According to the latest beef kill figures, the factory supply of finished cattle in the first 19 weeks of this year is 35,678 head (excluding veal) behind figures from the same time last year.
While supplies are lower than last year, beef kills are remaining consistent in size, ranging between 32,000 head and 30,500 head for the past four consecutive weeks.
In the same four weeks of last year, weekly beef kills ranged from 31,600 head of cattle to 37,000 head of cattle.
The graph below shows the weekly beef kill to date this year compared to last year excluding veal:
Beef kill
The table below outlines individual categories, which show a decline in kills across them all.
The table below shows the beef kill (excluding veal) in the first 19 weeks of this year and last year:
Category Week 19
2023Week 19
2022Cumulative
2023Cumulative
2022Cumulative
differenceYoung Bulls 2,348 3,134 47,557 55,957 -8,400 Bulls 698 766 9,604 9,987 -383 Steers 12,439 13,774 227,376 239,342 -11,966 Cows 6,986 8,003 141,689 145,932 -4,243 Heifers 9,169 10,048 184,014 194,700 -10,686 Total 31,640 35,725 610,240 645,918 -35,678
The steer category has seen the largest decreases, while the bull category has seen just a small reduction in numbers.
The cow kill had been ahead of 2022 up until week 16, at which point it fell behind and this gap has only increased since.
This week’s factory quotes see several of the larger factory outlets put forward quotes 5-10c/kg lower for all types of cattle.
Prices had been remaining relatively steady for the past three months and the move to reduce quotes will come as a surprise to many beef finishers.