Weekly cattle & sheep market wrap – 18 December 2025

Deadweight prices for week ending 13 December covering GB

Key points

• The all-prime average cattle price eased back 7p on the week to 651p/kg for the week ending 13 December
• Prime cattle estimated slaughter eased by 1,700 head to 32,000 head, this is 5% down from the same week in 2024
• The GB deadweight new season SQQ fell by 14p to 700p/kg. This price is now only 10p/kg higher than the same period last year

Cattle

GB deadweight cattle prices fell across all categories for the week ending 13 December. The all-prime average eased back 7p week on week to 651p/kg, however, this remains 107p higher than the same week in 2024. The average overall steer and heifer prices lost 8p and 6p respectively, to reach 653p/kg and 650p/kg.

This is the second week of price declines for prime cattle following a few months of steady growth and could be reflective of an easing in demand following the completion of Christmas kills. Demand will be a key influence on the price as we move into the new year, as we continue to monitor how consumers react to beef price inflation.

Prime cattle estimated slaughtering eased by 1,700 head to 32,000 head in the week ending 13 December. Looking at the year-to-date total, it is now 4% down from the same period in 2024, reflecting the tightness in supply that has characterised the market throughout the year and maintained prices at record highs.

The overall cow price averaged 495p/kg for the week, down 12p/kg week-on-week. This price drop may be somewhat driven by anticipation of increased contribution of dairy cows to supply as milk price announcements and commodity prices continue to trend downwards.  

Estimated slaughter of cows sat at 12,700 head for the latest week, an increase of 400 head on the week prior.

Sheep

The GB deadweight new season SQQ fell 14p on the week to 700p/kg. This price now sits 10p/kg higher than the same period last year.

Estimated slaughter reached 271,400 head, up 39,000 on the week. This increase in throughput likely weighed on prices in the week.

We also saw the liveweight NSL SQQ ease on the week, down just 2p to 319p/kg. Meanwhile, the average cull ewe price sat at £126/ head, holding well above last year’s levels as supplies remain tight.

Demand this year is appearing weaker than in the previous year, shown by the 7% year on year volume decrease in lamb products purchased in retail (Worldpanel by Numerator UK, 12 w/e 30 November 2025). This may also be stunting farmgate price growth and by extension, narrowing the gap between this year and last year’s lamb price.

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