European Slaughter Cow Prices Lifting

EU – European cull cow values have bounced back this quarter, with France being the major exception to the rule.
calendar icon 15 April 2015
clock icon 2 minute read

Last year’s April to December slump has been addressed with strong gains in Italy, Ireland, Germany and the UK.

France’s cull cow price, Europe's highest in recent years, however, has seen a more modest increase, enabling both UK and Ireland to jump ahead.

Prices bottomed out in November in the wake of the Russian ban, although the sanctions hit some countries harder than others, say market analysts at EBLEX, England’s levy board.

EBLEX said: “Cow prices in Germany and France, for instance, declined by 50 cents per kg in the second half of the year, while prices in Ireland steadily increased during the same period.”

EBLEX noted France has lost its number one place for cull cow value in 2015, a record it held since 2012.

“This could be due to a greater availability of product in other EU member states, thus increasing the competitive environment for domestic production in France.

“The O3 cow price in Italy, for example, was 280 cents per kg in the week ending March 28 2015, compared to the cow price in France for the same week which was 315 cents per kg.

“Cow prices in Germany in recent weeks have caught up with prices in France. However, up to the end of January this year, German cow prices were over 30 cents per kg less than similar stock were demanding in France.”

Looking ahead, EBLEX says a reduction in demand for cows is possible in the UK providing consumers can afford more prime beef.

France, on the other hand, is seeing low prices – 27 cents per kilo below the UK. This could make France a go to place for slaughter cows in what is Europe’s largest importer and consumer of cow beef.

TheCattleSite News Desk

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