With the first quarter of commercial cattle sales wrapped up for the year, AuctionsPlus has released the results. Amid turbulent seasonal conditions and shifting regional confidence, we take a look at which regions were most active in listing and purchasing commercial cattle on the platform.
Source: AuctionsPlus
The first quarter of 2025 had 156,145 head of commercial cattle listed across AuctionsPlus – up 10% from Q4 2024, though down 10% year-on-year. Clearance averaged 73%, slightly softer than Q4’s 77%.
The backdrop to these numbers was variable as Cyclone Alfred impacted large parts of southeast Queensland from late February to early March, while southern Australia experienced its driest summer since 2018–19, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. These conditions all had influence on throughput and purchasing activity.
In Q1 2024, 173,967 head were listed – a jump of more than 53,000 head from the preceding quarter as producers sought to capitalise on improving market sentiment as prices began to lift in response to forecast El Nino conditions fizzling out across much of Eastern Australia.
The Northern Tablelands of NSW was the standout listing region for Q1, jumping five places to take the top spot with 17,244 head listed – a 97% increase from Q4.
This sharp lift likely reflects both local seasonal pressures and market opportunity. Despite a relatively moderate clearance rate of 72%, the region accounted for 11% of all listings.
Southern Queensland remained steady in second place, listing 15,100 head, down only 6% from the previous quarter, while still maintaining a strong 69% clearance rate.
Other notable movements include:
Northwest Slopes & Plains (NSW) rose to third place, up 12% with 14,264 head listed.
Central Western NSW fell four ranks, listing 12,440 head (down 7%), despite maintaining a clearance rate on par with the national average at 72%.
Source: AuctionsPlus
When it comes to purchasing, Southern Queensland once again cemented itself as the top buying region, accounting for 26% of all purchases with 29,456 head secured – a 9% increase on the previous quarter.
The Northwest Slopes & Plains region also stood out on the buyer side, lifting purchases by 43% to 15,675 head, taking up nearly 14% of the total buyer market.
Riverina NSW jumped two spots to rank third, with an increase of 31% from last quarter, purchasing 9,088 head.
Other regional shifts included:
Central Queensland soared four ranks to sixth place, doubling its purchasing volume with a 111% increase from Q4.
Southern Tablelands surged 12 places to crack the top 10, purchasing 2,224 head – an 86% increase – though it still held just under 2% market share.
Central Western NSW scaled back buying activity considerably, with a 26% drop, falling to fifth position.
Source: AuctionsPlus
As we move through the second quarter of 2025, AuctionsPlus is recording some of its highest weekly listing volumes on record. Dry conditions across southern Australia, combined with strong northern demand and favourable prices, have driven this sustained surge in supply.
The first two weeks of May posted the third and fourth largest weekly offerings ever, with volumes around 27,000 head. Only the early weeks of March 2020 experienced higher numbers, when listings reached 30,669 and 28,000 head amid early COVID-19 disruptions.
Price confidence has played a major role in fuelling activity, with the AuctionsPlus Young Cattle Indicator holding firm above 730c/kg dressed weight for the quarter so far — a level that’s provided producers with incentive to list and buyers with enough margin to stay active.
View upcoming cattle auctions here: https://auctionsplus.com.au/commodities/cattle
