If you sell cattle in Australia today, you’ve got more options than just loading a truck and heading to the yards. Online farm marketplaces now give you access to buyers across the country, more selling flexibility, and better price transparency, provided you pick the right platform and present your stock well.
This guide runs through the main ways Australian producers are selling cattle online, what each marketplace does best, and where LocalAg fits as a simple, secure option for farm-to-farm trading.
What to look for in a cattle marketplace
Before choosing a platform, it helps to be clear on what matters to your business:
- Reach and buyer quality – Are you reaching serious cattle buyers (feedlots, backgrounders, breeders) or mostly casual browsers?
- Trust and verification – Are buyers and sellers verified? Are animals assessed, and who’s responsible if a deal goes wrong?
- Selling method – Do you prefer auction, classified listing, or direct negotiation?
- Payment and settlement – Is there a secure payment system (escrow, licensed agent trust account), or are you chasing EFTs and screenshots?
- Fees and time cost – Listing fees, success fees, agent commission, your own time on the phone.
- Support – Tech support, help with listings, and people you can ring if something’s not right.
Keep those in mind as we go through the main options.
1. LocalAg – simple, secure farm-to-farm trading
Best for: Producers who want to deal directly with other farmers, keep control of the deal, and get paid securely without leaving the paddock.
What it is
LocalAg is an Australian agricultural marketplace and app, built specifically for farmers by Feed Central’s team. The platform focuses on secure, relationship-driven trades across categories like hay, grain, machinery and livestock, including cattle.
From the current landing page and stats:
- 2,000+ verified users on the app.
- Over $20 million in trades completed.
- More than 600 successful sales, backed by an escrow-style payment system where funds are held securely until both sides are happy.
Why it works well for cattle
- Verified users, ag-only audience
Everyone on LocalAg is there for agriculture, not second-hand couches. Verified accounts help cut down tyre-kickers and scams, and you’re usually dealing with other producers, agents or agribusinesses.
- Secure payments with escrow
LocalAg’s payment system holds funds until the cattle are picked up and both parties confirm the deal, which reduces the risk of bounced payments or disputes.
- List from the paddock
The app is designed so you can snap photos on your phone, add weights, ages, NLIS details and any vendor declarations, then publish the listing while you’re still at the yards or in the paddock.
- Free to list, pay only when you sell
Listings are free; a small transaction fee only applies once a trade goes through. That makes it easy to “test the water” with a line of cattle without committing big marketing spend up front.
- LocalAg Plus for bigger or complex deals
For larger lines or more complex transactions, LocalAg Plus can help with contracts and logistics, sitting between a simple direct sale and a full agency arrangement.
Best use cases
- Smaller to medium lines of breeders, weaners or store cattle where you’re happy to handle inspections and transport arrangements with the buyer.
- Repeat relationships, selling to the same feedlotter or backgrounder and building your vendor reputation over time.
- When you want to keep more margin by dealing direct, but still want the safety net of verified users and secure payments.
2. AuctionsPlus – national online cattle auctions
Best for: Larger lines of cattle, structured auctions and strong price discovery with agent support.
AuctionsPlus is widely recognised as Australia’s leading online agricultural marketplace, with regular auctions for cattle, sheep, goats, machinery, property and more.
For cattle specifically, the platform offers:
- Dedicated commercial cattle and stud cattle auctions.
- All commercial livestock assessed by an accredited assessor before listing.
- Sales conducted via licensed agents, who manage the transaction and settlement.
Why it’s a strong option
- National buyer base – excellent reach into feedlots, backgrounders and restockers.
- Formal assessments – objective descriptions, weights and condition scores help establish trust in the listing.
- Auction format – strong price discovery, especially when markets are hot.
Things to weigh up
- You’ll usually work through an agent, with associated commission and fees.
- There’s more structure and timeline pressure than a classifieds-style listing, useful for moving numbers quickly, less flexible if you prefer quiet direct deals.
3. Farm Tender – classifieds-style marketplace with strong livestock traffic
Best for: Broad exposure across mixed livestock and farm buyers, using a more traditional “for sale” listing format.
Farm Tender is an online marketplace built specifically for Australian farmers and agribusinesses. Their livestock section includes extensive listings for beef cattle – cows, calves, steers, bulls and more.
