September GB lamb prices follow seasonal trends

Friday, 30 September 2022

GB new season lamb prices continued to follow seasonal trends in September, weakening, but remaining relatively steady. Throughputs have picked up during the four-week period but are behind on the same period last year.

Liveweight

GB liveweight SQQ prices continued to steadily move down through September, following the usual seasonal trend. The average new season lamb price in the week ending 28 September was 227.86p/kg, 8p lower than the price at the end of August. Prices have remained just above year earlier levels and nearly 50p above the 5-year average.

line graph tracking GB new season lamb prices

Throughputs at auction markets were estimated at 424,900 head for the four-weeks ending 28 September, up 3% on the previous four-week period, but behind the numbers seen during the same period a year ago by 4%.

For the year to date, throughputs (including both NSL and OSL) reached 4.05 million head, a 2% increase on 2021 but 2% behind the 5-year average.

  line graph showing weekly estimated throughputs of lambs at GB markets

Cull ewe prices fell £3 over the four-week period to average £72.54/head in the week ending 24 September. Throughputs totalled 205,200 head, a 12% increase compared to the previous four weeks.

Deadweight

GB deadweight SQQ prices for new season lambs showed a more gradual decline through September than in August, again following normal seasonal trends. In the week ending 24 September, the average NSL price sat at 524.8p/kg, down just over 11p compared to the end of August. However, this was 31p above prices from this time last year and over £1 above the 5-year average for the same week.

line graph tracking GB deadweight lamb prices

Overall, estimated slaughter increased in the four weeks to 24 September, up 5% compared to the previous 4-week period to stand at 894,500 head, 1% behind numbers seen a year ago.

Estimated lamb slaughter for the year to date (Jan-Sep) now stands at 8.15 million head, remaining 4% ahead of the same period in 2021 but 5% below the 5-year average.

line graph showing numbers of lambs slaughtered in GB weekly

Image of staff member Freya Shuttleworth

Freya Shuttleworth

Senior Analyst (Livestock)

See full bio


Sign up for regular updates

You can subscribe to receive Beef and Lamb market news straight to your inbox. Simply fill in your contact details on our online form.

Visit the Keep in touch page

While AHDB seeks to ensure that the information contained on this webpage is accurate at the time of publication, no warranty is given in respect of the information and data provided. You are responsible for how you use the information. To the maximum extent permitted by law, AHDB accepts no liability for loss, damage or injury howsoever caused or suffered (including that caused by negligence) directly or indirectly in relation to the information or data provided in this publication.

All intellectual property rights in the information and data on this webpage belong to or are licensed by AHDB. You are authorised to use such information for your internal business purposes only and you must not provide this information to any other third parties, including further publication of the information, or for commercial gain in any way whatsoever without the prior written permission of AHDB for each third party disclosure, publication or commercial arrangement. For more information, please see our Terms of Use and Privacy Notice or contact the Director of Corporate Affairs at info@ahdb.org.uk  © Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. All rights reserved. 

Topics:

Sectors:

Tags:

×