Dog Food Made from Cultivated Meat Goes on Sale in the UK

Meatly has launched “chick bites,” the first pet food products made from cultivated meat to be sold commercially worldwide. This innovation could potentially eliminate farm animals from the pet food industry and significantly reduce carbon emissions, land use, and water consumption.

Trial Launch

The trial of these dog treats began at a pet store in Brentford, London, on Friday. Owen Ensor, the founder of Meatly, explained that the manufacturing process resembles brewing beer. “You take cells from a single chicken egg. From that, we can create an infinite amount of meat forevermore. We put it in large, steel fermenters… and after a week, we’re able to harvest healthy, delicious chicken for our pets,” Ensor said.

Global Perspective

Lab-grown meat, genetically indistinguishable from traditionally produced meat, has sparked debate in various countries. In 2020, Singapore became the first country to authorize the sale of cell-cultivated meat for human consumption, followed by the United States three years later. However, Italy and the US states of Alabama and Florida have banned it.

Environmental and Ethical Considerations

Advocates emphasize the environmental benefits of lab-grown meat, while critics argue that it is expensive and could harm traditional farming. Prof. Guy Poppy from the University of Bristol noted that lab-grown meat addresses animal welfare concerns. He added, “This is an opportunity to offer the advantages of meat but without the carbon and environmental footprint.”

Pet Consumption

Prof. Andrew Knight from the University of Winchester highlighted that “about 20% of all the meat consumed by high pet-owning nations, including the United Kingdom, is actually consumed by pets, not people.”

Original story: BBC News

Original story: AHDB

Meatex

Australian Livestock Market Update: Prices and Throughput

Key Points

• Cattle Quality: The quality of cattle, especially across eastern states, has been impacted by hot and dry weather.
• Lamb Quality: Strong quality across heavy and extra heavy lambs has continued.
• Slaughter Rates: Slaughter for both cattle and sheep eased over the week.

Cattle Market

Cattle prices were unable to maintain last week’s levels, resulting in a mixed market. Yardings eased by 1,705 to 51,439 head as the quality of stock declined due to hot and dry conditions.

With fewer heavy cattle coming to market, the Heavy Steer Indicator lifted by 3¢ to 337¢/kg liveweight (lwt). Prices increased in most states, with Queensland seeing an impressive lift of 26¢. However, processor demand for heavyweight-grown cattle was weaker, with both well-finished steers and heifers selling cheaper.

The Dairy Cow Indicator eased by 19¢ to 217¢/kg lwt, with yardings doubling over the past week to 811 head. A substantial number of cows are being offloaded, putting downward pressure on the market. Cows are now being sold 10¢ cheaper, driven by limited processor competition.

Sheep Market

Sheep prices took a downturn this week, except for the Mutton Indicator. Yardings increased by 68,948 to 317,502 head for combined lamb and sheep.

Strong quality across heavy and extra heavy lambs has continued, with the Heavy Lamb Indicator easing 7¢ to 792¢/kg carcase weight (cwt). Meanwhile, the Light Lamb Indicator eased by 45¢ to 671¢/kg cwt, with a greater price spread for lambs weighing under 18kg.

Slaughter

For the week ending 31 January:

• Cattle Slaughter: Eased by 19,136 to 121,772 head, but continues to track 4% above the same time last year. Slaughter decreased in all states, with drops in NSW (4,504 head), Queensland (9,691 head), and Victoria (3,097 head).
• Sheep and Lamb Slaughter: Combined slaughter eased by 116,396 to 597,541 head. Lamb slaughter decreased to 75,538 head, and sheep slaughter decreased to 40,858 head. In NSW, sheep slaughter eased by 16,358 head, Victoria by 14,006 head, and WA by 10,751 head. Lamb slaughter followed a similar trend, with NSW easing by 16,005 to 108,813 head and Victoria easing by 42,311 to 212,761 head.

Attribute content to: Emily Tan, MLA Market Information Analyst

MLA

UK Livestock Market Update: Prices and Throughput

Key Points

• Cattle Prices: GB deadweight cattle prices increased again for the week ending 01 February, with the overall all-prime price up by 16p/kg.
• Sheep Prices: Sheep prices eased, with the GB OSL SQQ at 710p/kg, despite lower numbers forward.
• Demand and Supply: Robust demand for cattle continues to drive farmgate prices higher against a backdrop of tighter supply.

