Optimising market opportunities for lamb this summer
The GB lamb market has been on fire recently with prices continuing to听surpass听the usual market highs over easter and Ramadan.听Strong demand was experienced over the Muslim festival of Ramadan and Eid, the trade rose 110p over a听three-week听period peaking the week after Eid. This is a strong reminder of the importance of this听festival on the British lamb market.听
Deadweight听price听for a听2026 born R3L听peaking听at 942.5听ppkg, 189.3听ppkg听ahead of last year听(AHDB w/e 23/6/25).听This has听eased slightly听due to听more听new season听lambs coming onto the market to sit at听935.7听ppkg听(w/e听6/6/26).听Liveweight price听is also telling a similar story听with听prices听peaking听at an average of 465.52 (w/e听6/6/26)听a 24.6% increase year on year.听听
Prices have听been driven by听several听factors including听further contractions in the UK flock. Latest figures published by AHDB in April show a continued decline in the national flock, the data shows a 2.1% reduction in the UK flock on the previous year.听Last year鈥檚 drought during spring and summer months coupled with disease (Schmallenberg听and Bluetongue) has reduced lamb numbers,听impacting听the supply earlier in year.听Supply was听impacted听earlier on in Q1 with a strong number of hoggs carried over into Q1 this year, supply has since trickled off as into Q2. Numbers are now picking up again with the arrival of this year鈥檚 lamb crop to the market.听
Demand has听remained听strong听driven by听exports into the EU with Q1 exports up 18%听year on year听and the EU听commission estimating a 5% increase in听imports in the EU听over the next year,听the picture here is positive听provided UK supply allows.听Domestic demand is more听of a听steady听picture听with lamb spend increased,听but听overall volumes slightly down.听Imports听into the UK听are听remaining听steady with Australia听largely offsetting听the reduction in lamb coming across from听New Zealand.听Flock decline is not confined to the UK as worldwide inventories and听projections highlight declines. Australia is predicting a 2.7% decline in their national flock on the year according to MLA (Meat & Livestock Australia). They also predict to slaughter 11% less lambs on the year.听听听
The strength of the current market brings with it听opportunities for producers to听capitalise.听The first place to start is听by听monitoring听this year鈥檚听lamb flock听to assess if they听on track听to hit the market by their target date.听We听can听then听identify听potential areas to either optimise growth to听hit the market sooner or where potential cost savings may be made in to order to improve margin听and therefore potentially profitability during a strong听market.听听
Nutrition听will undoubtedly听play a key role in both these targets, being a key driver for performance.听听
Nutritional opportunities to optimise gain:听听
- Increasing gain from grass听鈥� is grass quality and quantity available sufficient to keep up with demand and optimise performance, could grazing strategy be improved?听听
- Optimising home-grown inputs听鈥� silage/hay quality, forage cropping for overwintering hoggs,听other feed resources available on farm听such as听brassicas, cereals, legumes etc.听
- Consider creep feeding to get lambs away quicker听especially as grazing availability reduces later in the season.听听
- Trace element status听鈥� are lambs in听an听optimum听trace element status听to support performance?听听
Other听considerations听听
- Worm control听strategy.听
- Stocking density听鈥� is the stocking density correct for grazing available?听听
- Weaning date/protocol听to reduce check while optimising performance of both the lamb and听ewe.听听
Lorna Shaw, Ruminant Nutritionist,听Lorna.Shaw@sac.co.uk
Posted by SAC Consulting on 16/06/2026
