German beef: scarce, sought-after and expensive
Within three weeks, beef rose by 50 cents to €6.20 per kilogram of slaughter weight (€/kg SG). He reported this to the members of the Beef Committee of the Lower Saxony Farmers' Association. While global supply is declining, demand is increasing - particularly from Asia. At the same time, Germany is experiencing an all-time low in its cattle population: In November 2024, there were only 10.5 million animals - a decrease of 3.5 percent compared to the previous year. Cattle were particularly hard hit, with a decline of 8.3 percent, followed by calves with 3.6 percent and dairy cows with 3.3 percent fewer animals.
A minimal price correction in January 2025, caused by the isolated outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Brandenburg, was quickly offset due to low herd numbers. Germany's rapid return to FMD-free status without vaccination, which has been in place since March except for a so-called "containment zone" around the farm with the outbreak, was crucial for further market stabilization in March. This made exports to third countries possible again. "Shortly after the FMD outbreak became known, many fatteners reacted very prudently and did not engage in panic selling. However, slaughterhouses have already suffered significant revenue losses due to the loss of sales markets in Asia and Great Britain. Germany needs these third-country markets to sell high-quality products, as well as offal and fat products", explains Hortmann-Scholten. The reopening of the British market is particularly important for German cattle farmers, as the UK currently achieves the highest beef prices in the world.
Experts predict that global beef production will continue to decline in 2025. The reasons for this include disease outbreaks, government programs to phase out animal husbandry, and stricter regulations. In the EU - but especially in Germany - the decline in production continues, as can be seen in the slaughter figures: By the 9th calendar week of 2025, 344,605 cattle were slaughtered, almost six percent fewer animals than in the previous year. This is leading to further price increases. Hortmann-Scholten therefore expects historic high prices for slaughter calves, cows, and bulls this year. The current price for a cow in Germany is €535 per 100 kg, while the European average is €509. Veal is also becoming more expensive: Since the beginning of the year, producer prices have risen by more than €1 to well over €7 per kg.
To ensure producers benefit from the positive market development in the milk and beef markets, the Lower Saxony Farmers' Association is calling for increased vaccination measures against bluetongue (BTV-3). Although almost 100 percent of sheep in Lower Saxony are vaccinated , the rate for cattle is only around 40 percent. "Dairy farms vaccinate more frequently, bull fatteners less frequently. The consequences are health problems for the animals", warns Farmers' Association Vice President Frank Kohlenberg. Vaccinating heavy bulls weighing several hundred kilograms is particularly problematic. Kohlenberg therefore advises vaccinating calves early on at the fattening farm to avoid later complications. There is also a financial incentive for vaccination: the Animal Disease Fund offers subsidies for livestock farmers. Despite the challenges facing cattle farming, current price trends show that German cattle farmers are benefiting from the high demand – provided they take the right precautionary measures.
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