Cull cow price shows 7.6% increase

Strong continental demand for manufacturing cow beef has resulted in year-to-date cull cow prices showing the biggest improvement for any category in the beef sector.

The cull cow price for the first four months of 2006 has shown a 7.6% increase on the same period in 2005 with the number of cows processed at the export plants up 29%, an increase of 21,000 head to 93,599.

Cow supplies have been tight on the continent this year and cow disposals in the UK, following the ending of the OTM Scheme last November, have been lower than expected. Demand for manufacturing beef has been strong across Europe, leading to increased competition between export plants for cows, and prices which have reached 102p/lb for quality cows in recent weeks, showing the average year to date price up 7.6%.