Domestic cattle prices have improved markedly year on year in 2025, with demand managing to more than offset historically strong supply and cautious, at best, restocker support across southern Australia. The Eastern Young Cattle Indicator has averaged 762¢/kg for the year to date, an increase of 22% on the 2024 average, and currently 30% above the same week last year. Longer term, the EYCI will finish the year at about 9% above the five year average figure for the same week, and 28% above the 10 year price, but its calendar year average will still sit at about 4% below the five year data.
Most of the national price points tell a very similar story to above, with the main divergence between processor and feeder and restockers on the longer term prices, rather than year on year. Interestingly, despite the current demand dynamics, processor cows and heavy steers calendar year averages were 12% and 8% below the five year figures respectively, while restocker steers and feeder steers came in 6% and 3% above those longer term averages.
A new record has already been set this year for Australian beef export volumes in a calendar year, despite one month of data still to come in. For the year to November, 1.398 million tonnes of beef have headed offshore, a 15% year on year increase, with all four of Australia’s top markets increasing their intake. Again, unsurprisingly, it has been the largest market, the US, driving the volumes, with its historically low herd and slowing slaughter creating a gap not only in their own market, but in those markets to which they also traditionally export beef.
America has imported 17% more Australian beef year on year so far in 2025, despite a 10% reciprocal tariff having been applied for a majority of the year, and the year to date total is 47% more than the five year average for the same period. Imports to China were up 43% year on year, and 35% above the longer term volumes, while total grainfed beef exports out of Australia jumped 19% as sustained new levels of cattle on feed and lotfeeding capacity become the norm in the sector, underpinning supply in variable seasons.