Table: Average steer carcass weights rise 21kg in first half of 2026
The average steer carcass weight increased by 21kg in the first half of 2026 versus the first half of 2025.
In the first half of 2026, the average steer carcass weight was 360kg, up 21kg from 339kg in the first half of 2025.
The average heifer carcass weight increased by 15kg year-on-year, from 302kg in the first half of last year to 317kg in the first half of this year.
The table below compares average carcass weights by category for the first half of 2026 and 2025:
| January to June | Young bull | Bull | Steer | Cow | Heifer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025: | 375kg | 423kg | 339kg | 297kg | 302kg |
| 2026: | 389kg | 431kg | 360kg | 304kg | 317kg |
| Difference: | +14kg | +8kg | +21kg | +7kg | +15kg |
As can be seen from the above table, average carcass weights in the first half of this year have increased in all categories.
This trend can be contributed to a combination of factors.
The heightened focus on genetics and Commercial Beef Value (CBV) will have played a role in increasing the genetic beef merit of the prime cattle kill.
Anecdotal factors, such as the good weather conditions for farming in 2025, will likely also have played a role in better liveweight performance at grass last year.
As well as this, the surging beef prices in 2025 may have also resulted in farmers feeding cattle slightly longer and into higher weights.
The second half of 2026 has seen changes to regular beef finishing trends in several regions of the country as a result of the prolonged dry conditions and subsequent drop in grass growth rates in many areas.
Many farmers have had to put forward beef cattle onto finishing diets earlier than usual.
The impact if any this will have on average carcass weights remains uncertain.
