Weekly cattle & sheep market wrap – 27 February 2025

Key points

• Growth in prime cattle deadweight prices slowed rising only 2p to 634.6p/kg this week but still remain over £2 above the 5-year average.
• Lamb prices fell by 7p, and throughputs increased by 16,300 head as more old season lambs came forwards.

Cattle

For the first time in six weeks deadweight finished cattle prices have lifted by less than 10 pence per kilo week-on-week. The all-prime cattle average price increased by 2 pence to 634.6p/kg. Although this hints at a potential stabilisation of the market, the average prime deadweight cattle price remains elevated by 139.5 pence from the same week last year, and 216.9 pence above the 5-year average.

Estimated GB prime cattle slaughter grew from last week by 900 head to total 35,600 head. This indicated a 3% rise from the week previous continuing the upward movement in weekly slaughter seen since the start of the year.

GB all prime average deadweight cattle price

Source: AHDB

Average cow prices have also slowed in their rise. The overall GB deadweight cow price averaged 479.1p/kg for the week ending 22 February, up only 6.4p from the week before, compared to last week’s increase of almost 15 pence. Cow throughputs increased slightly this past week with an estimated throughput of 10,000 head, straying slightly from the traditional seasonal decrease in throughputs that we normally observe at this time of year.

Consumer demand for beef remains fairly strong, fuelled by shopping basket staples like mince, alongside growing product categories like sous-vide and marinaded products which are often included in promotions.

Sheep

Deadweight sheep prices fell slightly in the week ending 15 February, with the GB old season SQQ dropping 7p to 730p/kg. Meanwhile, R3L lambs averaged 736p/kg. Whilst the lamb price is not experiencing the same rapid week-on week growth we saw last year, the price is still elevated 30 pence from 2023, and up 25% on the 5-year average.

GB deadweight lamb SQQ (overall)

Source: AHDB

Old season lambs reported until 3rd Monday in May, new season lambs then reported for the remainder of the year.

Once again, more lambs came forward during the latest reporting week, with GB slaughter estimated at 223,400 head (+16,300 head week-on-week). This continued the growth in numbers seen over the previous two weeks and indicates that the carry-over of old season lambs discussed in the lamb market outlook are now coming forward as producers across the country start and prepare for lambing.

Despite muted consumer demand at the start of the year, with Ramadan starting at the end of this week on the 28^th February, we are now moving into a key period for lamb. Unlike last year when they coincided, Ramadan and Easter have a month between them in 2025, so it will be important to monitor the effect on prices this elongated festive period will have. Elsewhere, wholesale prices from Rungis market in Paris suggest relatively stable export trade.

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