Australia’s Meat and Livestock Association’s (MLA) cattle industry projections for 2012, released on 23 January 2012, provide a comprehensive outlook on the Australian cattle industry, including national herd, cattle and beef supply, and export numbers. Projections for 2012: Continued strong demand from a diverse range of global markets combined with favourable seasons will drive an expansion in Australian meat production and exports Australian beef and veal production is forecast to reach a... ...Read more »

Total Australian beef and veal production for 2012 is forecast to reach a record 2.197 million tonnes, according to Meat & Livestock Australia. According to Meat & Livestock Australia’s Chief Economist Tim McRae, the predicted 2.2 per cent increase from 2010’s production volume is a result of continued strong demand from an increasingly diverse range of global markets. Total beef exports are predicted to increase, driven by expansion into Russia, the Middle East and most southern Asian... ...Read more »

Australian scientists say they have identified new genetic markers that will allow Australian producers to increase the lean meat yield and productivity of their sheep. The research, undertaken by the Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation (Sheep CRC) in conjunction with Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), will provide sheep breeders with the ability to use DNA testing early in an animal’s life to identify a wide range of traits, including meat quality. The Sheep CRC research,... ...Read more »

Federal agriculture minister Joe Ludwig last night announced the resumption of the live export of cattle to Indonesia, which was suspended a month ago after a graphic broadcast by ABC’s Four Corners showed ill-treatment of Australian cattle in Indonesian abbatoirs. Senator Ludwig said that cattle exporters could now apply for export permits, provided they use the individual cattle tracking system. The decision came after cattle destined for live export were left in limbo throughout Australia’s... ...Read more »

Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, today announced that the Government has suspended the export of live cattle to Indonesia “until new safeguards are established for the trade”. The move has been welcomed by animal welfare groups RSPCA and Animals Australia, whose investigation of cattle treatment in Indonesian abbatoirs led to a shocking report by ABC TV’s Four Corners, sparking nationwide outrage at the treatment of Australian cattle. The... ...Read more »

Australia’s leading advocate of lamb, Sam Kekovich, has received supported from one of the world’s most famous businessman as he takes the Australian lamb message global. Now in its sixth year, the Australia Day lamb campaign has seen Kekovich head overseas as he seeks to persuade the United Nations to declare 26 January ‘International Australia Day’. Braving far from idyllic barbecue conditions in New York on Monday 11 January, Sam fronted up to the UN headquarters to deliver... ...Read more »

Red meat meals make up half the nation’s top 10 dishes, according to a report launched by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) – and cooking from scratch is becoming a more regular occurrence. The report, titled Last night’s Dinner, provides an in-depth understanding of Australians’ food preferences and main meal practices. On top of showing the leading dishes it also shows that Australians are taking the time to cook healthy and nutritious meals from scratch with fresh ingredients,... ...Read more »

The Australian beef industry is likely to have weathered the worst of the turbulent trading conditions arising from the global economic and financial crises, with early signals that beef demand is now more resilient – according to Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) 2009 Cattle Industry Projections – Mid Year Update. Domestic and global beef demand was more severely impacted by the economic turmoil over the first half of this year than anticipated, but MLA believes the signs... ...Read more »

Japan is proving to be a safe haven for Australian beef exports, with the volume of red meat being sent to that market holding firm amid the current global financial turmoil.Beef exports to Australia’s biggest beef export market remain at similar levels to those of a year ago, before the financial crisis hit. Year to date exports of Australian beef to Japan have totalled 305,774 tonnes, down just three percent compared to 314,493 tonnes exported in the same period last year. Meat & Livestock... ...Read more »

The unique Halal brand that was developed last year by Meat & Livestock Australia for use in the Middle East red meat market has now gone global.The brand, which supports the majority of Australian-produced Halal red meat sold in the Middle East, is now set to appear with Australian red meat sold in Islamic countries around the world. MLA’s Middle East regional manager, Ian Ross said the global expansion of the Halal brand is an important step towards expanding markets for Australian red... ...Read more »