THERE’S major bragging rights – plus great prizes – at stake for the winner of Beef Central’s 2026 Eastern Young Cattle Indicator guessing competition, asking readers to predict where the EYCI will sit by the end of the year.

Last year’s competition attracted hundreds of reader entries, via Beef Central’s reader comment facility at the base of this page, or via email.

Participants are asked to predict the EYCI’s level at the close of business on Tuesday 8 December, 2026.

Young cattle prices have shown considerable volatility over the past two years, and 2026 is shaping up to be no different. There are plenty of influences in play again this year that could impact young cattle values.

For those in the ‘glass half-full’ camp, there’s the impact of better seasonal conditions heading into autumn in some areas, and the potential void left in export markets as US beef production continues to struggle.

For those ‘glass half-empty’ thinkers, there’s impacts like China’s 55pc tariffs on Australian beef exports, expected to trigger by around May, cost-of-living headwinds for consumers, and growing export competition out of Brazil.

Last year’s competition attracted hundreds of entries from across Australia, with the winner being Merriwa (NSW) cattle producer David Alker, whose prediction of 865c/kg (carcase weight equivalent) was just 2.36c away from the designated final EYCI figure of 863.14.

S.Kidman Australia clothing and apparel

There’s some great prizes up for grabs again for the winner and runner-up this year, totalling around $1200:

For the winner, a $1000 voucher with high quality Australian country wear manufacturer S. Kidman Australia.

While S. Kidman will always be linked to its cattle empire roots, the company is evolving. S. Kidman last year expanded into a new frontier – a premium, heritage-inspired clothing and footwear range that captures the essence of the outback. It’s a celebration of Australia’s traditions, its landscapes, and the hardworking fantastic Australians who make it what it is.

S. Kidman produces a wide range of high quality boots, hats, chinos and pants, shirts, caps, accessories, plus oilskin jackets, vests and coats via Driza-Bone.

Click here to learn more about the colourful history of the S. Kidman company and its stylish, well-made clothing and apparel brand.

For this year’s runner-up goes a bottle of Penfolds 389 Shiraz (the poor man’s Grange).

 

How to participate

To join Beef Central’s EYCI guessing competition, simply register your prediction using the reader comment facility at the base of this page. We ask that entries include a number with at least one decimal point, to help separate similar entries (NLRS reports the EYCI indicator to two decimal places – ie today’s figure is is 854.14c/kg dressed weight equivalent). Full names required for entries, please.

We’re asking for your prediction of EYCI’s value at the close of business on Tuesday, 8 December, 2026. Feel free to add a sentence or two if you want, giving your reasoning.

Entries close midnight – Thursday 19 March. Winners will be announced on Wednesday 9 December, based on the closing EYCI figure the day before.

Good luck!