Prime cattle prices rose across the board in the latest reporting week, despite an increase in throughputs compared with last week.
In the week ending 31 July, the GB all-prime average deadweight cattle price rose by 1.0p to average 405.1p/kg.
This is up 38.6 pence on the price for the same week a year ago, according to AHDB's analysis.
Throughput of prime heifers, steers and young bulls at British abattoirs was estimated to be 32,100 head for the week.
This was 6% higher than the week before, but still down on the same week last year (-2%).
Chris Gooderham, AHDB head of market specialists said: "Although year-to-date prime cattle kill is down on last year (-3%) we mustn’t forget how unusual 2020 was.
"2021 slaughter so far is estimated at 989k head. This is slightly above the levels recorded in each of the years from 2016 to 2019.
"[It] is, therefore, also above the 5 year average, albeit by only 0.3%."
Overall cull cow prices fell back this week, down 1.4p to average 292.4p/kg, AHDB's analysis shows.
Prices have been at, or around, the 292p per kg mark for four weeks now.
Cows of -O4L spec did show an increase, up 2.4p to 314.4p/kg. Cow kill at GB abattoirs was estimated to be 10,100 head during the week.
"While this is up 7% on the week before, it is down -3% on the same week last year," Mr Gooderham said.
"For the year-to-date, estimated cow slaughter stands at 301k head, down 5% on the same period in 2020.
"Unlike prime slaughter, cow slaughter is also down on 2019 (-5%) and the 5 year average (-3%)."
