Almost 1050 cattle were sold at Lismore on Tuesday,a massive increase from the average 300,and almost 3500 were sold at Casino,predominantly for the export market,on Friday.
An outbreak ofAfrican swine fever in China,where almost 200 million domestic pigs will be slaughtered by the end of the year,is driving huge demand for Australian beef and lamb as an alternative protein.
A growing middle class and free-trade deal with Beijing has led to the Asian powerhouse becoming Australian beef producers'second biggest market and is rapidly closing in on Japan.
About 70 per cent of cattle sold though saleyards have been purchased by processors in 2019,predominantly destined for Asian and United States markets,with global demand driving average prices to the highest domestically for three years.
Bindaree Beef's John McDonald,among the buyers at Lismore on Tuesday,said he'd"never seen the market hotter".
"Considering what the region is going through with the drought,the fires,the demand out of Asia is a lifesaver for a lot of cattle producers right now,"Mr McDonald said.