Beef / Lamb & Pig Price Tracker

Frank-the-Wool

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Sussex
It is interesting to see the comments on here on what we should do to help ourselves and reduce the control of the supermarkets.

Most of the comments on here are critical of the large (mostly Irish controlled) abattoirs who control the price of most meat and while they are not exactly monopolies they are more or less a cartel. There is a lesson to be learnt here and I will explain what we do to partly reduce the risks of getting shafted.

Anyone who thinks we should set up a new small abattoir can forget it, quickest way to lose a fortune!!

Some 35 years ago I started to supply a local butcher with 2 lambs a week, we still supply that butcher but now around 20 a week for 50 weeks of the year. We also supply two more butchers and a local wholesaler and now directly supply 2,000 plus a year. We are so busy at the moment that our only local abattoir is struggling to keep up with demand and I have orders for the next 2 weeks of over 150 hoggets. I have told them the price will be at least £4.80. We are in danger of running out as they mostly want 19 to 23 kg max. The heavies we will probably put through the market.
We lost the last large abattoir in the south east in 2001 after FMD (Invicta Lamb), we also lost all but two markets and only one that is of any size at Ashford remains. I cannot fault the auctioneers there and the comments knocking auctioneers do not apply down here. Yes they do not get the highest prices for stock but they ensure they always get paid! We only have the small ethnic or export supply abattoirs around London.

Where I am fortunate is that I just supply whole carcasses, yet the supermarkets mostly only want pre packs of cuts. The largest growth area we have is now "Farm Drop" through one of the butchers I supply, he has had to limit their supply to 30 lambs a week, I am sure this outlet will go from strength to strength after this is all sorted out. It is a lot of work for him, but because it is all on line he can adjust what he has in stock to the demand. But it does reduce waste and the pricing is on par with Waitrose.
The most difficult part of this type of business is we need to have enough lambs/hoggets that are ready at the weights they demand almost 52 weeks of the year. We only lamb March and April, but I do buy some stores as well.

I appreciate not everyone can do this but through small Co-ops it could be done. You do have to give a fair bit of credit and it is not for the faint hearted. I have just taken on a new butcher a month a go and once again started with 2 hoggets, next week wants 5!!
 
It is interesting to see the comments on here on what we should do to help ourselves and reduce the control of the supermarkets.

Most of the comments on here are critical of the large (mostly Irish controlled) abattoirs who control the price of most meat and while they are not exactly monopolies they are more or less a cartel. There is a lesson to be learnt here and I will explain what we do to partly reduce the risks of getting shafted.

Anyone who thinks we should set up a new small abattoir can forget it, quickest way to lose a fortune!!

Some 35 years ago I started to supply a local butcher with 2 lambs a week, we still supply that butcher but now around 20 a week for 50 weeks of the year. We also supply two more butchers and a local wholesaler and now directly supply 2,000 plus a year. We are so busy at the moment that our only local abattoir is struggling to keep up with demand and I have orders for the next 2 weeks of over 150 hoggets. I have told them the price will be at least £4.80. We are in danger of running out as they mostly want 19 to 23 kg max. The heavies we will probably put through the market.
We lost the last large abattoir in the south east in 2001 after FMD (Invicta Lamb), we also lost all but two markets and only one that is of any size at Ashford remains. I cannot fault the auctioneers there and the comments knocking auctioneers do not apply down here. Yes they do not get the highest prices for stock but they ensure they always get paid! We only have the small ethnic or export supply abattoirs around London.

Where I am fortunate is that I just supply whole carcasses, yet the supermarkets mostly only want pre packs of cuts. The largest growth area we have is now "Farm Drop" through one of the butchers I supply, he has had to limit their supply to 30 lambs a week, I am sure this outlet will go from strength to strength after this is all sorted out. It is a lot of work for him, but because it is all on line he can adjust what he has in stock to the demand. But it does reduce waste and the pricing is on par with Waitrose.
The most difficult part of this type of business is we need to have enough lambs/hoggets that are ready at the weights they demand almost 52 weeks of the year. We only lamb March and April, but I do buy some stores as well.

