Australian barley use to rise on cattle feed demand Feedlot expansion, US beef demand drive growth27 August 2025 27 August 2025 1 minute read 1 minute read By: By: Global Ag Media OceaniaFAS/Canberra forecasts barley consumption in marketing year (MY) 2025/26 at 6.1 million metric tons (MMT), up 100,000 tons from the MY 2024/25 estimate, according to a recent USDA FAS market report. While malting barley use remains steady, fluctuations in total consumption are mainly driven by livestock feed demand. The beef cattle feedlot industry, along with the dairy sector, is a major consumer of feed barley. The forecast increase for 2025/26 is tied to continued growth in the feedlot industry, supported by strong US demand for Australian beef, particularly high-quality grain-fed cuts. But the primary driver has been feedlot expansion linked to strong US beef import demand.