AHDB: Lamb prices ease in January
Overall throughputs (NSL+OSL) for January totalled 486,700 head, down 5.7% (-29,700 head) on year earlier levels and also down 3.5% (-17,600 head) on the 5-year average. Weekly throughputs averaged 97,300 head due to two quieter weeks (w/e 14 Jan & w/e 21 Jan).
Cull ewe prices averaged £79.18 in January, down 14.3% (-£13.20) on the previous year. Weekly movements followed a similar trend to lamb prices, with prices at their highest at the beginning of the month and easing at the end of the month, although prices are up £6.01/head on the 5-year average.
Throughputs of cull ewes totalled 183,500 head in January, down by 7.7% (-13,000 head) on January 2022’s throughputs but up 15.0% (24,000 head) on the 5-year average.
Deadweight prices averaged 514.6p/kg in January, down 78.6p/kg on the year (-13.3%) but an increase of 26.6p/kg (5.5%) on the 5-year average. Prices for OSL peaked in w/e 07 Jan and eased by 29p at the end of the month.
Total January slaughter numbers were estimated at 1.06 million head, up 1.8% (18,200 head) on year earlier levels. However this is down 3.1% (-33,600 head) on the 5-year average for January.
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