They describe themselves as an online market for farmers and farm-related businesses, and highlight:
- Cattle listings across breeds, age classes and locations.
- The ability to list livestock for sale and reach an Australia-wide buying market.
Why it’s useful
- Big audience and search traffic across livestock, machinery and inputs.
- Simple listing process with photos, location, price and contact details.
- Good for testing price on speciality or niche lines.
Things to weigh up
- It’s more of a classifieds model, there’s no built-in escrow or payment protection. You’ll need to manage payments and contracts yourself.
- Buyer quality can vary; diligent communication and due diligence are important.
4. FarmGate Auctions – mobile-first online livestock auctions
Best for: Producers and agents who want auction-style sales but with animals staying in the paddock until sold.
FarmGate Auctions is an Australian-owned online livestock selling platform that uses mobile technology to run real-time auctions from the paddock. With the app, agents can assess, list and auction livestock without moving stock through physical saleyards.
Why producers use it
- Less stress on cattle – they stay on farm until sold and truck straight to the buyer.
- Lower handling costs compared with multiple saleyard movements.
- Real-time bidding gives auction-style price discovery without everyone travelling.
Things to weigh up
- Typically used through agents, so similar fee structures to traditional agency selling.
- Best suited to producers comfortable with technology and timed auctions.
5. Traditional saleyards and agents – still part of the mix
Even as online marketplaces grow, physical saleyards remain a major channel for selling cattle in Australia. A Senate inquiry into red meat pricing highlighted saleyards as a primary price discovery mechanism, especially for store and prime cattle.
Industry examples like Dalby Regional Saleyards, which sold nearly 194,000 head of cattle in 2024 and is ranked among the top three saleyards nationally, show how central these facilities remain to the cattle trade.
Why they still matter
- Plenty of buyers in one place; you can see cattle alongside comparable lines.
- Long-standing relationships with agents and processors.
- Useful reference for spot market values, even if you choose to sell online.
Where online marketplaces fit in
Online platforms like LocalAg, AuctionsPlus, Farm Tender and FarmGate Auctions are increasingly used alongside saleyards, not always instead of them. Many producers:
- Use online channels to tidy up smaller lines, odd ages or out-of-spec cattle.
- Trial online selling for some classes of stock while keeping others in the saleyard system.
- Check online prices to benchmark offers from agents and processors.
Which marketplace suits which seller?
A few common scenarios:
- “I’ve got a small line of weaner steers and I’m happy to liaise with the buyer myself.”
- Good fit: LocalAg (direct, secure payments).
- “I’ve drafted 3–5 decks of even store cattle and want strong competition.”
- Good fit: AuctionsPlus or FarmGate Auctions, usually through an agent.
- “I want to build repeat relationships with a handful of feedlotters or backgrounders.”
- Good fit: LocalAg, where you can build a profile and keep trading with the same buyers.
- “I’m not ready to leave the yards, but I’d like more options.”
- Mix: keep using your saleyard and agent, but trial an online marketplace with a small line each year to understand how it works.
Getting better results from your listing
No matter where you list your cattle:
- Present accurate, detailed information
- Liveweights or curfewed weights, age, breed, joining status, management history and NLIS information.
- Vendor declarations and any animal health treatments are a big plus.
- Invest in decent photos and, if possible, short video
- Clear side-on shots, groups in motion and close-ups of condition.
- This is especially important for online bidders who can’t see cattle in person.
- Be upfront about issues
- Horns, old brands, temperament, structural faults – hiding problems damages reputation and repeat business.
- Plan logistics before listing
- Know your earliest delivery date, loading facilities and any constraints so you can be clear with buyers.
- Check fees and payment terms carefully
- Understand commission, listing fees and transaction charges for each marketplace.
- On platforms with escrow and secure payments, such as LocalAg, take the time to set up payment details properly so settlement is smooth.
Why LocalAg is a strong place to start
If you’re curious about online selling but don’t want to dive straight into full auction systems, LocalAg is a practical middle ground:
- Ag-only audience, built and backed by an established Australian ag business (Feed Central).
- Secure, escrow-style payments that protect both buyer and seller.
- Free listings and transparent transaction fees only when a deal goes through.
- Flexible, direct negotiation between farmer and buyer – you still run your business your way.
You can list a single cow and calf unit or a full deck of steers, test demand, and build relationships with buyers, all from your phone, without leaving the paddock.
