Surge of Cull Cow Slaughterings in France
FRANCE - French cattle slaughter figures are showing a 1.6 per cent year-on-year drop in the total cumulative calendar year to August 31 at 3.3 million, according to the national agricultural statistics agency Agreste.
29 September 2008
2 minute read
The agency also started recording higher slaughter rates in July, which have been sustained during August.
Agreste reports a late summer peak of cull cow slaughterings in July, when cow slaughterings were up 9.7 per cent year-on-year, compared to a year-on-year rise of 3.4 per cent during August.
This has been accompanied by a 2.9 per cent year-on-year decline in heifer slaughterings, bringing August year-to-date totals to 281,088 heifers and 1,077,604 cows.
The figures also show an 8 per cent year-on-year drop in the number of male cattle (all categories) slaughtered during August, compared to 6.5 per cent year-on-year for July.
Total male slaughterings January to August reached 898,153, of which bullocks accounted for nearly 700,000.
Adult cattle have maintained stable liveweight prices this year, at around 1.7 euros/kg, above 2007 rates.
Agreste's trends for the consumption of beef and veal, however, have been below the corresponding 2007 levels throughout this year.
| French cattle slaughtering figures (adjusted for working days) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (head) | July 2008 | August 2008 | Y-o-y change August 2008/7 | Year to date (January – August) 2008 | Y-o-y change in ytd 2008/7 (%) |
| Beef cattle | 19660 | 22836 | -7.2 | 157746 | -4.6 |
| Young bulls (entire) | 88518 | 87610 | -8.5 | 692453 | 2.8 |
| Adult bulls | 5997 | 5570 | -4.5 | 47954 | 2.5 |
| Total males | 114176 | 116016 | -8.1 | 898153 | 1.4 |
| Heifers | 33430 | 35404 | -2.9 | 281088 | -1 |
| Cows | 132954 | 138425 | 3.4 | 1077604 | -4 |
| Total adults | 280560 | 289845 | -2.3 | 2256846 | -1.6 |
| Slaughter Calves | 122492 | 130286 | 8.5 | 1043862 | -1.8 |
| Total cattle | 403051 | 420131 | 0.8 | 3300708 | -1.6 |
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