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21 Aug 2018
Increase in heifer slaughterings drives UK beef production
Increased heifer slaughterings have driven UK beef production through November, alongside overall prime cattle carcase weights increasing, according to AHDB.
Alex Black
Prime cattle slaughterings were up 1.5 per cent in November year-onyear, to 182,000-head, with heifer slaughterings the main driver.
Slaughterings of young bulls, steers and cows all decreased year-on-year. Steer slaughterings for the month were down 1.5 per cent to total 94,400-head.
In the year to November, heifer slaughterings stood at 707,300-head, up 4.8 per cent on the same period last year.
Weights
Tom Forshaw, AHDB red meat analyst, said: “Prime cattle carcase weights averaged just over 348kg in November, picking up slightly since October and also 6.6kg heavier than November 2017.
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“This is potentially abattoir queues building up in October, as producers looked to get cattle away before housing, which pushed some heavier cattle into November.”
Cow slaughterings eased off a little in November, having been higher for much of the year at 68,600-head, 2.7 per cent down on the previous year and similar to the previous month.
Cow slaughterings in the year to date now total 622,200-head, 34,000-head higher than in 2017.
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