March 27, 2007

UK boosts beef exports
 

Nearly 76,000 dairy-bred British calves have been exported following the lift of its ban on beef exports in May 2006, reports the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) and the English Beef and Lamb Executive (Eblex).

BCMS and Eblex data show that last year's GB cattle shipments has increased by 18,000 heads to 2.77 million, up by 1 percent from 2005, but down by 175,000 per year on 2003 and 2004 levels. The destinations were mainly to Netherlands, Belgium and France.

Eblex Economics and Policy Manager, Mark Topliff said the monthly figures for 2006 have indicated the sharp annual decline in calf registrations which started in 2005 and has continued for the first three months of the year.

But it was immediately followed by an increase of over 53,000 heads or 2.5 percent from April to December which renewed confidence of live cattle exporters, according to Topliff.