With Christmas not far away, the beef trade has jumped up a notch with deadweight prices increasing on the week, according to the latest AHDB report.

Processors attempts to procure enough beef ahead of the festive period as well as continued tight supplies meant deadweight prices jumped 2.5 p/kg to 355.2 p/kg for R4L heifers in the week ending November 10.

In week ended 10 November prime deadweight cattle prices increased across the board although cattle slaughtering’s were lower than in the week earlier and almost 8% down on throughputs in the corresponding week last year.

Continued tight supplies means prices could easily climb in the lead up to Christmas. Liveweight prices were also up with steers at 190.6, a 0.7 p/kg increase on the week and heifers up 2.2 p/kg at 197.5.

Things weren’t so rosy in the sheep sector thought with lamb prices still pretty volatile. Finishing has been difficult and some lambs aren’t meeting spec. The lamb SQQ was back 3.5 p/kg to 151.1 with cull ewes down 50p averaging £47 per head and store lambs up 60p to average £44 per head.

At Welshpool Smithfield, fat cattle averaged 208.81ppkg for the steers and 224.11ppkg for the heifers. Three fat Limousin steers went to 224ppkg and 218ppkg (x2) while four fat heifers made 239ppkg, 233ppkg, 227ppkg and 226ppkg at the 12 November sale.

There were also 5799 lambs forward selling to an overall average of 146.74ppkg. Lights (25.5kg to 32kg) went to 157ppkg with others at 147ppkg. Standards (32.1kg to 39kg) reached 170ppkg with others to 164ppkg followed by mediums (39.5kg to 45.5kg) to 170ppkg and heavies (45.1kg to 52kg) to176ppkg.

Many producers will be hoping prices pick up as we head nearer the Christmas period as supplies should tighten and demand increases.

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