Weekly cattle and sheep market wrap – 29 May 2026

Deadweight prices cover Great Britain (GB) for the week ending 23 May. Liveweight prices cover England & Wales (E&W) for the week ending 24 May. 

• Cattle prices continue to decline across all categories in the latest reporting week as weaker beef demand puts more pressure on farmgate values.
• Culled ewes were down week-on-week due to high throughputs caused by Eid, opposing historic high prices for other categories. 
• Deadweight sheep price reporting switched from OSL to NSL during the week ending 23 May with seasonal supply. 

GB deadweight cattle prices fell away across all categories in the week ending 23 May, with the all-prime average measure back 8p on the week to sit at 595p/kg. 

Average prices for steers and heifers were back another 8p and 7p to land at 596p/kg and 597p/kg respectively. Similar falls were recorded in the young bull category, with the average price down 10p on the week to 578p/kg. 

Estimated kill of prime cattle increased across the board. Looking week-on-week, numbers were up 1,000 head to total 34,000 head in the week ending 23 May, close to year-ago levels.  

Carcase weights meanwhile continue to be significantly elevated, with steer weights for the year-to-date up 9kg on average against 2025. This is adding more beef to the market and contributing to price pressure. 

Prices also dipped for cows, with the overall average price back 7p week- on- week to land at 482p/kg in the latest reporting. Numbers of cows forward continues to be lower year-on-year, totalling 5,700 head for the week, down 1,400 head. 

 The drivers of falling cattle prices are numerous, including slow consumer demand, heavier weights and increased imports. We recently explored the drivers of cattle prices in more depth and what the outlook might be going forward. 

Figure 1: GB all prime average deadweight cattle price (p/kg)

Figure 1 shows a time series of GB all prime average deadweight cattle price in p/kg, up to date week ending May 26.

Finished lamb prices continued their sustained price rally in the latest week, in the run up to the festival of Eid al-Adha.  The deadweight OSL SQQ averaged 892p/kg in the week ending 23 May, up 21p/kg on the week. This diverges with last year, where prices were trending downwards by this point. The annual price difference now sits at 231p/kg.  

Figure 2: GB deadweight lamb SQQ (overall) (p/kg)

Figure 2 shows the time series GB deadwight lamb SQQ (overall) in p/kg, up to date week ending 23 May.

Meanwhile, the deadweight NSL SQQ grew by 7p on the week, to land at 944p/kg. This was up 191p on the year. 

The week ending 23 May marks the annual switch in deadweight price reporting from OSL to NSL, which naturally command a premium. A part of the step-up in lamb pricing reflects a change in what's being reported rather than a pure like-for-like move. 

Prices moved positively in the live markets, with the liveweight OSL SQQ up 1p on the week to 418p/kg. The liveweight NSL SQQ was also up, by 9p, to 474p/kg.   

Cull ewes were down £8/head, at £160/head for the week ending 24 May. Throughput continued to surge, with numbers up 14,000 on the week, likely in anticipation of festival demand. 

Estimated kill of clean sheep in GB totalled 218,800 head in the latest week, forward nearly 54,000 head on the week prior and up nearly 17,000 head on the year.  

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