# Rain puts the brakes on cattle supply as prices surge - Episode 3

> Widespread October rainfall restricted cattle availability in northern Australia, with Queensland’s cattle yarding index falling from 85% in September to 29% in October and its slaughter index declining from 46% to 34%. Yarding and slaughter activity increased in several southern states, while stronger competition from restockers and feedlots accompanied sharply firmer cattle prices.

- Date: 2026-11-08 · published 2026-11-09T09:07:59.930Z
- Category: weather · region Australia · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/89108-rain-puts-the-brakes-on-cattle-supply-as-prices-surge-episode-3
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Rain-related disruption to cattle movements and lower availability in Queensland constrain near-term marketings, while restocker and feedlot demand adds competition for animals. These conditions support Australian cattle prices, though supply and activity varied by state.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2025-10-30 | [The source of high cattle and beef prices](https://feedsoft.ai/events/22522-the-source-of-high-cattle-and-beef-prices.md) | -3.8% | -8.7% |
| LCATTLE | 2023-05-29 | [Feeder Cattle Prices Supported by Tight Supplies and Excellent Demand](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5225-feeder-cattle-prices-supported-by-tight-supplies-and-excellent-demand.md) | +3.5% | +5.8% |
| LCATTLE | 2021-08-20 | [Cattle Prices Pt 1 - AG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WEST](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10057-cattle-prices-pt-1-ag-information-network-of-the-west.md) | +0.8% | +0.7% |
| LCATTLE | 2023-08-27 | [Live cattle gain as heat impacts producers - CME
						 \| The Beef Site](https://feedsoft.ai/events/34714-live-cattle-gain-as-heat-impacts-producers-cme-the-beef-site.md) | -0.8% | +1.5% |
| LCATTLE | 2022-11-13 | [All Drought, No Cattle: Low herd supply may drive record-high prices next year](https://feedsoft.ai/events/38615-all-drought-no-cattle-low-herd-supply-may-drive-record-high-prices-next-year.md) | +0.8% | +2.2% |
| FCATTLE | 2025-10-30 | [The source of high cattle and beef prices](https://feedsoft.ai/events/22522-the-source-of-high-cattle-and-beef-prices.md) | -6.4% | -9.4% |
| FCATTLE | 2020-02-14 | [Feeder cattle prices explode, as the restocker/lotfeeder challenge builds - Beef Central](https://feedsoft.ai/events/54724-feeder-cattle-prices-explode-as-the-restocker-lotfeeder-challenge-builds-beef.md) | +2.8% | -17.1% |
| FCATTLE | 2026-10-26 | [Feeder cattle market: Gridlock as prices surge to “anyone’s guess” - Beef Central](https://feedsoft.ai/events/587-feeder-cattle-market-gridlock-as-prices-surge-to-anyone-s-guess-beef-central.md) | -3.5% | — |

## Sources

- episode3.net: https://episode3.net/livestock/rain-puts-the-brakes-on-cattle-supply-as-prices-surge/

---
Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.