Defra data has highlighted a decrease in the total number of cattle and sheep during the last 12 months, whilst pigs recorded a 4 per cent increase.

This, along with other factors, has led to farmgate prices for beef cattle and lambs reaching above average levels due to the tight supply of livestock across the UK and beyond.

The provisional data for the UK June 2021 Survey of Agriculture and Horticulture revealed there were 9.53 million head of cattle and calves in the UK on June 1. This is a decrease of 0.9 per cent on the previous year. The breeding herd (beef and dairy) accounted for over a third of total cattle, but contracted by 0.9 per cent to 3.3 million head.

Glesni Phillips, Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales’ (HCC) data analyst said: “Cattle prices remain historically high – they are currently 36p higher than year-earlier levels and almost 49p above the five-year average – due to the tight supply over the last 12 months.

"This new data suggests that domestic beef production is unlikely to increase over the next year, however a slight increase in younger cattle, both male and female, may potentially improve supplies over the next 12-24 months.”

During the same period, sheep and lamb numbers also fell, by 0.9 per cent to 32.4 million head on June 1, 2021. A decline was seen in all categories of sheep, whilst the number of lambs on the ground dropped by 1.6 per cent on year-earlier levels.

Glesni added: “The reduced supply of lambs is reflected in lamb throughput numbers at UK abattoirs between May-September 2021, which was 13.2 per cent lower than the corresponding period in 2020. Despite trending closer to seasonal levels now, the average price for the time of year is still strong – 42p higher than last year and 64p above the long-term average.”

The pig sector bucked this trend with an increase of 4.4 per cent (or 220,000 head) in the total number of pigs in the UK which remains above the five-million mark for a fourth consecutive year. However, pig prices continue to come under pressure as a result of labour shortages in larger abattoirs in England along with the continued decrease in European pork exports adding to the volume in nearby markets.

For a full analysis of the Defra data, go to meatpromotion.wales/en/news-industry-info/market-bulletin