Tallow prices are unchanged in and out of the Australian and New Zealand markets. Tighter supplies in the Australian market are offering price support for the near term and some short positions may develop with COVID cases starting to affect production plants. The JBS Brooklyn abattoir in Victoria is down this week as workers are being tested after cases were detected. Slaughter in Australia was estimated sharply lower for last week at just over 117,000 head. The beef market in Australia is very strong at the moment. Female slaughter rates down significantly from year ago levels and yearling steer prices are up as much as 78 percent in some markets.

The domestic US market has been fairly quiet this week with supply and demand seemingly balanced at the moment. There is an uptick in the availability of off spec…