripley discusses pricing so far in 2026 and how that has caused some wariness from restockers to emerge, especially relating to paying higher prices in an uncertain outlook.

Unpack emerging trends observed by Ripley, supported by both a seasonal lull in supply and of beef processors reducing throughput. Find out what it all means for the local market...

Having been a month since the last market update, this week Ripley Atkinson, Australian Meats & Livestock Manager for StoneX, unpacks the key drivers behind the recent price rally and how it has unfolded across the market.

Ripley discusses the early signs emerging from beef producers’ buying behavior that may point to the beginning of a herd rebuild, while also explaining the structural changes occurring in the northern feeder cattle markets on winter pricing. On the ever-topical Angus side, Ripley points out that the northern NSW Angus feeder cattle have simply changed postcodes with many weaners sold earlier in...

In this episode, Ripley Atkinson, Australian Meats & Livestock Manager at StoneX dives into the April wave of the recently released Beef Producer Intentions Survey (BPIS) reported by Meat & Livestock Australia.

Ripley unpacks all the key details and insights the report provides. Sourced directly from Australian producers, the report acknowledges the influence that the Middle East conflict had on producer confidence as a result of impacts around geopolitics and rising input prices. At a local level, Ripley considers the report’s findings around herd number changes and what this structurally may mean for the beef sector with the re...

A month ago, Ripley Atkinson, Australian Meats & Livestock Manager, suggested that the month of May would be critical to answering critical questions about the markets’ position moving forwards.

Now that May is at its end, this episode dives into all the key details of how the month has unfolded for the industry, and importantly – what the key drivers of this immense rally in cattle prices are at present Ripley unpacks the multiple factors at play – Including weather, southern demand, expansion of the buying capacity and short supply- all congregating at once to influence prices.

With two key datasets from the Australian Bureau of Statistics for slaughter & production and the MLA/ALFA Feedlot Brief released this week, Ripley dives into all the figures in this episode. Articulating what it all means for the beef industry, where we’re heading and how there’s a distinct structural realignment unfolding towards preferences for grainfed cattle in Australia.

Join Ripley as he further elaborates how large numbers of females processed doesn’t necessarily translate into rapid levels of herd liquidation like it used to, whilst sharing a little-known tip on how beef exports are a lead i...

As the beef industry puts the disruptive April month behind it, many questions remain unanswered about market performance domestically and where to next after this latest easing cycle. This week, Ripley Atkinson, StoneX Australian Meats & Livestock Manager, provides his views on those questions. He also breaks down the strength of the year to date beef export results with continued growth year on year in volume.

Additionally, the everpresent price relationship between Angus and flatback feeder cattle is examined, and Ripley shares his views on why he remains bullish for this spread to widen further in winter 2026.

Ripley sits down with Patrick Hutchinson, Director of Gibraltar Strategic Advisory, to discuss the major announcements and situations, on an export level, which have affected the beef industry in 2026.

This includes the China tariff announcement once its safeguard quota limit is hit, the EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement, and tensions in the Middle East. Pat distils how this will influence the beef industry and the role volatility is playing more broadly, having been amplified by these situations.

He also provides his views on risk and volatility within the Australian beef industry and where it can improve...

Returning to markets, Ripley explains the key drivers and themes of the beef industry’s current market easing cycle, with producer emotion, cost of fuel and freight, dry to drought conditions, and higher supply all contributing to pressure markets.

He then considers where Angus feeder cattle prices could reach in the winter of 2026 and what will be the driver of their strong premiums over crossbred cattle. Finally, Ripley breaks down an exceptional March 2026 beef export results and considers what driving factors are behind such a large volume this early in the season.

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This week, Ripley discusses the Brazilian beef industry with Caio Toledo and Victor Novaes – Directors of StoneX Brazil Cattle business

Our trio unpack the dynamic layers of the Brazilian beef industry, exploring rapid shifts in domestic to export market shares, the rise of influence from China and the growth in the Brazilian feedlotting sectors. Ripley then considers the influence of the shift in the Brazilian production system to become more export orientated and what this means for the Australian beef supply chain.

Brazil remains a major export market competitor for Australia, and this episode is pa...

This week, Ripley Atkinson sits down with Ryan Turner, StoneX US Regional Director of Meats & Livestock for a deep dive into the current outlook and market conditions for the US beef industry – and what’s to come for 2026.

Ripley and Ryan unpack critical topics for Australian listeners, which are key to understanding the key forces operating in an increasingly dynamic, volatile global operating environment. This includes crucial insight into where the US cattle cycle currently sits, and whether it indicates a rebuild on the cards, as well as why beef production and cattle supply is diverging so quic...

