QMS Market Report – October 2008

Prices of cast cows also reflect the increase in supplies seen over the past quarter and have fallen substantially but nevertheless remain well above year earlier levels.

The UK prime kill during September was 22% higher than August but nevertheless remains 1.5% lower than last year. UK cow slaughterings increased 13% between August and September and the September kill was 60% higher than last September when FMD restrictions limited deliveries to abattoirs.

In Scotland the September prime kill also increased over the August kill but by a much less dramatic 7%. Year on year the September kill was 13% down. Scottish prime cattle slaughtering has been badly affected by a significant reduction in the number of non-Scottish cattle slaughtered. Compared with September last year some 1000 head fewer non Scottish cattle were killed with almost all of this decline due to reduced direct deliveries from outside Scotland.

In broad terms this fall reduced the Scottish prime kill by 3%. The relative abundance of cattle in England and Wales compared to Scotland has contributed to the premium in the Scottish producer price increasing from 2-3% in mid summer to some 6-7% currently.

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