Livestock rations are unlikely to see any movement on price for March, despite grain prices trending downwards during 2024.

Spot prices put imported rolled barley around £180/t, although that would increase to around £210/t when delivered on-farm, down £20/t from the start of the year. Soya is down by almost £100/t.

However, while imported grain and protein values have been falling, feed mills are locked in on forward-purchasing contracts taken out earlier in the winter.

Those same contracts helped insulate feed prices from increases in late 2023, when soya spiralled north of £500/t.

The expectation from feed mills is that lower grain prices will filter through to the trade later in spring, and with the South American harvest increasing maize and soya availability on world markets, grain prices will be under pressure through the summer.

Steady

With no change to ration prices, a 50% maize finisher ration will cost £285 to £290/t depending on volumes purchased, with a general purpose 16% growing ration priced around £295 to £300/t.

Dairy rations are trading between £320 to £360/t depending on the protein content, with ewe nuts in the region of £340 to £360/t.