Now may be a good time to sell cattle but sheep farmers should be in no hurry to rush lambs off to market, according to livestock auctioneer Harrison and Hetherington (H&H).
Across its eight marts in Scotland and northern England, store cattle have seen sales averaging £1,400 recently, and prices for calves, stirks and young bulls have lifted.
This year’s beef trade started well, and although it has slowed with the poorer weather, beef cattle prices are still “relatively good”, H&H said.
Window of opportunity
Grant Anderson, commercial sales manager and sales team leader at the firm, added: “Prices for store cattle are good and supply is still tight.
“Farmers could take advantage of this and sell ahead of the usual August-September rush for the same margins.”
The less than summery weather has “definitely impacted beef sales”, Mr Anderson said.
“Prices for store cattle are good and supply is still tight.” Grant Anderson, Harrison & Hetherington
Carlisle-based H&H uses mart data available through the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers to compare trends year-on-year:
Mr Anderson said: “The analysed mart data is a really good resource to see when the prime time to sell is for both cattle and sheep. It also tells you what breeds are producing the best returns.
“It’s then combining this with what’s happening in real time that farmers use to make some key strategic decisions on when to buy and sell as well on their feeding and breeding management.
Farmers ‘taking a much closer look at costs and returns’
“We are seeing our customers taking a much closer look at costs and returns at the moment.”
Farmers could consider selling differently this year and fetch good prices for their cattle earlier than usual, he said.
Lamb has seen “some real highs” this year, with ethnic festivals, Easter and lower imports driving demand, he said, adding: “It’s been a perfect combination of key celebrations rolling into one another.
“We’ve seen lambs go for £50-100 per head more than we’d ever imagined.
“But there’s now a bit of a lull in the trade, so buyers are looking not for numbers but for quality.
“This is hard when at this time of year farmers are keen to get lambs off farm to get much-needed income and to avoid the cost of feeding them to reach target weights.”
Fewer lambs going forward
Prices have weakened following another cold and wet lambing season.
Mr Anderson continued: “We are just not seeing the prices unless they are well finished.
“Lambs should be at least 43kg (95llbs) to get the maximum returns.”
Going forward, there will be fewer lambs available this year due to the bad weather and disease affecting lambing, which may mean lower supply again next year, he predicted.
There is also a high cull value in ewes.
Many farmers are “watching the market and the impact of the cost of living, and taking a hard look at their businesses,” Mr Anderson said.
He added: We are seeing some key strategic decisions being made, some of which include reducing their numbers, and this means supply will be tight.
“It will be interesting to see how the markets develop.
“But, as these different impacts come together, the marts will have an even greater role in price discovery and ensuring sellers and buyers get the best price on the day.”
Conversation