Category: Industry & Supply Chain

RamCompare, the UK’s national sheep progeny testing initiative, is seeking new commercial farms to join the project this season across Wales and England. RamCompare “host” farms are needed to provide around 300 commercial ewes of a uniform breed type which are mated to terminal sire rams provided by the project using single-sire, natural-service mating groups … Continued

New data indicates that farmers are tuning in to savings by reducing calving intervals – but the statistics also show there remains considerable opportunity to further boost profitability. The average calving interval for beef dams in Wales was 420 days in 2024, according to the latest data from the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS), which … Continued

Trends underlying the red meat trade figures released for 2024 reveal likely and significant impacts on both beef and lamb domestic and export market dynamics in the future. Recently released UK trade figures are the focus for this month’s Hybu Cig Cymru-Meat Promotion Wales’ (HCC) Market Bulletin. They show UK beef production increased by four … Continued

Swansea based Robert Powell, a member of Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales’ (HCC) Meat Minds group, has been named as one of 13 new individuals to receive Master Butcher status to coincide with National Butchers Week (3-9 March). The beef and sheep farmer, who also works for Dunbia as a Fresh Food Operations … Continued

The RamCompare project is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2025 and is seeking new rams to join this year’s breeding season. The national progeny test, launched in 2015 and joint-funded by Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), needs rams or semen from performance-recorded, terminal sire breeds. Bridget Lloyd, RamCompare … Continued

Prime lamb and beef average deadweight prices reached new record highs during 2024. The prime lamb average reached a new historical high when crossing the £8/kilo mark in the spring, and beef achieved a similar status when passing the £5/kilo mark in mid-September. Both made substantial gains over the course of the year. In a … Continued

The UK flock decreased by 785,800 head to 31 million – the smallest flock size recorded for 13 years – the recently published UK June Survey shows. Defra data indicates the total sheep and lamb population in the UK fell by 2.5 per cent year-on-year from 31.8 million to 31.0 million head in June 2024. … Continued

Welsh red meat production is worth an estimated £768 million, some 37 per cent of the total value of Welsh agricultural output – just two of the fascinating facts revealed in a go-to, newly published livestock industry booklet. The Little Book of Meat Facts, the Compendium of Welsh Red Meat and Livestock Statistics 2024, crams 12 … Continued

There are many new opportunities awaiting Welsh Lamb in the international and domestic Muslim marketplaces, an industry expert told Welsh agricultural representatives at the recent Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) annual conference at Builth Wells. “Looking at the United Kingdom alone, there are 3.9m Muslims and our research suggests that 80 per … Continued