On The Land
20 December, 2025
$26M in cattle sales for Mareeba
MORE than 34,000 head of cattle accruing a total of $26 million in sales were processed through Mareeba’s saleyards this year.
A smaller than usual yarding of 662 head of cattle were put on offer at the last regular weekly sale day for the year at North Queensland Saleyards in Mareeba on 9 December.
Cattle on offer comprised 46 butchers’ cattle, 359 meatworks cattle and 257 store cattle.
In the 2025 selling season, North Queensland Saleyards yarded a total of 34,308 head comprising Bobby Calves, Bulls, Cows, Cow and Calf, Heifers, Mixed Sex, Stags, Steers, Store Bulls, Store Cows, Store Heifers and Store Steers.
These offerings accrued a total sales revenue of $26 million.
At a subsequent North Queensland Saleyards Annual General Meeting, Giles Atkinson was elected chairman, Margie Atkinson deputy chairman. Elected directors are Margie Atkinson, Colin Hughes, Ken Atikinson and Nicola Collins Fox.
North Queensland Saleyards operations at Mareeba have been a constant venue for Far Northern cattle producers ever since its inception in July 1947, when a group of interested cattlemen and women met at Lucey’s Hotel, Mt Garnet to discuss the possibility of forming a saleyard to market their livestock.
As a result, the Primary Producers Co-Operative was soon formed, under the Chairmanship of Ken J Atkinson Snr. on 2 April 1948, and the company name of North Queensland Saleyards Company Pty Ltd was adopted.
Since then, literally millions of cattle have been sold to various buyers making the facility and their operations a regular top earner for livestock producers throughout the region.
With the 2025 selling season completed, it is perhaps a timely reminder of the significant contribution that local and other Far Northern cattle producers and their industry suppliers make to the local and regional economy.
With ongoing increases in cattle slaughter and high carcass weights, Australia’s 2025 beef production is set to break new ground with record volumes, according to a new report by agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank.
Beef exports though are also up for the year – and will potentially also reach record levels – well and truly accommodating the increased supply.
In its Q4 2025 Global Beef Quarterly, the bank’s RaboResearch division estimates 2025 Australian production will be approximately 2.9 million metric tonnes, an 11% increase on 2024 volumes and a new record.
Along with increasing production, beef exports have also increased, up 15% for the first 10 months of 2025 to 1.3 million metric tonnes shipped weight.
Report lead author, RaboResearch senior animal proteins analyst Angus Gidley-Baird said the United States remained the largest market, accounting for 29% of Australian beef exports.
Mr Gidley-Baird said seasonal conditions were the key current driver of the Australian cattle market.
“With no strong underlying rebuilding or liquidation of the herd, producers buying and selling appetite is heavily influenced by seasonal conditions,” he said.
“After drier conditions affected cattle-producing areas through September and into October, cattle prices eased throughout October.
“With a relatively balanced cattle market, Australia’s cattle prices are heavily contingent on seasonal conditions and producer sentiment.
“More favourable rainfall in late October saw prices lift again. This trend is expected to continue through to the end of 2025 and into 2026.
“While the majority (96%) of exports to the United States are grassfed beef and largely lean trimmings, grain fed beef exports to the US have increased 20% for the first 10 months of 2025 to 14,000 metric tonnes.”
Mr Gidley-Baird said volumes to China had lifted substantially (up 44%) for the first 10 months of 2025 with a strong increase in grain fed beef exports to China, up 58%.
“This is most likely supported by reduced volumes of US beef being exported to China,” he said.
