Mince demand brings optimism on cull cows

Farmers are following trade closely this month to gauge whether a rising cull cow market is set to break more records or merely tick along.

Trade opened the year 29p/kg deadweight (across all types) up on 2021, at 265.5p/kg, making a 308kg carcass £89.32 dearer. An O+2 averaged 289.7p/kg in the second week of January.

Demand has been driven by the usual post-Christmas wallet-tightening period, with mince selling well. Some reports have tipped prices to lift further over the next two weeks.

However, Covid-19’s ongoing effect on processing staff calling in sick and consumer eating habits remains the great unknown.

See also: Beef prices match record high levels

Sedgemoor

Robert Venner, auctioneer at Sedgemoor Auction Centre for Greenslade Taylor Hunt, said he was confident of cull cow prices staying firm but that it would be interesting to see how prime cattle fared, as they typically struggled a little in late January. 

Mr Venner said cow trade had brightened since before Christmas, and supply had tightened after the usual winter offloading of cows.

Monday’s (17 January) sale saw 58 cows go under the hammer. Continentals averaged 136.2p/kg and natives levelled at 127.7p/kg.

Trade was at least 5p/kg up on pre-Christmas levels, with dairy cows levelling at 117.8p/kg and topping at 136.5p/kg.

Clean cattle were generally 200p/kg or more. A Fleckvieh steer made 217p/kg and the pick of the continentals made 230-240p/kg.

Thainstone

Demand for processing meat is flying at Thainstone, where a centre record was set last week for a 930kg pure British Blue cow at £2,130 (229p/kg) from Tanqueray Pedigrees, Bridgeton, Muir of Fowlis.

Trade in November averaged 127p/kg (about £905 a head), but now cows are £1,106 or 153p/kg, making a 720kg cow £187 more valuable. 

Demand was strong enough to leave a sale average of £1,106 (153p/kg) last week (13 January) for 361 cast cows and bulls. Auctioneer Tim McDonald of Aberdeen and Northern Marts said 200-220 head would have been a “massive day” a few years ago. 

“Second week in January is often a bigger sale here as the island boats from Shetland and Orkney often don’t travel due to new year holidays,” Mr McDonald said.

“Demand is there for processing meat. All the top-end cows are exported to France and the continent. Bidders are really shouting for cows now.”

But butchers were struggling for staff due to Covid-19, he said, forcing some businesses to buy boxed beef from wholesalers to cope with limited labour.