Big recovery in live cattle trade

LIVE cattle trading in the EU staged a significant recovery in the first four months of this year.

Nearly 530,000 head were traded, compared to only 279,000 head last year. After a sharp downturn towards the end of 2000 and into 2001, the business started to recover last summer as Continental beef finishers, particularly in Italy and Spain, replenished stock levels.

However, monthly levels still remained 25% below pre-BSE levels.