AFTER a year of record-breaking prices extending beyond predictions, the cattle market has started to recede, with processors dropping grids and the saleyards softening.
The benchmark Eastern Young Cattle Indicator has this week dropped to 977c/kg carcase weight after going well above 1,100c in January – mostly coming off the boil in the past month. Prices are still well above this time last year, but they are on a different trajectory to the key input costs of fuel, fertiliser and electricity.