Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is a producer-owned company providing marketing and research and development services to over 49,500 cattle, sheep and goat producer members and the broader industry. MLA works in partnership with industry and government to achieve profitable and sustainable cattle, sheep and goat industry.

National cattle yardings decreased 12% this week to 68,049 head. The decrease was significant across NSW (down 22%), SA (down 27%), and WA (down 21%), while the other states remained stable. Producers are holding back cattle supply in the hope that predicted rain in NSW and Queensland comes to fruition over the coming days.

Australia’s cattle slaughter is gathering momentum in 2026, with weekly processing volumes exceeding 158,000 head for the week ending 6 February.

Over the past two years, seasonal conditions have increasingly diverged across Australia. While northern regions have generally benefited from better rainfall, the south has faced tighter feed conditions. NSW, in recent months, has seen a shift in season and a clear change in supply dynamics into markets, particularly in breeding females.

Nick Ruddenklau is the Farm Manager at Epasco Farms, a 14,500ha mixed farming enterprise in Condingup, east of Esperance, WA. He’s also the lead producer in ASHEEP & BEEF’s ‘Optimising age of weaning cattle’ project, a Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) facilitated by Dr Enoch Bergman from Swans Veterinary Services. As the three-year project enters its final season, Nick shares his learnings so far.

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has announced 18 new Producer Demonstration Sites (PDS) projects to commence in 2026. These projects equip beef, sheep and goat producers to test and prove what works on commercial properties – building skills and enabling faster adoption of proven practices across the red meat industry.

Interested in finding out what MLA has upcoming in 2026? Here is your round up of upcoming events and activities.

Producers across eastern Gippsland, Victoria are actively seeking ways to lift the productivity, fertility and long‑term performance of their breeding herds. While most use Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) when selecting bulls, very few commercial beef producers in the region are applying genomic testing to their heifer selection decisions. As a...

This Producer Demonstration Site (PDS), delivered by the Barossa Improved Grazing Group (BIGG), will showcase practical, high‑impact weaning strategies proven to support lamb health and farm profitability in tough seasons. The project will establish three demonstration sites, each trialling different approaches including early weaning, weaning into containment, and targeted pellet...

The BredWell FedWell (BWFW) program is a hands-on, one-day workshop, demonstrating how effective breeding and feeding strategies can improve on-farm productivity, with a particular focus on key profit drivers.