Beef / Lamb & Pig Price Tracker

Frank-the-Wool said:

Anyone who is close to the retail end of the meat business will know that trade is difficult at the moment. Beef sales have been sluggish except mince and stewing steak. One of the butchers I supply had a pallet (600 kg) of Scotch rib eyes off the bone. He is knocking out rib eye steaks at £6.75 a pound for excellent quality. He told me that he was buying these for the same price as Chuck steak so if they don't sell he will just put them through the mincer. For the last month he has had cheap steak which would have gone to the catering outlets. Fillet steak was £6.00 a pound for a while. It is no surprise that live beef prices are slipping, all the Christmas orders from the real butchers were filled this week so they can hang it long enough.

The only reason lamb is holding up is due to export demand so limiting the amount available for the home market, however butchers will tell you that they are not making much on lamb at the moment and if the price increases any more they will look to sell more pork (which is on the floor at the moment) and meat like venison which is also terribly cheap at the moment.

I am confident that lamb will stay a good price until Xmas (probably not enough for those that have paid top dollar for stores!) but after that who knows. Ewes have been a better trade this week and is a reflection of the demand for takeaways which will continue for most of the country as not many people will be eating out.

As one of the larger livestock buyers said to me this week the job is on a knife edge!

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Frank-the-Wool said:

Anyone who is close to the retail end of the meat business will know that trade is difficult at the moment. Beef sales have been sluggish except mince and stewing steak. One of the butchers I supply had a pallet (600 kg) of Scotch rib eyes off the bone. He is knocking out rib eye steaks at £6.75 a pound for excellent quality. He told me that he was buying these for the same price as Chuck steak so if they don't sell he will just put them through the mincer. For the last month he has had cheap steak which would have gone to the catering outlets. Fillet steak was £6.00 a pound for a while. It is no surprise that live beef prices are slipping, all the Christmas orders from the real butchers were filled this week so they can hang it long enough.

The only reason lamb is holding up is due to export demand so limiting the amount available for the home market, however butchers will tell you that they are not making much on lamb at the moment and if the price increases any more they will look to sell more pork (which is on the floor at the moment) and meat like venison which is also terribly cheap at the moment.

I am confident that lamb will stay a good price until Xmas (probably not enough for those that have paid top dollar for stores!) but after that who knows. Ewes have been a better trade this week and is a reflection of the demand for takeaways which will continue for most of the country as not many people will be eating out.

As one of the larger livestock buyers said to me this week the job is on a knife edge!

Click to expand...

Frank-the-Wool said:

Anyone who is close to the retail end of the meat business will know that trade is difficult at the moment. Beef sales have been sluggish except mince and stewing steak. One of the butchers I supply had a pallet (600 kg) of Scotch rib eyes off the bone. He is knocking out rib eye steaks at £6.75 a pound for excellent quality. He told me that he was buying these for the same price as Chuck steak so if they don't sell he will just put them through the mincer. For the last month he has had cheap steak which would have gone to the catering outlets. Fillet steak was £6.00 a pound for a while. It is no surprise that live beef prices are slipping, all the Christmas orders from the real butchers were filled this week so they can hang it long enough.

The only reason lamb is holding up is due to export demand so limiting the amount available for the home market, however butchers will tell you that they are not making much on lamb at the moment and if the price increases any more they will look to sell more pork (which is on the floor at the moment) and meat like venison which is also terribly cheap at the moment.

I am confident that lamb will stay a good price until Xmas (probably not enough for those that have paid top dollar for stores!) but after that who knows. Ewes have been a better trade this week and is a reflection of the demand for takeaways which will continue for most of the country as not many people will be eating out.

As one of the larger livestock buyers said to me this week the job is on a knife edge!

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Bob said:

Have you been on the Sherry??? Demand for lamb & beef is strong it not export driven

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Shebb90 said:

So why is beef dropping. Lamb good cos of export hence lighter weight lambs wanted. Not say demand is poor but it might drop a little had we go to Christmas. Have people got the money

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Shebb90 said:

So why is beef dropping. Lamb good cos of export hence lighter weight lambs wanted. Not say demand is poor but it might drop a little had we go to Christmas. Have people got the money

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gone up the hill said:

Where has beef dropped this week?

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Shebb90 said:

So why is beef dropping. Lamb good cos of export hence lighter weight lambs wanted. Not say demand is poor but it might drop a little had we go to Christmas. Have people got the money

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gone up the hill said:

Where has beef dropped this week?

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livestock 1 said:

I think that December the 2nd was marked as the end of lockdown so all was looking good for catering trade getting going. The last few days or more has proved that the prospect for that in many areas has gone. The processors and retailers will have to readjust for this and unfortunately move to mince and cheaper cuts and smaller joints. Bigger joints and steak cuts will take the hit. Bit of a hiccup hopefully

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Shebb90 said:

I think the catering job will be under pressure for a fair bit of the winter now really.if they are not allowed a fair crack at the job in the next month it won't be to good,January normally slower anyway so that takes you to February.

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gone up the hill said:

Where has beef dropped this week?

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Shebb90 said:

So why is beef dropping. Lamb good cos of export hence lighter weight lambs wanted. Not say demand is poor but it might drop a little had we go to Christmas. Have people got the money

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Optimus said:

Still same up here this week but set to drop next week.had 10 booked in today.just about to take them in , got a phone call saying issue with the killing line.can I take them in on Tuesday.[emoji34]

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Mc115reed said:

Prices will always fluctuate week on week .. people see a price increase so they send a bit more next week (normally lower quality or twice the number) this then pulls the price back a bit.. then people think “price is dropping I better hold for a week or 2” so stock ends up a bit better finished and they get a better price ...

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Shebb90 said:

Did you ask them to stand by there price to you for next week not your fault they had troubles

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gone up the hill said:

Catering job will be gone untill at least April/ May and possibly untill June

100% we will be in another lockdown by mid/end Feb or most of the country will be in Tier 3 by then!

And why will people go out for a meal in Tier 2 when they cant meet friends/ family etc and only eat with their household, just as well stay home and cook a meal.

On the beef price front, i have not heard of one quote that is less this week other than for one Angus job.

Will be intresting to see what the beef price quoted tomorrow for next week is.

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Optimus said:

Yes ,plus no penalty's for weight and few pence extra since helping them out.

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Frank-the-Wool said:

Anyone who is close to the retail end of the meat business will know that trade is difficult at the moment. Beef sales have been sluggish except mince and stewing steak. One of the butchers I supply had a pallet (600 kg) of Scotch rib eyes off the bone. He is knocking out rib eye steaks at £6.75 a pound for excellent quality. He told me that he was buying these for the same price as Chuck steak so if they don't sell he will just put them through the mincer. For the last month he has had cheap steak which would have gone to the catering outlets. Fillet steak was £6.00 a pound for a while. It is no surprise that live beef prices are slipping, all the Christmas orders from the real butchers were filled this week so they can hang it long enough.

The only reason lamb is holding up is due to export demand so limiting the amount available for the home market, however butchers will tell you that they are not making much on lamb at the moment and if the price increases any more they will look to sell more pork (which is on the floor at the moment) and meat like venison which is also terribly cheap at the moment.

I am confident that lamb will stay a good price until Xmas (probably not enough for those that have paid top dollar for stores!) but after that who knows. Ewes have been a better trade this week and is a reflection of the demand for takeaways which will continue for most of the country as not many people will be eating out.

As one of the larger livestock buyers said to me this week the job is on a knife edge!

Click to expand...