Meat & Livestock Australia: Are beef producers holding out for a price rebound?

New data from Meat & Livestock Australia’s July Beef Producers Intensions Survey (BPIS) showed 46% of Australian cattle producers sold fewer animals than planned, highlighting ongoing challenges facing the livestock industry.

MLA Market Information Analyst Emily Tan said that one of the most common reasons for lower sales was that cattle weren’t ready.

Over 40% of producers said their cattle hadn’t reached sale weight, largely due to tough seasonal conditions – especially in southern regions. Limited pasture availability and rising feed costs also meant many producers were forced to delay sales.

Weather and feed issues weren’t the only contributing factors, the survey found. Anticipation of better market conditions was also given as a reason producers held onto cattle. Approximately 21% chose to delay selling because they believed prices would improve, while another 17% reported that prices at the time weren’t strong enough to justify selling. Meanwhile, 14% of producers had fewer cattle to sell than expected – a flow-on effect of earlier production decisions and seasonal impacts.

The data also showed that while a significant portion sold less, 21% of producers sold more cattle than planned. 33% said the main reason for this was to reduce animal feeding costs over longer periods. 29% were prompted by weather to bring sales forward, while 25% said prices were stronger than expected and 21% needed to generate cash flow. A smaller portion of 12% had more cattle to sell due to higher-than-expected production, particularly those in the northern Australia.

A total of 33% of producers reported their sales matched expectations.

This snapshot reveals the variety of producer experiences in 2025. While some are reacting to short-term seasonal and market pressures, others are making longer-term strategic decisions based on price forecasts and production cycles. The data also highlights the impact of weather and input costs (particularly feed) on national producer behaviour.

As the year progresses, producers’ management of weight gain, market timing and cash flow will remain key to navigating ongoing uncertainty.