Beef kill: Weekly factory cattle supplies remain below 30,000 head
Latest beef kill figures show that the weekly factory cattle supplies are remaining below 30,000 head.
To put this into context, this time last year, weekly beef kill numbers were approaching 40,000 head of cattle.
The total 2025 beef kill (excluding veal) is now 72,500 head below last year.
The table below details cattle supplies in the week ending Sunday, September 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, Sept 14 | Equivalent Last Year | Cumulative 2025 | Cumulative 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young Bulls | 1,110 | 1,049 | 79,928 | 80,977 |
| Bulls | 431 | 589 | 17,977 | 21,593 |
| Steers | 13,505 | 18,283 | 437,554 | 463,426 |
| Cows | 5,480 | 8,033 | 256,324 | 304,736 |
| Heifers | 8,337 | 10,476 | 359,701 | 353,303 |
| Total | 28,863 | 38,430 | 1,151,484 | 1,224,035 |
As can be seen in the table above, 28,863 head of cattle (excluding veal) were slaughtered last week. This figure is more than 9,500 (9,567) head below the kill numbers in the same week of last year.
When comparing to the same week of last year, the biggest drop-off in numbers came from the steer category, followed by cows and heifers.
The graph below shows how weekly beef kill numbers this year have compared to last year:
The trend for the second half of 2025 has been one of lower supplies than last year, in contrast to the first half of this year where strong weekly kill numbers materialised.
No significant uplift in weekly kill numbers is expected for the remainder of the year, albeit some uplift in demand expected in the lead up to Christmas.
While prices have fallen in recent weeks, returns to farmers remain at record highs for the time of year.
There is some level of confidence at farmer level that the supply/demand dynamic will return to more favourable conditions for the farmer with finished cattle to sell.
