Price trends

The finished cattle trade eased at GB auction markets (week ended 9 September). The overall prime cattle average was 1p lower on the week at 152.5p/kg.

Steers were back 2p week-on-week at 152.4p/kg, while the heifer average eased by 1p to 157.5p/kg.

Deadweight cattle prices in GB levelled in the week ended 5 September. The overall steer price increased marginally to average 282.5p/kg while heifer and young bull prices were at 279.5p/kg and 270.6p/kg respectively.

Between July and August, the gap between the farmgate and retail beef price narrowed slightly to 51%.

In August, braising steak and rump steak were the only cuts to record small price increases, both up by 1% to £7.42/kg and £12.53/kg respectively.

The largest monthly fall was for standard mince, down by 3% to £3.80/kg.

Sheep

The GB SQQ price averaged 142p/kg (week ended 9 September). Demand for cull ewes at auction was firm with the overall average at £49/head. The deadweight SQQ fell (week ended 5 September) to average 321.9p/kg.

Between July and August, the producer price of lamb increased by 3% to average 324p/kg. In contrast, the retail price of lamb fell by over 3%, resulting in a narrowing of the price spread by nearly 3% to 53%.

Bone-in shoulder and boneless shoulder joints recorded the largest decline, down 6% and 5% to £6.17/kg and £7.64/kg respectively.

Pigs

The DAPP fell by more than 1p to 150.56p/kg (week ended 5 September). This was in contrast to the average sow value which rose again on the week.

The average weight of pigs in the DAPP sample rose by more than 0.5kg to 79.5kg, the heaviest so far this year and the highest average weight since early 2008.

Carcases were almost 1kg heavier (week ended 5 September) than in the same week in 2008 and similar to weights recorded at this time in 2007, when pigs were being kept on farm longer because of movement restrictions due to foot-and-mouth disease.

Last week, carcases over 80kg accounted for 47% of all pigs in the DAPP sample, compared with 42% in the same week in 2008.

Between July and August there was an increase in the gap between the pig producer price and the average retail price for pork as a result of a 2p/kg drop in the DAPP. The average retail pork price was unchanged. Meanwhile, the 1% increase in the price of loin steaks and modest increases in the price of boneless shoulder and loin chops offset the 3% decline in the price of pork fillet.

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