Weekly cattle and sheep market wrap

18 Sept 2026

Key points

Dry conditions across eastern Queensland weighed on cattle prices, with softer results recorded at Roma and Dalby.
National cattle yardings rose 4% week-on-week to 72,529 head as most cattle indicators eased.
Sheep indicators softened across larger yardings, although the Restocker Lamb Indicator remained stable.

Deteriorating conditions across eastern Queensland weighed on cattle markets this week as sheep indicators also dropped across a larger yarding.

Cattle market

The national cattle yarding lifted 4% week-on-week (WoW) to 72,529 head. The increased yarding was entirely driven by Victoria, which lifted 66% on last week’s yarding. All other states declined up to 10% in WA and 5% in Queensland.

While the Restocker Yearling Steer Indicator remained stable, all other market indicators eased over the week from 0.3% for the Feeder Steer Indicator to 7% for the Restocker Yearling Heifer Indicator.

Both Roma and Dalby saleyards noted dry and deteriorating conditions in the local supply areas, which reduced prices in those markets. Despite the easing conditions, a range of buyers remained active (including southern restockers who helped maintain a price floor).

The National Young Cattle Indicator (NYCI) dropped 4% over the week to 510¢/kg carcase weight (cwt) across an offering of 25,839 head. NSW recorded the sharpest decline down 5.8% to 538¢/kg liveweight (lwt). Victoria was the only state to lift in price, up 2% to 519¢/kg lwt.

The Feeder Heifer Indicator dropped 2% over the week to 465¢/kg liveweight (lwt) across an offering of 6,600 head. Southern yards made stronger returns with Forbes, Wagga Wagga, Leongatha, Tamworth, Scone and Carcoar all recording over 500¢/kg lwt.

Queensland yards averaged 422¢/kg lwt.

Sheep market

The national lamb yarding lifted 7% WoW to 165,952 head, while the national sheep yarding remained stable (-0.4%) to 58,912 head.

The Restocker Lamb Indicator lifted 1%, but all other lamb indicators recorded notable declines ranging from 4% for the Heavy Lamb Indicator to 7% for the Merino Lamb Indicator.

New season lamb market signals were mixed this week. Wagga Wagga agents noted exceptional quality across an offering of 24,450 head. Forbes reported softer competition and lower prices for new-season lambs.

Bendigo and Ballarat markets also recorded softer prices for new season lambs across a fairer quality offering.

The Restocker Lamb Indicator remained stable at 1,179¢/kg cwt across an offering of 20,224 head. The Wagga Wagga yarding added significantly to the contribution to make up 37% of the total national yarding and averaged 1,166¢/kg cwt.

The best price came from Yass and made 1,369 ¢/kg cwt.

Slaughter

Week ending 18 September 2026

Cattle

National cattle slaughter remained stable (up 0.3%) WoW to 144,117 head.

State-by-state cattle slaughter (YoY):

NSW: down 2% to 32,064 head
Queensland: up 2% to 77,276 head
SA: down 1% to 3,845 head
Tasmania: down 5% to 3,856 head
Victoria: down 6% to 23,295 head
WA: up 3% to 3,866 head.

Sheep

National lamb slaughter lifted 0.6% WoW to 362,538 head, while mutton slaughter lifted 3.6% to 100,901 head.

State-by-state lamb slaughter (YoY):

NSW: up 4% to 106,373 head
Queensland: down 22% to 1,052 head
SA: down 12% to 35,701 head
Tasmania: up 49% to 8,073 head
Victoria: up 2% to 162,341 head
WA: up 35% to 48,998 head.

Attribute content to: Alex Fry, MLA Market Information Analyst

Information is correct at time of publication on 18 September 2026

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