Coleman Stock Feeds

2026 is shaping up as one of the biggest years on record for the Australian cattle industry. Slaughter is forecast at 9.45 million head — the highest in nearly five decades — beef exports are tracking towards 2.3 million tonnes, and prices are holding firm against a backdrop of heavy supply. For North Queensland and Northern Territory producers, the headline numbers are positive. But the margin you actually keep depends on what you spend to get cattle to market. With freight costs roughly double what they were four years ago, where you buy your feed has become a genuine business decision — not just a habit. This article looks at where the cattle market sits right now, where it's likely heading, and why locally-manufactured stock feed has quietly become one of the easiest ways to protect your margins in 2026. Where the 2026 Market Sits Meat & Livestock Australia's first 2026 cattle projections paint a strong picture. The national herd is expected to remain stable around 30 million head through 2027, before easing to 28.5 million by 2028 as elevated slaughter gradually reduces the breeding pool. Key numbers for 2026: 9.45 million head forecast for slaughter — the highest level in almost five decades 2.3 million tonnes of beef exports projected, a record Beef production expected to exceed 2.9 million tonnes Female slaughter ratio at 53%, well above the 47% historical "tipping point" — but driven by global demand for grass-fed beef rather than herd liquidation in the north National Young Cattle Indicator forecast to lift around 3% to 475c/kg liveweight by mid-year The northern story is particularly strong. Booming northern cattle numbers are balancing drought-driven contraction in southern Australia, and recent flooding across northern Queensland has — somewhat counter-intuitively — been positive overall, with limited livestock losses and improved pasture growth supporting herd condition. Why Demand Is Holding Up The single biggest driver of the firm price environment is global demand, particularly from the United States. The US herd is at multi-decade lows and rebuilding slowly, which has pushed American buyers heavily into Australian beef. China's import demand has also surged year-on-year as it diversifies away from US supply. Around 75% of Australian beef is now exported, and despite the 10% tariff on US-bound product, demand from that market remains exceptionally strong. The 30-month high in cattle prices through 2025 was driven primarily by export demand, not domestic factors — and the export outlook for 2026 remains broadly positive. That said, there are genuine risks to watch: China's WTO safeguard tariffs may begin to bite mid-year and slow Australian exports to that market Brazilian export competition is intensifying, particularly into the US Below-average rainfall is forecast for parts of eastern Australia from May to July Volatility has been pronounced — up to 60c/kg movements overnight on some indicators The combination of strong supply and strong demand means prices will likely remain firm, but margins will be tighter than 2025 — and that's where input costs come into focus. The Freight Problem Here's the number that doesn't get talked about enough: livestock freight costs have roughly doubled in the past four years. Industry operators are now paying around $10 per 100 kilometres, and that's a structural shift, not a temporary spike. For producers buying stock feed, that's a major cost line — and one that gets bigger the further you are from southern feed manufacturers. A typical example: a load of stock feed manufactured in Toowoomba or Northern NSW being trucked to a station near Charters Towers covers roughly 1,200–1,500 kilometres. At today's freight rates, that's $120–$150 per 100km, applied to every tonne on the truck. Stretch that to the Gulf or western NT, and freight starts to dominate the landed cost of the feed itself. For producers in the Charters Towers region, the Burdekin, the Gulf, the Atherton Tablelands, and stations across the NT, locally-manufactured feed isn't just a matter of supporting a regional business — it's a measurable cost saving on every tonne ordered. Where the Margins Are in 2026 With cattle prices firm but production costs rising, 2026 is a year where the producers who manage their input costs carefully will outperform the ones who don't. A few areas where feed strategy directly affects margins: Weaner weights. Heavier, healthier weaners attract premium prices — and the difference between a well-supplemented weaning program and a poorly-supplemented one can be 20–40kg per head at sale. Specialist weaner feeds and Weaner+P mixes are some of the highest-return inputs available. Breeder reconception. Lactating breeders that drop too much condition through the dry won't cycle and reconceive when the wet returns. That's a calf lost from next year's drop — direct revenue gone. Wet season phosphorus and dry season urea programs protect breeder fertility. Finishing weight gain. Performance paddock mixes and custom feedlot rations let you push cattle to target weights faster, capturing the firm price environment before the market shifts. Tight feed conversion ratios matter more in a high-cost-of-input year. Avoiding forced selling. Properties that go into the dry without a feed plan often face forced sales in late dry as condition slips. Forced sellers are price takers, not price makers. A well-planned supplementation program lets you choose your sale window. Buy Local, Mix Custom The two practical levers North Queensland producers can pull on feed costs in 2026 are: Buy local. Manufactured locally means no long-haul freight, fresher product, faster turnaround on custom orders, and direct access to nutrition staff for advice. Mix custom. Generic feeds designed for "average" northern country leave performance on the table. A custom-mixed feed designed for your soil type, pasture, stock class, and management calendar consistently outperforms off-the-shelf alternatives — at the same or lower cost per tonne. Coleman Stock Feeds has been manufacturing custom stock feeds in Charters Towers since 1986. Every block, lick, weaner mix, and feedlot ration is made on-site at our factory — no middlemen, no long-haul freight, and no formulations designed for someone else's country. Talk to Us About Your 2026 Feed Plan We're family-owned, locally-operated, and we're cattle producers ourselves. We know what works on northern country, and we'll work with you to design a feed program that suits your property, your stock, and the 2026 market environment. Call us on (07) 4787 3833 for a custom feed quote, nutritional advice, or to lock in your dry season and weaning orders. View Our Products | Contact Us Coleman Stock Feeds is a family-owned and operated stock feed manufacturer based in Charters Towers, North Queensland. We manufacture custom-mixed lick blocks, loose licks, weaner feeds, and performance paddock mixes for cattle, horses, poultry and small livestock across Queensland and the Northern Territory. Sources: Meat & Livestock Australia 2026 Cattle Projections; ABARES 2026 Outlook; ANZ Agri InFocus Commodity Insights; North Queensland Register; Queensland Country Life.