Q2 Feedlot & Slaughter Reports: 50-Year Slaughter Records as NSW & QLD Dominate Feedlotting Figures

With the recently released key data reports on the beef industry’s second half of 2026, Ripley Atkinson, StoneX Australian Meats & Livestock Manager, dives right into the results from both reports and unpacks what is in store for an undoubtedly exciting remainder of the industry’s year. Ripley dissects how Q2 saw the highest slaughter results since 1978 at the same time as beef production reaching a staggering record high. While these figures seem remarkable, Ripley highlights that they did not happen by accident and are the result of significant herd growth – the likes of which the industry has observed since 2022 and crucially, the expansion in capacity made by lot feeders and processors to accommodate larger cattle supply. With lot feeding, Ripley also highlights that the continued expansion of feedlots in Australia can be attributed to NSW & QLD; the two major states. Importantly, he recognises that signals from the processing sector for more consistent cattle supply, made possible by lot feeding, is a continual motivator in encouraging overall expansion. Finally, Ripley considers key themes and sector considerations to watch as we strap in for the rest of 2026.