Cattle

GB deadweight cattle prices rose again in the week ending 01 February. R4L steers increased by 16p/kg to average 617p/kg across GB, while R4L heifers grew by 17p/kg to 616p/kg. The overall young bull measure also gained, sitting at 580p/kg, a lift of 10p/kg. All categories are now approximately 110p higher than the same point a year ago.

Cow prices also saw sharp increases, with the overall GB price up 15p/kg week on week to 439p/kg, which is 98p/kg above the same week in 2024.

AHDB estimated slaughter indicated that prime cattle numbers were largely steady on the week, with an additional 100 head forward, totalling 34,400 head. Cow numbers eased slightly, down 4% to an estimated 10,500 head.

Robust demand for available cattle continues to drive prices upwards, with fierce competition reported for available supplies. Reports suggest that beef wholesale prices have reflected the strength of the current cattle market, with Valentine’s Day demand driving price rises, particularly for steaking cuts.

Sheep

Deadweight sheep prices fell back in the week ending 01 February, with the GB old season SQQ down 21p/kg week on week to 710p/kg. This was 67p/kg ahead of the same week last year and 204p/kg above 2023.

Estimated slaughter fell back, both on the week and compared to the same week last year, totalling 186,000 head. Poor weather during the week may have restricted numbers forward, according to reports. However, strong trade continues, particularly for export lambs.

Looking ahead to the next couple of months, processors will be looking to secure supplies for key demand periods surrounding religious festivals, Easter, and Ramadan, for both domestic and export markets.

AHDB

UK Beef Market Outlook for 2025

Key Points

• Reduced Domestic Supply: UK beef production is forecast to fall by 5% year-on-year to 885,000 tonnes in 2025 due to a reduced domestic cattle supply.
• Consumption Trends: Domestic beef consumption is expected to grow marginally, driven by retail demand as foodservice remains stable. Everyday cuts like mince are anticipated to perform well as consumers remain price-conscious.
• Import and Export Dynamics: The UK’s requirement for imported beef is projected to increase by 12% in 2025 compared to 2024. Conversely, exports are forecast to decrease by 7% due to supply constraints.
• Price Outlook: Domestic farmgate cattle prices are expected to be supported throughout 2025. However, consumer price sensitivity and the mix of cuts purchased will be crucial to overall carcase values.

Overview

2024 was a strong year for the beef market overall. The UK produced 934,000 tonnes of beef and veal, up nearly 4% from 2023. This increase, combined with a 5% uplift in beef imports, contributed to greater supply on the market. Despite this, GB finished cattle prices continued to set records in 2024. Consumer demand was robust, with slight growth in retail and stable volumes through foodservice. Exports also increased, supported by demand from the continent.

Analyst Insight

Hannah Clarke, Lead Analyst (Red Meat), highlights that the forecast supply and demand changes point to a supportive environment for domestic farmgate cattle prices in 2025. However, the price sensitivity of consumers and the mix of cuts purchased will play a crucial role in determining overall carcase values.

AHDB

The Latest Update on Irish Pig Market Prices and Throughput

Prices

Deadweight pig prices in Ireland are on an upward trajectory due to relatively tight supplies for slaughter. Prices have been increasing steadily week on week from a low of 190c/kg in mid-February 2024. For the week ending 12th January 2025, the average price paid for grade E pigs was €2.03/kg excluding VAT. This current price is 4% lower than the corresponding week last year, when the grade E pig price was €194.83.

Throughput

While throughput has improved in the last quarter, demand continues to outpace supplies. Total throughput year-to-date (YTD) is 118,524, which is slightly behind the corresponding period in 2023.

According to the latest Performance and Prospects Report, overall pig supplies, including exports, increased by 2% (+70k head) to 3.65 million pigs during 2024. Irish pigmeat production rose by an estimated 4% in 2024, reaching approximately 310,000 tonnes.

This increase was driven by both higher pig supplies and slightly increased average carcase weights. The rate of recovery gained momentum as the year progressed, following a 10% decline in 2023 due to higher feed costs and depressed market prices.

Bord Bia

Quotes

Base quotes from major processors have seen a slight improvement this week, with prices ranging from €9.00/kg to €9.40/kg for well-finished lambs, including a QA bonus. Increased demand has led many processors to raise the carcass weight limit to 24kg.

