HCC Wales warns of ‘serious shrinkage’ in beef supplies

Fewer calf registrations in the first half of this year and a shortage of youngstock being finished on farms has left the Welsh beef sector at risk of contraction, according to Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC).

Calf registrations in Wales dropped to 213,200 head in the first six months of 2024, down 10,000 on the same period last year.

Glesni Phillips, HCC’s intelligence, analysis and business insight executive, said this decline mirrored trends across the rest of Britain, with English registrations down 4% and Scottish registrations down 2%.

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“As cattle numbers in key age brackets fall, there are serious concerns around the critical mass needed to promote and maintain industry stability, which presents an overall concerning outlook for beef production,” she said.

Data from the British Cattle Movement Service show that the number of calves available for beef production in Wales has fallen to its lowest level for several years at 173,600 head.

Ms Phillips added: “Although some of the beef females will be retained as suckler replacements in the herd, this figure is 4% lower – that’s 7,400 head – than the number available during the first half of 2023, and it’s likely to have significant implications for the future of beef supply in Wales.”

GB cattle supplies are forecast to be fairly stable in the short term with numbers down 0.3% for cattle aged between 12-30 months. However, the number of cattle under 12 months is down 4% overall, which could indicate tight supplies further down the line.