FAQs

What is the interactive market information tool?

This can be accessed as an extension of the myMLA dashboard or via the Prices & Markets section of the MLA website.

The system is intuitive, user friendly and designed to help producers make informed business decisions based on the delivery and interpretation of a significant amount of market information, data and analysis.

As a first for the red meat industry, businesses will have the ability to compare in-depth market information and data relevant to their individual requirements. You can search, chart and compare by weight, saleyard location and time, viewing historical analysis going back three years. This data can be downloaded into excel or PDF formats.

You can also listen to up-to-date audio reports from individual saleyards, recorded on location by MLA’s specialist team of Livestock Market Officers.

Can I still access market information PDF market reports?          

Yes, the full PDF sale reports are still available and can be found here.

How do I subscribe to Market Information reports?

You can receive all Market Information reports directly to your inbox. Sign up here.

Why isn’t there information for every saleyard across Australia?

MLA currently collects data and reports from over 60 sheep and cattle sales on a weekly basis. Each year the markets reported are reviewed and adjusted according to throughput, to ensure major regional selling centres in each state are captured. If your closest saleyard is not available, MLA suggests monitoring the next closest to you, or one of the state specific indicators.

Can I find historical reports?     

Visit the dynamic reports section of Prices and Markets and choose the saleyards and type/category of stock, select price trends over time (ranging from 3 months to 3 years) and view the specific data. For prices, hover your cursor over the chart, and for the corresponding historical commentary click ‘excel’ to download a spreadsheet that contains all the required information.  If you require a specific report from a specific date, for example a stock squad investigation, please use the green "Quick Search" box at the bottom of PDF market reports page.

I want to see paddock sales to feeders or direct to feed trends?                    

The feeder indicator section is the collection of paddock sale indicators to feedlots. MLA also collects AuctionsPlus data.

Where is the statistics database link?

Visit the statistics database here.

How is the new interactive market information tool different to the market statistics database?

This tool allows you to interact more freely with the individual saleyard data and key indicators for up to a three year period. The market statistics database still houses key livestock indicators and export, retail and herd/flock information and allows you to dive deeper into the data – beyond three years.

I want to be able to see the prices in $/head (or ¢/kg lwt, ¢/kg cwt or number of head), how do I do this?

‘View as’ is an option on the right hand side above the graphs for viewing price data in ¢/kg lwt, ¢/kg cwt and $/head for cattle and ¢/kg cwt and $/head for sheep. You can also select the number of head 'head no.' to see how many cattle are contributing to the prices you are monitoring or the number of cattle/sheep that fall into that category.

How do I deselect a state/saleyard/category etc in the prices and market reports section?

The selections you make will show in grey. If you wish to change one or deselect one (such as state), simply click on it again so it returns to white.

I want to download data for a category (e.g. yearling steers) through a saleyard, how do I find that?

Visit Market Reports and Prices and select the saleyard and category. Once you have found the specifications of interest, click on ‘export as excel’ in the bottom right hand corner.

What does OTH, lwt and cwt mean?                      

• Over-the-hooks (OTH) refers to a producer selling directly to a processor on a ¢/kg cwt basis on delivery. It is also referred to as direct-to-works, direct-to-slaughter etc.
• Lwt refers to an animal's live weight.
• Cwt refers to carcase weight and is not to be confused with hundredweight. Carcase weight is the weight of an animal’s carcase (meat and bone) when the offal, hide and hooves have been removed. In the Australian system, producers typically get paid a ¢/kg cwt price when selling to an abattoir. To calculate what an animal’s cwt is, you multiply the lwt by the dressing percentage. Dressing percentage refers to the percentage of the live weight that is cwt. The usual range in dressing percentage is 38-60% depending on the condition, sex, breed of animal.

Other useful acronyms:

Is MLA’s wide range of market information publications still available?

The following publications can be accessed:

LiveLink – a monthly summary of live export including number of head, prices, destination and state export from – historical data is available in the Market Information database.

Cattle Projections – forecasts on market influences, herd numbers, exports and production.

Sheep Projections – forecasts market influences, flock numbers, exports and production.

North of the Tropic beef report – Northern Australian prices and numbers, live export, saleyard and slaughter – historical data is available in the Market Information database.

Lotfeeding brief – snapshot of the lotfeeding industry, including number on feed and influences on the lot feeding industry – historical data is available in the Market Statistics Database.

Co-product reports – offal and co-product exports, prices and demand factors – historical data is available in the Market Statistics Database.

Red meat market snapshots – provides statistics and insights on Australian red meat export destinations, including population, consumer behaviour, exports, in-market trends, competitors and  cooking styles.

Meat and Livestock Weekly Stats – statistical summary which encompasses the domestic market, including saleyard prices, over-the-hook prices, feeder and live export quotes as well as co-products, slaughter and throughput information across the cattle and sheep markets.

Industry Fast Facts – includes herd facts and figures, employment, production, value, domestic value and consumption, export value and volume and Australia’s place in the world for sheep, goats and beef.

Red Meat Research Reports - these reports provide detailed insights into topical industry trends, including analysis of the prospects for Australian beef in Korea, the influences driving the unique position of sheepmeat in global protein consumption and the history of cattle and sheep prices (in real terms).

Livestock distribution maps – shows the distribution of the cattle herd and sheep flock across the Natural Resource Management regions and includes special maps like the cattle population affected by blue tongue virus.

Further Information:

Market indicator specifications and frequency

List of markets reported by Market Information

How to read an NLRS cattle market report

Assessing cattle - livestock descriptions

How to read an NLRS sheep and lamb market report

Assessing sheep and lambs - livestock descriptions

How to read the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator daily summary report

Glossary