Livestock price data

Organic Livestock Prices

May 2026

 Courtesy of OLMC

N.B. Prices serve as a guide only and are averaged from information collected from key producers and traders. Accurate at time of writing but may alter due to market volatility.

For more information, please contact OLMC at olmc@olmc.co.uk or 01763 250313.

OLMC Finished Stock Marketing Report May 2026

Prime Cattle

The trade has started to come back a little, not at the pace the current conventional trade is experiencing though. Supplies of cattle are meeting current supply requirements and sales are reported to have dipped a little.

Average R4L organic UTM in spec @ 740p/kg deadweight.

Cull Cow

While the number of organic cull cows coming on to the market hasn’t increased significantly, we have seen a weakening in cull prices across the board. This is reflected in the conventional trade also. Better warmer weather encouraging consumers to light their BBQs will hopefully increase processing and prime meat sales as we go further into the summer.

Average R4L organic OTM cow in spec @ 560p/kg deadweight.

Lamb

The organic lamb price continues to rise as we see a strong abattoir demand for hoggets. The New season organic is some weeks away so reliance on what hoggets are still available will continue to fan this blazing trade.

Average R3L organic OSL in spec @ 900p/kg deadweight.

Tim Leigh 07850 366404

OLMC Store Report May 2026

The cattle trade has eased back in the last few weeks, and we are now seeing finished stock prices lower than last year by £150-£200. This is having a knock-on effect to the organic sector although up to now not as pronounced as in the conventional sector. Organic store cattle are starting to ease back by £50-£80 compared to the corresponding period last year.

As with any commodity price change, it’s never one single factor that effects the trend. The weather is not great for selling red meat, neither hot enough to stimulate bar-b-ques and outdoor eating or cold enough for joints. The economic climate is subdued with the problems in the Middle East effecting fuel prices and causing more food inflation than had been predicted. The four day weeks in April and May must surely put processors under pressure. All these factors conspire to create a downward trend. The store market is being affected by finishers realising lower returns but also the lower temperatures and north easterly winds and lack of warm rain is starting to impede grass growth in most areas.

Do I think this trend is permanent? No, I don’t. Cattle numbers remain tight and beef certainly hasn’t gone out of fashion, and this is a temporary blip, and I think cattle prices will recover but not to the giddy levels of last year.

Peter Jones

Other sources of information:

Organic livestock prices are also provided at: https://www.meadowq.co.uk/market-reports/

Scotland

Market information can be found at: https://www.farmstock.org.uk/market-reports