Pressure on slaughter cow prices, sharp drop in Germany

The German cattle prices have once again taken a substantial step downward this week. In the Netherlands, the market still appears stable, but slaughterhouses have now announced clear reductions. VEZG has fallen significantly. Prices for O-quality cows have dropped by 15 cents to €5.60 per kilo. Prices for R-quality have fallen even more sharply. The German price for cows of basic quality has been reduced by 30 cents to €6.00 per kilo. The main reason for the price pressure remains the weak meat market. Sales of beef are still very sluggish. It was expected that the market would recover as spring progressed, but that has not happened. Because of the cold weather there is little stimulation of the market. Barbecuing has not yet started and terraces remain empty in the evening. This means that demand in Northern Europe is lagging far behind. Meanwhile, the phase in which there is still room for recovery is becoming shorter and shorter. If there is going to be an upturn, it will have to happen before the summer holiday. From July onward, demand falls sharply every year because consumers mass travel to Southern Europe. Even the best possible weather therefore does little to help. This effect may be somewhat less strong this year. Due to the high fuel prices, last-minute bookers will probably stay closer to home, which could mean demand is slightly stronger. Still, not too much should be expected from this effect, since most holidays were already booked before the crisis in Iran. Dutch prices still stable The lower German prices are likely having a depressing effect on Dutch cattle prices. Dutch beef prices have remained stable. Prices in all categories have been consistent for four weeks, as the Dutch industry organization Vee & Logistiek reports. Slaughterhouses are however still not satisfied with the current price level. They have again lowered their price changes and limited their prices more aggressively, it is said. There is still no evidence that this pressure is already having a visible effect, since the livestock markets are also reporting stable prices. Still, it seems only a matter of time before prices also fall in the Netherlands. If slaughterhouses gain more control over the market, prices are expected to decline further. Given the fact that the beef market is a European market and cattle prices in Germany are falling rapidly, prices are expected to decrease in the coming weeks. Slaughter figure remains high The pressure on the Dutch market for slaughter cows is likely to remain fairly strong. In week 15, the number of cattle slaughters was slightly lower than last year, but this was the week of Easter Monday. That means the slaughter figure of 9,014 cattle is closer to the level of a week in the run-up to Easter last year than to the number of 7,662 cattle slaughtered. The slaughter figure was no less than 17.6% higher than in the week of Easter Monday in 2025. In week 16, the slaughter figure seemed to stabilize briefly, but in week 17 a slight increase was visible again. This is a sign that the market is fairly ample, because normally after Easter you would in fact expect a decline.