The firming of the trade throughout 2024 has been driven by relatively tight lamb supplies and stable demand from both domestic and export markets. This trend is also evident in other key lamb-producing regions of Europe and the UK, where Eurostat figures indicate a contraction in breeding flock numbers. The Irish ewe flock, for instance, contracted by 3.7% in the December 2023 census compared to December 2022, a decline of 107,000 head, contributing to the tight supply situation.

Prices

For the week ending 12th January, the reported deadweight price increased by 31% to €8.75/kg, reflecting the ongoing improvement in quoted prices from major lamb processors. In the same week in 2024, the deadweight price was €6.62/kg.

The deadweight trade has also improved across UK regions. Last week, reported lamb prices in mainland GB were equivalent to €8.29/kg, a decrease of 4c/kg, while in Northern Ireland, prices improved to €7.95/kg, down 17c/kg. The firming trade in Northern Ireland is attributed to tight lamb supplies and competition from the live export trade to both mainland GB and ROI.

Southern Hemisphere prices, although still below European levels, have improved significantly in recent weeks, narrowing the price differential with the EU. This recent improvement in deadweight prices is expected to impact their competitiveness in EU markets in the medium to longer term. Prices this week are at €5.99/kg and €4.38/kg for Australia and New Zealand, respectively.

Throughput

There was a decrease in the total sheep kill in DAFM-approved plants last week, with 34,008 head processed compared to 57,313 in the same week in 2024. Tighter supplies have been a feature of the 2024 lamb season, influenced by a smaller lamb crop, difficult lambing conditions, and variable grass-growing conditions. Total year-to-date (YTD) slaughter is down 32% from 2024, totaling 70,274 head.

Bord Bia

Irish Cattle Throughput and Prices Update

Throughput

Last week, 34,236 cattle were processed in DAFM-approved plants, showing a slight increase from the previous week. Year-to-date (YTD) cattle throughput is currently 3% lower than the same period last year, standing at 132,585 head. This decline is attributed to a contraction in cattle numbers and a robust export trade, with tight numbers expected to persist throughout 2025.

Average carcase weights continue to trend below previous years due to a challenging grass-growing season and an increasing dairy influence on the prime cattle kill. This downward trend in average carcase weights is expected to continue in the short to medium term, as calf registrations to suckler cows decline and the number of beef-sired calves from the dairy herd increases.

Prices

This week saw a lift in base quotes at Irish meat plants due to tighter supplies. Producers were generally offered a base price of €6.00/kg for steers, with reports of up to €6.05/kg available. Starting quotes for heifers are around €6.10/kg, with similar room for negotiation.

The trade for young bulls remains steady, with prices ranging from €6.40/kg to €6.50/kg for R grading animals under 24 months of age. The cow trade is also relatively steady, with well-fleshed O+ grading suckler cows fetching prices of €5.20-5.30/kg, while O grading dairy cows are priced between €5.05-5.15/kg. A significant proportion of the cow kill has achieved a conformation score of P, with prices varying based on grade, weight, and quality.

For the week ending 26th January 2025, the average price paid by Irish beef processors for R3 steers increased to €5.92/kg, which is 63c/kg higher than the corresponding week in 2023 when the price was €5.13/kg. Reported prices exclude VAT but include all bonus payments such as in-spec bonuses and breed-based producer groups.

EU and UK Prices

Across the EU, the average reported price for R3 grading young bulls was €5.71/kg (excluding VAT) for the week ending 26th January 2025, which is 57c higher than Week 1 of 2023 when prices averaged €5.14/kg.

In the UK, tighter cattle supplies and firm demand have led to continued firming of deadweight beef prices. This week, the average UK R3 steer price increased by 12c/kg to €6.93/kg.

Bord Bia

World’s First Cultivated Meat Dog Treats Launched at Pets at Home

Pets at Home has introduced a groundbreaking dog treat made from cultivated meat, marking a world first for the retailer. The treat, named Chick Bites, combines plant-based ingredients with cultivated meat, which is produced by growing cells without the need to raise or slaughter animals.

Meatly, the company behind Chick Bites, explained that the chicken used in the treats was derived from a single sample of cells taken from one chicken egg. This method allows for the production of enough cultivated meat to feed pets indefinitely.

The company claims that the cultivated meat is just as tasty and nutritious as traditional chicken breast, containing all the essential amino acids, critical fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins necessary for pet health.

In a significant regulatory milestone, the UK became the first country in Europe to approve the use of cultivated meat in pet food. This approval, granted in July by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Animal and Plant Health Agency, paved the way for Meatly’s innovative product to hit the shelves.

Original story: The National