Analysis Milk
Cattle slaughter peaks due to falling milk prices
Slaughter cattle prices remain under pressure. Prices have fallen not only in the Netherlands, but also in our eastern neighbors. A robust supply of slaughter cattle remains a key driver. Due to the drop in milk prices, significantly more animals will be slaughtered in the Netherlands in early 2026.
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The pressure on Northern European beef prices remains clearly visible. In the Netherlands, the cattle price according to Vee & Logistiek (Livestock & Logistics) took another step downward in week six. This time, unlike the previous week, there was no differentiation between quality classes. The price for all categories decreased by 5 cents per kilo.
The decline is now also visible in Germany. The price of O-quality cows has dropped by 5 cents, bringing the price to €5,70 per kilo. Remarkably, R-quality young bulls even dropped by 10 cents to €7,00 per kilo.
Further price drops
The market reports that Dutch slaughterhouses have implemented further and more substantial reductions in week seven. The primary reason for this is a weak beef market. Demand for luxury cuts is weak even for this time of year, and meat trimmings have also fallen sharply. This is due to high consumer prices, which likely leads to a drop in demand.
High slaughter figures
Moreover, the supply of dairy cows remains quite ample due to weak milk prices, according to market reports. In the first six weeks of 2026, 65.713 cows were slaughtered in the Netherlands, the vast majority of which can be classified as "sausage cows." This is the highest level in five years and an increase of over 5% compared to the same period last year. In week four, the slaughter figure also peaked at 12.510 head, the highest level in almost two years.