With two key datasets released last week, Ripley dives into the details for the feedlot sector, the broader beef production, the slaughter performance of 2025 and how the year stacked up.

Across the board, records were broken and new highs were set for many production metrics, showcasing the strength of the industry. Ripley breaks down all the details and what it means for beef supply chain participants; highlighting how important understanding the macro landscape is.

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Cyclical highs in the 2026 cattle cycle are forecasted for Australia’s beef industry, with herd liquidation, 50- year highs in slaughter and an outlook challenged by local and global headwinds. The StoneX H1 2026 Australian Cattle Market Outlook report breaks down real insights in this episode, giving you full details of the year ahead for the Australian beef industry.

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A recently released report by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) on the intentions of Australia’s beef producers indicate elevated levels of positivity, alongside broad intentions to either maintain or increase herd numbers and expectations to sell large volumes of cattle in the first half of 2026. With these sentiments, Ripley dives into MLA’s Beef Producer Intentions Survey (BPIS) results this week and shares his views on what they indicate for the beef industry.

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Kicking off our first episode of the StoneX Australian Cattle Podcast for 2026, we see weaner sales and strong restocker demand underpinned by rain throughout Central Queensland. Plus, a recap of 2025’s performance for live cattle and boxed beef exports are discussed. The new year has started with challenges, following the announcement of a 55% out of quota tariff from China for beef imports. Ripley discusses this and what could be in storefor cattle prices.

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As we cap off 2025, Ripley Atkinson explores the major talking points of this year – , what has influenced the market, and why and where the big numbers have come from. In this episode, supply, demand, price, production, and export performance are all analyzsed and considered – providinggiving a wholistic view on how the year has performed, as well as and some key pointers on what to to watch out for in 2026.

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New data regarding the Australian feedlot industry highlights how the continued growth in capacity and numbers on feed over the past 5 years is translating into record grain-fed turnoff volumes. Ripley delves into topical questions on the size of the cattle herd and differing views on how these come about.

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The subsidiaries of StoneX Group Inc. provide financial products and services, including, but not limited to, physical commodities, securities, clearing, global payments, risk management, asset management, foreign exchange, and exchange-traded and over-the-counter derivatives. These financial products and services are offered i...

Episode Description: “Australian cattle slaughter hits near 50-year highs as beef production records shatter” - that was the latest headline from the ABS slaughter & production data release this week. Yet, a dark cloud may be on the horizon for the beef industry in 2026, as slaughter capacity comes under potential constraints in the face of a large herd. Ripley also discusses how rain continues to breathe life into producer confidence, bringing in a sharp uptick in prices.

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After a dry couple of months, patchy rains across eastern Australia has flipped the mood in cattle markets from cautious to confident. In this episode, we dig into what’s driving the sudden price surge, why feedlot space bookings are vanishing, and how southern regions like SE SA and SW VIC are bouncing back ahead of weaner 2025/26 sales. Plus, we unpack October’s beef export data and what it signals for grainfed kill volumes in the months ahead.

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In less than a month, market sentiment and pricing has shifted quickly, with seasonal conditions and higher supplies weighing on pricing. Meanwhile, increasing price volatility in the second half of this year continues to highlight the inherent risk carried by the cattle market.

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The subsidiaries of StoneX Group Inc. provide financial products and services, including, but not limited to, physical commodities, securities, clearing, global payments, risk management, asset management, foreign exchange, and exchange-traded and over-the-counter derivatives. These financial products and services are offered in accordance with the applicable laws i...

Ripley took the opportunity to sit down with Philip Smith, Chief Executive of StoneX Group Inc., during his trip to our headquarters in Sydney, Australia. Much is discussed and Philip shares his views on what makes StoneX a unique leader in the marketplace, as well as how our ecosystem and product offerings remain second to none.

This is a fantastic episode to understand more about the StoneX business, who we are and what we do.

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A clear delineation in restocker prices between emerging northern and southern markets has coincided with a potential realisation that the southern spring of 2025 isn’t going to deliver as well as it was likely to a month ago. Whilst the flow and movements of cattle from south to north and north to south for store and slaughter cattle respectively is a unique, rare dynamic. What happens if a southern herd rebuild doesn’t eventuate in 2025? This and more, all answered on this week’s podcast.

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A Southern QLD backgrounder and breeder, Tim Clay, General Manager of Dunmore Pastoral, joins us this week, sharing his unique insights & perspective on the market and 2025. Tim discusses how data has influenced his buying decisions this year and the shift that has translated into in terms of profitability, plus how he sees broad positivity in the beef industry for its outlook.