I appreciate not everyone can do this but through small Co-ops it could be done. You do have to give a fair bit of credit and it is not for the faint hearted. I have just taken on a new butcher a month a go and once again started with 2 hoggets, next week wants 5!!
The boys down under seem to have cracked the slaughterhouse job though?
As they say a lot of us leave the product as soon as it leaves the farm gate, they follow it right through.
 

Smith31

Member
It is interesting to see the comments on here on what we should do to help ourselves and reduce the control of the supermarkets.

Most of the comments on here are critical of the large (mostly Irish controlled) abattoirs who control the price of most meat and while they are not exactly monopolies they are more or less a cartel. There is a lesson to be learnt here and I will explain what we do to partly reduce the risks of getting shafted.

Anyone who thinks we should set up a new small abattoir can forget it, quickest way to lose a fortune!!

Some 35 years ago I started to supply a local butcher with 2 lambs a week, we still supply that butcher but now around 20 a week for 50 weeks of the year. We also supply two more butchers and a local wholesaler and now directly supply 2,000 plus a year. We are so busy at the moment that our only local abattoir is struggling to keep up with demand and I have orders for the next 2 weeks of over 150 hoggets. I have told them the price will be at least £4.80. We are in danger of running out as they mostly want 19 to 23 kg max. The heavies we will probably put through the market.
We lost the last large abattoir in the south east in 2001 after FMD (Invicta Lamb), we also lost all but two markets and only one that is of any size at Ashford remains. I cannot fault the auctioneers there and the comments knocking auctioneers do not apply down here. Yes they do not get the highest prices for stock but they ensure they always get paid! We only have the small ethnic or export supply abattoirs around London.

Where I am fortunate is that I just supply whole carcasses, yet the supermarkets mostly only want pre packs of cuts. The largest growth area we have is now "Farm Drop" through one of the butchers I supply, he has had to limit their supply to 30 lambs a week, I am sure this outlet will go from strength to strength after this is all sorted out. It is a lot of work for him, but because it is all on line he can adjust what he has in stock to the demand. But it does reduce waste and the pricing is on par with Waitrose.
The most difficult part of this type of business is we need to have enough lambs/hoggets that are ready at the weights they demand almost 52 weeks of the year. We only lamb March and April, but I do buy some stores as well.

I appreciate not everyone can do this but through small Co-ops it could be done. You do have to give a fair bit of credit and it is not for the faint hearted. I have just taken on a new butcher a month a go and once again started with 2 hoggets, next week wants 5!!

Sorry a little off topic what stands on the Invicta Lamb abattoir site now? Remember them well, even purchased a few items at the auction when it closed still have one of their scales in one of our boning halls.
 

Shebb90

Member
Location
Devon
I wouldn't bet on anything, 1 week ago no one could have predicted that crash. If everyone had that view, then the price will never rise.
Thing is I do agree but when things crash how many times do it pick right up again in a week or so. I just feel now that buyers have the power now nobody is going out most people have fill there freezes all up.money is likely to get tight too. Lambs are doing well they know we can only keep them for so long. Hope I am wrong but no way would I hold hoggs back now would keep going like I would.just my opinion.
 
If there are claims of low demand by the retailers it is probably because the shoppers panic buying over the past 2 weeks now means they will have to eat this first.
Therefore, if possible, do not drop all you have to sell onto this stagnant market until demand rises again as this just increases the supermarkets margins.
The usual lack of promotion of our produce does not help and it takes a company like Coleman’s to do it for us - AHDB/NFUs/Red Tractor - why do you expect to live of farming and do fek all!
 

Poorbuthappy

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Devon
If there are claims of low demand by the retailers it is probably because the shoppers panic buying over the past 2 weeks now means they will have to eat this first.
Therefore, if possible, do not drop all you have to sell onto this stagnant market until demand rises again as this just increases the supermarkets margins.
The usual lack of promotion of our produce does not help and it takes a company like Coleman’s to do it for us - AHDB/NFUs/Red Tractor - why do you expect to live of farming and do fek all!
Someone else mentioned the Coleman's ad several posts back, you do realise it was a joint venture with the NFU?
 
