GB cattle prices weather storm
In direct contrast to the weather, last week was uneventful for cattle prices. In the week ending 15 February the GB deadweight all prime average remained unchanged at £3.33/kg.
Although steer prices for carcases meeting the R4L specification rose by 0.4p on the week, overall the category was steady at £3.33/kg. Heifers overall rose by 0.5p to £3.36/kg, with R3 carcases rising nearly a penny to £3.41/kg. Young bulls on average fell nearly 4p in price to £3.10/kg.
Reports of difficulties in moving cattle about don’t seem to have fed too strongly into the kill numbers; an estimated 32,400 cattle were processed, only 500 fewer than the previous week.
Cull cow prices rose however, by nearly 2p to £2.32/kg. GB estimated slaughter was 10,800 head in the week ending 15 February. Numbers have generally been a little tighter in the few weeks this year compared to 2019. So far in 2020 an estimated 75,200 cows have been slaughtered, 2,400 (3%) fewer than a year ago.
Duncan Wyatt
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