SALES OF LIVESTOCK SOARING
LIVESTOCK sold through the sales ring turned over more than £1.8 billion in 2020, despite the unprecedented challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to annual figures published by the Livestock Auctioneers Association (LAA), well over 11 million animals were sold under the gavel in England and Wales last year.
Just under 10 million sheep and one million cattle went through the live system - an increase from 10.7 million across all species in 2019.
Chris Dodds, executive secretary of the LAA, hailed the upturn in throughput numbers in a year that saw a drop in production numbers in some categories. “The increased throughputs have been phenomenal, and this is in a large part due to the support, understanding and patience of our vendors and buyers, and in return the live sales ring is delivering strong market prices,” he explained.
“The live markets have pulled in more small and medium sized retailers and butchers during the challenges of the pandemic, by ensuring that the right stock is in place for them. In many respects, this has set the footprint for the future, with marts seeing lots of returning buyers and vendors to the live sales ring.”
The figures show that total cattle sales pushed well over the one million barrier, an increase of 30,000 over 2019, with overall sheep sales up 370,000 year on year.
Significantly, despite Defra figures revealing a 3.7% drop in overall mutton and lamb production, and a 15% drop in slaughter numbers for ewes and rams, slaughter stock numbers for sheep sold through the live markets have increased by almost 5% to over 6.8 million.
Calf numbers have risen by 10,000, up to 220,000, demonstrating how markets have adapted and align with the GB Dairy Calf Strategy, continuing to represent the largest viable marketplace for all calves.
The increased throughput and higher livestock prices were reflected in a £1.8 billion turnover - up £260 million compared with 2019.
Mr Dodds added that these “hugely impressive” figures should nevertheless be off-set against the considerable increase in staffing and market operational costs, managing and policing bio-secure sales environments, including the stringent additional Covid-19 protocols in place that has meant the markets have remained open.