Australia-Grain fed cattle.

AUSTRALIA- GRAIN FED BEEF FOR

Japan and south korea.

Marbling is still the main determinant of value in the long-fed industry.

That’s according to those stocking some of the nation’s biggest feedlots.

Malcolm Foster, managing director of the 33,000 head capacity Rangers Valley feedlot at Glen Innes in northern NSW, said marbling was and still is the issue in the quality beef export market.

Mr Foster said Japan Australia’s biggest beef customer by far, and the quality segments of the USA, Korea and Russia, still buy on marbling.

"Marbling is what people look for in quality beef," he said.

Rangers Valley livestock manager Richard Eldershaw said long feeders specified Angus – and there was usually a 15 cent a kilogram margin for long-fed cattle over short-fed.

The feedlot currently has about 22,000 cattle on feed, mostly Angus with some Wagyu cross.

In late January there were many instances of feedlots quoting 190c/kg for 400-450kg for Angus for the long-fed market compared to 165c for heifers and 175c for steers for the short-fed market.

"We just don’t buy anything else, no Euro crosses and not even black baldies as they do not perform to our requirements," Mr Eldershaw said.

"Cattle must marble and if they don’t, we don’t buy from that vendor again.

"However, if that vendor has a good marbling history with us we will investigate the situation and attempt to come up with an explanation and even a solution."

According to Angus Australia, Angus is the dominant breed in the five feedlots operated by JBS Swift Australia with a one time capacity of over 100,000 head.

Parent company JBS SA is the world’s largest beef producer and beef exporter with 64 beef processing plants in five countries with a daily slaughtering capacity of 65,000 cattle. In the US alone, it runs 10 feedlots with a one time capacity of 820,000 head.