Beef finishers chase £6 a kg for prime cattle this spring
The beef trade has kicked off to a flying start in 2025 with finished prices skyrocketing at both abattoirs and in the live ring.
Deadweight prices have gone from strength to strength with several processors paying base prices of 560p/kg to 570p/kg in the past week.
Meanwhile, some larger beef finishers have reportedly been able to negotiate prices closer to 580p/kg.
Much of the recent trade has been driven by tight supplies across both sides of the Irish Sea.
Stuart Vile, ruminant manager at livestock marketing group Meadow Quality, said beef was certainly in demand with prices up by 10p/kg to 15p/kg since Christmas.
He said demand was coming from export and domestic markets and there were empty abattoir “chillers” in need of filling.
Mr Vile added there was also talk of abattoirs trying to entice farmers with forward contracts into May and June, with rumours of 600p/kg to 620p/kg being on offer.
UK prime cattle slaughterings were down 5.3% on the year in November, according to Defra figures, and more recent industry estimates suggest numbers remain tight.
Charlie Reeve | Farmers Weekly
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