Beef
Business and Policy June 2026 – Beef
Continued decline Beef prices continue a downwards trajectory, with many finishers now facing unsustainable losses on finished cattle. Many finishers have seen a fall of approximately £240 since February 2026. The beef price has dropped by more than 20p/kg in the past month. Those finishers who bought store cattle last year when prices were at their peak are suffering most,…
Business and Policy May 2026 – Beef
Beef Prices Fall Below 2025 Levels Finished beef prices continue to disappoint, continuing a downwards trajectory now tracking behind 2025 prices. While prices rose sharply in spring 2025, reaching £7.20/kg at the start of May, this year’s prices are far less exciting with finishers margins being further squeezed. For the week ending 18 April Scottish…
Business and Policy April 2026 – Beef
Finished Prices Continue to Ease Currently, ‘sticky’ best describes where we are at with finished prices. By the week ending the 21st of March 2026, Scottish prices were sat at 642p/kg deadweight for R4L grade steers, back 1.4 p/kg on the week and 3.4% behind the same week in 2025. GB deadweight prime steer prices also recorded a decline for week ending 21st of March, with average steer prices sitting at 633.6p/kg, down 1.9p from the previous…
Managing Mastitis Risk During the Grazing Season
Mastitis is often associated with the housing period, when the risk of infection is typically higher. However, the grazing season also presents challenges. Environmental and clinical mastitis can occur at pasture, and somatic cell counts may increase. With fly populations rising and often peaking in the warmer months, it is important to manage these risks….
Business and Policy March 2026 – Beef
Finished Prices Pressured Despite processors reporting tightening cattle supplies, finished beef prices continue to be pressured and have eased back throughout February with current prices sitting at the end of February at around 640 – 645p/kg/deadweight, with Angus sired cattle still maintaining 10p/kg premium. For week ending 21st of February prices for Scottish R4L steer grades were sitting at 644p/kg/deadweight, roughly on par with the same week…
Business and Policy February 2026 – Beef
New Year Prices Remain Historically High Finished beef prices have started strongly and as of mid-January for week ending 24 January R4L grades were sitting at 650p/kg/dwt. Although prices remain historically high, prices have continued to trend downwards in recent weeks, with processors reducing prices by 4-6p/kg/dwt. Carcass imbalance remains a concern for processors as consumers opt for cheaper cuts and…
Artificial Insemination (AI) in the Suckler Herd
While more commonly used in the dairy industry and pedigree beef cattle, artificial insemination (AI) still has a place in commercial suckler herds because of the increased costs of replacement females and bulls, greater focus on calving intervals, and strong desire to improve financial and environmental efficiency within the beef industry. Conception rates achieved through AI using conventional semen can be 60 – 70% and…
West Coast Calves – Key Facts and Figures
Calves born and bred on the West Coast of Scotland play a hugely important role in contributing to maintaining Scotland’s critical herd mass. Suckler herds on the Western Isles contribute significantly to biodiversity, where extensive cattle grazing systems provide habitats for some of the UK’s rarest species including Pipistrelle bats, dung beetles, Great Yellow Bumblebee…
Business and Policy January 2026 – Beef
2025 Beef Trade Recap 2025 will no doubt be remembered for record farmgate prices with beef prices reaching unprecedented levels in the spring. At the start of the year, prices rocketed, with consumer demand and tightening cattle supplies contributing to prices lifting by 25p/kg/dwt in a fortnight. At the end of January, 2025 prices were sitting at 610-615p/kg/dwt….
Stock Talk – Basil Lowman: 55 years of Driving the Beef Industry Forward and Pioneering New Ideas
Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams. On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Dr Basil Lowman who has been a beef specialist with SAC Consulting for 55 years. Kirsten describes Basil as a legend in the beef industry. We hear about Basil’s varied career, his passion for the industry, how he thrives on challenge and is a pioneer of new ideas. Episode Timestamps 01.37 Let’s go back in time…