Australia-Drop in cattle numbers.

AUSTRALIA-CATTLE NUMBERS DOWN IN THE SOUTH.

Saleyards and meat processors are worried about the amount of cattle that are left in northern Victoria.

Years of drought, low irrigation water allocations and high input costs have made farmers de-stock or stop beef farming.

Nicole Varley, from the National Livestock Reporting Service, says the amount of cattle still in paddocks is a mystery.

"I mean, everyone’s been unsure of how many animals are out there still," she says.

"How many young cattle or trade cattle or grown steers is going to be the deciding factor as to how the supply and demand chain is going to go."