MLA launched the National Feeder Heifer Indicator (NFHI) and the Online Sheep Indicator (OSI) this week.
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has this week unveiled two new livestock market indicators: the National Feeder Heifer Indicator (NFHI) and the Online Sheep Indicator (OSI), marking a significant step forward in livestock market transparency and decision-making support.
These indicators are the latest refinement of MLA’s National Livestock Reporting System (NLRS), which already covers more than 50 physical saleyard markets and produces 18 price indicators.
The NFHI and OSI are designed to provide producers, processors, and stakeholders with more targeted, real-time insights into two critical market segments.
The launch reflects MLA’s commitment to delivering practical tools that help producers make informed decisions.
According to MLA Managing Director Michael Crowley, “These indicators are a direct response to industry demand for more granular and accessible market data,” Mr Crowley said.
“The NFHI is the first of its kind, offering a dedicated lens into the feeder heifer market, an area previously underrepresented in national reporting.”
“The NFHI will be an important decisionmaking tool for both producers and buyers as in combination with the existing National Feeder Steer Indicator (NFSI), they now have a complete picture of the entire feeder market,” Mr Crowley said.
The OSI is MLA’s first indicator based on online sales data for restocker and breeder sheep. It tracks price and head count trends over 12 months, with breakdowns by breed and filters by state, region, and category.
“The indicator will be useful for tracking value and price during cycles of flock rebuilding,” Mr Crowley said.
View the new indicators here: www.mla.com.au/prices-markets/cattle/feederheifer and www.mla.com.au/prices-markets/sheep/onlinesheep