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Weekly cattle & sheep market wrap – 12 December 2024
Thursday, 12 December 2024
Key points
Prices for week ending 07 December
- The GB overall all-prime deadweight cattle price grew again this week to sit at 540p/kg.
- The GB new season SQQ averaged 691p/kg, up from the week previous despite increased kill numbers week-on-week.
Cattle
GB cattle prices grew across the board again this week, despite increasing throughputs. The average price for steers at R4L specification was 555p/kg, up 4.9p/kg on the week previous. The R4L heifer price also grew, to 553p/kg, lifting by 5.9p/kg week on week. Smaller growth was seen in the overall young bull price, up 1.9p/kg on the week to sit at 523p/kg.
Estimated GB prime cattle slaughter grew to sit at 34,400 head for the week ending 7 December, up 1,300 head on the week before. This growth was mainly driven by increased heifer kill, up 900 head on the previous week.
An uplift was also seen in the overall cow price, despite increased throughputs. The overall cow price averaged 366p/kg for the week, up 3.9p/kg week-on-week. Estimated slaughter of cows sat at 12,000 head, an increase of 400 head on the week.
Market reports continue to suggest firm trade, with good demand for cattle despite slightly increased supplies coming forward this week. This is expected to be the last week of Christmas kill, with demand to secure final supplies likely supporting the price.
Sheep
Deadweight lamb prices increased in the week ending 7 December, for the fifth consecutive week. The GB new season SQQ averaged 691p/kg, up 4.8p from the week previous and 105p/kg higher than the same week of 2023.
AHDB estimated kill lifted by 41,000 head (19%) on the week to total 254,000 head. However, the year-to-date figures remains significantly back, totalling 9.6 million. This is down 8.5% on the same period of 2023.
Prices at Rungis market continue to grow, sustaining export demand as we move towards the festive season. The combination of both domestic and export demand as we enter the Christmas period, against a backdrop of lower supplies throughout out 2024 is likely supporting the lamb price at this time.
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