The Australian grainfed beef industry has gone within a whisker of topping 1.5 million head on feed for the first time, informed Beef Central.
The official number at the end of March was 1,497,325 head, setting a new industry record, and continuing a sharp progression that started back in December 2023, with new records set in most quarters since then.
The latest cattle on feed figure is a massive 142,000 head higher than this time last year, and 47,000 higher than December. The likelihood of a new record COF figure being set was flagged when April monthly beef export data showed grainfed exports at an all-time high of 37,038t.
Industry feeding capacity has continued to surge, mostly through expansions at existing feedyards, but also some new sites being established.
Also helping post the new COF record was higher utilization of available pen space, hitting 90.3pc in the March quarter, up from 87.5pc in the December quarter.
