Beef prices steady as factories weigh up cutting kill days

Beef prices have eased a shade in the UK, which the processors are pointing to as justifying a tighter grip on upward movement on the factory quotes in the weeks ahead, writes Martin Ryan

While the first half of 2025 has been a very positive experience for beef producers, which was a dire necessity to restore some element of confidence in the sector, the processors were put under pressure, and inevitably will revise their supply contracts on volume and price forward at renewal time. File picture

The beef prices at the factories are holding steady this week, with the prices unchanged, while some of the processing plants are understood to be considering reducing the number of slaughtering days to adjust to the lower intake.

With no indication that the supply of cattle available to the factories over the remaining months of this year will recover to near the previous year’s level, the processors are believed to be considering their options to avoid becoming embroiled in an all-out ‘price war’ to get stock over the coming months.