Australian livestock trends show rising cattle sales and falling sheep transactions

According to the latest Saleyard Survey from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), Australian cattle sales increased by 7.4 per cent during the 2025-26 period, while sheep transactions experienced an 11.6 per cent decline. The survey, conducted by the National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS), recorded over 5.18 million cattle and 14.5 million sheep transactions for the year ending June 30, 2026.

Cattle transaction growth was driven primarily by New South Wales and Queensland, which saw increases of 19.8 per cent and 21.6 per cent, respectively. Notable increases occurred at the Dubbo Regional Livestock Market and Tamworth Regional Livestock Exchange. However, cattle transactions fell in Victoria, Western Australia, and South Australia.

Sheep volumes declined across most states, with New South Wales remaining the largest market despite a 6.5 per cent drop. Victoria saw the largest proportional decline in sheep transactions, falling by 25.3 per cent.