Weekly cattle and sheep market wrap – 9 April 2026

Deadweight prices cover GB for the week ending 4 April. Liveweight prices cover England and Wales for the week ending 5 April.

• GB deadweight prime cattle prices remained stable on the week ending 4 April with the GB overall all prime average reaching 634p/kg, down 54p/kg compared to the same period in 2025
• The GB OSL SQQ deadweight lamb price fell by 2p in the week ending 4 April, to sit at 866p/kg
• The OSL store lamb price average £131/head, a decrease of £5.40 from the previous week. Throughput totalled 8,000 head as fewer numbers came forward in the bank holiday week

Cattle

GB deadweight prime cattle prices remained broadly stable in the week ending 4 April. The average all-prime price stood at 634p/kg, down 54p/kg compared to the same week in 2025.

The overall average steer and overall heifer price were flat at 636p/kg and 634p/kg, respectively. The overall young bull price saw an increase of 2p to 615p/kg.

Prime cattle numbers contracted in the week, with the GB estimated slaughter totalling 29,600 head, down 2,000 head week-on-week, as the bank holiday likely limited kill days.

The overall cow price dropped back slightly to 527p/kg, a decrease of 1p on the week. Cow throughputs eased slightly, back 900 head to sit at 6,800 head.

Market reports indicated a mixed entry with some reporting less numbers coming forward, while others pointed to business as usual despite the shorter week.

Sheep

The GB OSL SQQ deadweight lamb price fell by 2p in the week ending 4 April, to sit at 866p/kg. This is 141p/kg higher than the same period in 2025 and sits just above the record high prices seen two years ago.

GB estimated kill reached 190,000 head, back 80,000 head from the previous week as shorter kill schedules for the bank holiday limited throughputs at abattoirs.

In the week ending 5 April, the OSL store lamb price averaged £131/head, a decrease of £5.40 from the previous week. Throughputs totalled 8,000 head as fewer numbers came forward in the shorter week.

The cull ewe price increased £20/head to average £179/head for the latest week, now sitting £34/head higher than the same period in 2025.

Trade remained strong across both live and dead markets in the run up to Easter as market reports suggested that numbers had tightened, which may signal the tapering of the old season lamb crop.

© Livestock Auctioneers Association Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

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