Beef production in the UK increased by 2% in 2019 to 914,400t, driven by increased carcase weights, according to the English levy board the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

Average carcase weights were 345.5/kg, which were 4kg more than the previous year due to better grass growing conditions in 2019, according to the AHDB.

The prime cattle kill was down just under 1% at 2.01m and while the steer kill was steady, the young bull kill was down 3.9%. The heifer kill increased by 3.4%, meaning less will be available for breeding, and this follows a similar trend for 2018.

Trade

The latest trade figures for the UK from HMRC show continued increase in beef exports for November 2019, up 23% at 12,800t, and it brings the exports for the year to date up to 125,600t, a 25% increase on the previous year.

However, values were only up 8%, reflecting a weaker beef market in the EU.

Imports on the other hand were down, with November's figure of 19,900t being 23% lower than for November 2018.

Ireland supplies 75% of UK beef imports, but Irish sales to the EU were down 9.6% for the year to November 2019.

A combination of weak sterling and poor UK consumer demand for beef drove the change in trade patterns in 2019.

Sheepmeat

UK sheepmeat production was 307,500t, more than 6% higher than 2018, due to a combination of higher throughput and heavier weights, according to the AHDB.

The total kill for 2019 was 13.15 million head, 337,000 up on the previous year. Weights were 600g heavier on average at 19.9kg and the AHDB suggests that the higher kill in the later part of 2019 could leave reduced supplies carrying into the new year.