Beef kill: Supplies steady but over 6,000 head/week below last year
Weekly beef kill numbers have been largely steady since early November, hovering generally just over 32,000 head/week.
In this time period of last year, supplies were also largely steady but were 6,000-7,000 head/week above these levels, with kills running at around 39,000 head.
The major drop-off in cattle supplies in the second half of this year coupled with the strong uplift in prices are two of the most notable trends from this year's beef trade.
The table below outlines the details of cattle supplies in the week ending Sunday, December 14, compared to the same week of last year, and the cumulative kill-to-date this year compared to last year.
| Animal Type | Week ending Sun, Dec 14 | Equivalent Last Year | Cumulative 2025 | Cumulative 2024 | Cumulative difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young Bulls | 2,566 | 2,438 | 99,428 | 102,387 | -2,959 |
| Bulls | 282 | 404 | 22,708 | 27,590 | -4,882 |
| Steers | 11,395 | 12,039 | 600,527 | 666,116 | -65,589 |
| Cows | 7,863 | 12,253 | 344,447 | 434,226 | -89,779 |
| Heifers | 10,386 | 11,359 | 477,109 | 503,704 | -26,595 |
| Total | 32,492 | 38,493 | 1,544,219 | 1,734,023 | -189,804 |
As the table above indicates, the largest drop off in supplies this year came from the cow category, with the cow kill down by almost 90,000 head.
The steer kill has fallen by over 65,500 head and the heifer kill has fallen by 26,500 head.
The graph below shows how weekly beef kill numbers to date this year have been comparing to last year:
Most cattle supply forecasts would suggest the trend of reduced beef kill numbers will continue into the new year.
Beef supplies across Europe are expected to remain tight into 2026.