Location
Devon
If there are claims of low demand by the retailers it is probably because the shoppers panic buying over the past 2 weeks now means they will have to eat this first.
Therefore, if possible, do not drop all you have to sell onto this stagnant market until demand rises again as this just increases the supermarkets margins.
The usual lack of promotion of our produce does not help and it takes a company like Coleman’s to do it for us - AHDB/NFUs/Red Tractor - why do you expect to live of farming and do fek all!

The only reason that there might be low demand in the supermarkets for meat is because since Thurs it can take 2/3 hours just to get in the damn place.

Many people pop in on Sunday morning and pick up a joint of meat/ steak etc but no one is going to queue up 3 hours just for a joint of meat for dinner.

And yes I know the government has turned the UK into a basket case in less than a week!
 
The only reason that there might be low demand in the supermarkets for meat is because since Thurs it can take 2/3 hours just to get in the damn place.

Many people pop in on Sunday morning and pick up a joint of meat/ steak etc but no one is going to queue up 3 hours just for a joint of meat for dinner.

And yes I know the government has turned the UK into a basket case in less than a week!
Were you at sedge?
 

Northern territory

Member
Livestock Farmer
The only reason that there might be low demand in the supermarkets for meat is because since Thurs it can take 2/3 hours just to get in the damn place.

Many people pop in on Sunday morning and pick up a joint of meat/ steak etc but no one is going to queue up 3 hours just for a joint of meat for dinner.

And yes I know the government has turned the UK into a basket case in less than a week!
This is very true, just shopping for a few necessities has become a real ordeal, in fact an unpleasant experience all round. It will put a lot of people off buying food full stop.
 
Location
Devon
If it's the Daily Mail reporting that, it's a load of b011ocks. Please compare their virus articles with the BBC (which are actually fact based and updated every few minutes) you will soon establish that they are the masters of exaggeration. No wonder Mrs Trump sued them for 3 million, they are full of $#1%.

The Italians were partly responsible for the collapse of a major abattoir around your parts which lost thousands due to non payment for lamb. There is a reason why most will not send lamb there without payment up front at present.

If you really think you can lock down an entire country leaving people with no money + shutting down all the company's and their suppliers down that supply vital inputs to the food sector and it doesn't reduce food supply a few weeks later you live in cloud cuckoo land.

UK will be in the same boat in 6/7 weeks time I can assure you if we carry on with this farce of a lockdown and don't get the country back working as already no end of direct and indirect suppliers to the AG industry are shutting up shop, parts for some machines you cannot get already and if we and other country's carry on with these full on lockdowns for long that will get much worse in 4/5 weeks, some tractor makers are already saying that once the parts they have in the UK are used up that will be it and at best they reckon they have 2 months of supply of parts.

And how are people locked in their homes with no income and no help from the state for at least 3+ months let alone the ones that will get no help at all from the government supposed to buy food??
 
Location
Devon
Were you at sedge?

Yes but only buying for people that are either self isolating or are on the at risk list.

And just before Sid comes along and kicks off and starts shouting that I should stay at home I will point out that all the stock I bought for people that didn't want to attend the market either last week or today I did for free and do not expect neither want payment for buying the stock for them.
 

Ross121

Member
Location
Oxfordshire
Yes but only buying for people that are either self isolating or are on the at risk list.

And just before Sid comes along and kicks off and starts shouting that I should stay at home I will point out that all the stock I bought for people that didn't want to attend the market either last week or today I did for free and do not expect neither want payment for buying the stock for them.
What was trade like?
 
Yes but only buying for people that are either self isolating or are on the at risk list.

And just before Sid comes along and kicks off and starts shouting that I should stay at home I will point out that all the stock I bought for people that didn't want to attend the market either last week or today I did for free and do not expect neither want payment for buying the stock for them.
Was there any no mongrul steers in stores ? What was trade like?
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.0%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 35.1%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.0%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,291
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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