This week, as spring closes in, timely rain and a strong feeder market are sending false signals back to the producer to pay up for restocker cattle. We also look at the substantive influence of the southern feedlots that is forcing the northern markets higher. Plus, we review the key takeaways and details for the first half of 2025 from two key reports for feedlot and processing volumes.

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Ryan Turner, Director of Meats & Livestock (StoneX US), gives a full rundown of how the US market have performed in 2025. We answer all the big questions about the US market and what it all means for the Australian Beef industry. An episode not to miss.

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The subsidiaries of StoneX Group Inc. provide financial products and services, including, but not limited to, physical commodities, securities, clearing, global payments, risk management, asset management, foreign exchange, and exchange-traded and over-the-counter derivatives. These financial products and services are offered in accordance with the a...

Queensland producers, on the back of season-defining March rains, have sold 720,000 head less stock than expected in April for the first half of 2025. Whilst the cow market – driven by intense southern demand – has found another gear, lifting over 45c/kg lwt in this week alone. As producers find themselves in the shadows of Spring and recent rainfall in key supply areas, the market finds itself in an increasingly bullish state of mind. This and much more, analysed and discussed on the StoneX Australian Cattle & Beef Market Report.

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In this episode, Ripley Atkinson unpacks the StoneX H2 2025 Australian Cattle Market Outlook, offering insights into what’s shaping up to be a strong second half of the year for the beef industry.

He covers projected multi-decade highs in slaughter, production, and exports, the drivers behind a rapidly growing national herd, and the strategic opportunity in a southern herd rebuild. On the flip side, he also highlights key risks to watch — including the potential return to dry weather and supply chain pressure — that could influence pricing and profitability.

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Jump into a recap of the standout developments in the Australian cattle market for the first half of 2025. Ripley Atkinson breaks down 10-year high slaughter figures and record setting export volumes, the game-changing impact of late March rains across northern Australia, and the markets’ resilience despite abundant supply. He also explores how these conditions are supportive to broadly sustainable prices across the supply chain and reflects on key global influences, including U.S. tariffs and emerging market demand. Tune in for a comprehensive review of H1 2025 and a preview of what’s to come in the upcoming H2 outlook.

On this week’s podcast, we explore structural shifts in the market towards adjusting feedlot programs, plus the potential shortage of southern processor cow supplies come Spring. Whilst the positivity and optimism to increasing herd numbers - particularly in the north - lift trading numbers are all key takeaways from a recent survey we’re discussing.

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The subsidiaries of StoneX Group Inc. provide financial products and services, including, but not limited to, physical commodities, securities, clearing, global payments, risk management, asset management, foreign exchange, and exchange-traded and over-the-counter derivatives. These...

This week, Cyril Close from TopX Roma shares his views on the healthy state of the cattle market across all categories. Whilst giving a rundown on where seasonal conditions are at for the major beef state of Queensland. Without forgetting to share his love for the beef industry and the people involved.

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The subsidiaries of StoneX Group Inc. provide financial products and services, including, but not limited to, physical commodities, securities, clearing, global payments, risk management, asset management, foreign exchange, and exchange-traded and over-the-counter derivatives. These financial products and s...

Recently released data confirm that the beef sectors slaughter and production volumes continue to grow – pushing 40 year highs in some places. In the markets, southern slaughter cattle numbers continue to flow, limiting the necessity of demand for northern stock – a factor that has surprised the market.

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The subsidiaries of StoneX Group Inc. provide financial products and services, including, but not limited to, physical commodities, securities, clearing, global payments, risk management, asset management, foreign exchange, and exchange-traded and over-the-counter derivatives. These financial products and services are offered in accordance with the a...

What effect will higher supplies have on pricing and why is May unique in terms of its cattle supply? Plus, why does forecasted rain for Southern Australia bring opportunity to producers? These questions and much more answered in this episode of the StoneX Australian Cattle & Beef Market Report. © 2025 StoneX Group Inc. all rights reserved.

The subsidiaries of StoneX Group Inc. provide financial products and services, including, but not limited to, physical commodities, securities, clearing, global payments, risk management, asset management, foreign exchange, and exchange-traded and over-the-counter derivatives. These financial products and services are offered in accordance with t...

Despite short working weeks, plenty has been happening in the markets. This episode dives into what rains could mean for southern Australia, forecast over the next week, as Ripley looks at an interesting dynamic of producers and feedlotters doing the maths on where money can be made in cattle at current prices.

Importantly, Ripley explains his perspective on Angus versus Queensland flatback feeder price relationships and why this winter will be a key one to watch!

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The subsidiaries of StoneX Group Inc. provide financial products and services, i...