Understanding lamb deadweight and liveweight pricing

Understanding lamb prices can help you compare market returns and make informed selling decisions. Find out how liveweight and deadweight lamb prices are reported across Great Britain, learn about the introduction of mandatory deadweight price reporting, and discover how key factors such as weight bands, assurance status and abattoir payment systems can affect the final price received.

Deadweight prices (p/kg) are submitted by abattoirs in Great Britain (GB).

For many years, we published a weekly deadweight sheep price from a sample of abattoirs. The survey was always voluntary as there was no legislation in place.

In 2026, new legislation introduced across GB means abattoirs killing over a certain number of sheep are legally required to classify carcases and report deadweight sheep prices.

This is shown as Standard Quality Quotation (SQQ) and is the common term for the main weight band used across the industry.

For deadweight price reporting, the band applies to the dressed carcase of prime clean sheep weighing 12–21.5 kg inclusive.

Liveweight lamb prices (p/kg) are shown as individual auction market averages, daily regional GB averages and weekly GB regional averages.

These are split to show prices for farm-assured and non-farm-assured lambs, and also for new-season lamb (NSL) and old-season lamb (OSL).

Liveweight cull ewe prices (£/head) are shown as individual auction market averages, daily regional GB averages and weekly GB regional averages.

These are split to show prices for farm-assured and non-farm-assured cull ewes.

Different processing plants operate different payment systems.

When comparing deadweight prices, make sure you understand the pricing basis and be aware of any potential weight or out-of-specification penalties.

Dressing specifications can differ and impact pricing.

All abattoirs have an upper and lower weight limit, and lambs are usually only paid up to 21.5 kg deadweight.

Any lambs that fall outside of the weight range will usually be penalised; this can be severe, so check before sale.

Table 1. Example pricing grid for an abattoir, with premiums and penalties shown in pence per kg

Hot weight rebates are used to establish ‘cold’ carcase weight, i.e. the abattoir weight. They are applied to carcases weighed ‘hot’ within 1 hour of slaughter and are the basis on which producers are paid.

Table 2. Examples of different hot weight rebates used to establish cold carcase weights