Finished beef prices benefit from holiday demand

Prime cattle prices rose 5.49p/kg on week-earlier levels at GB auction marts to average 256.33p/kg in the week ending 29 November.

Christmas primestock shows at many livestock markets around the UK in the past week will have helped to offer some support to prices.

See also: Half of UK free-range Christmas turkeys lost to avian flu

Liveweight steers and heifers were both more than 8p/kg up on the previous week, averaging 255.86p/kg and 268.45p/kg respectively. Young bulls dropped back by 1.54p/kg on the week, to 236.21p/kg.

Throughputs at GB auction markets were up by 18% on the previous week, as a result of anticipated Christmas demand, and totalled 4,333 head.

Seasonal demand in the run-up to Christmas has been supporting prices in recent weeks, especially with a shortage of turkeys expected to push some consumers to switch to alternatives such as beef and lamb.

However, most processors will have now stocked up on prime cuts for the Christmas trade, and demand at retail typically switches to minced products towards the new year.

Ludlow Market saw an increased trade on Monday 28 November with steers averaging 255p/kg and heifers 254p/kg.

Auctioneer Michael Thomas of McCartneys, said buyers were very keen to secure numbers and were prepared to pay to obtain the cattle required, with both meat and style very much in demand.

Deadweight

Deadweight prices were less supported and remained in line with week-earlier levels.

GB steers averaged 443.6p/kg deadweight, up by 0.1p/kg on the previous week for the week ending 26 November, while heifers averaged 440.3p/kg, down by 0.2p/kg.

Prices are, however, still up by about 30p/kg on last year’s levels for both steers and heifers.

Lamb

The GB liveweight lamb SQQ averaged 246.29p/kg for the week ending 29 November, up 3.68p/kg on the previous week.

Deadweight lamb prices rose 2.4p/kg on the week to average 549.6p/kg for the week ending 26 November, but remain 50p/kg below the same week last year.

Meadow Quality livestock marketing specialist Gordon McWhirter said the increases in lamb prices were driven by exports, with the domestic market still sluggish.