§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what has been the average(a) disposal sale price and (b) market price for (i) commercial dairy cattle and (ii) pedigree dairy cattle in (A) England and (B) Wales for each of the last five years for which figures are available. [136409]
§ Mr. BradshawThe average(a) disposal sale price of (i) commercial dairy cattle (ii) pedigree dairy cattle and the (b) market price of (ii) pedigree dairy cattle is not recorded by either Defra or the MLC and is therefore unavailable.
The average (b) market price for (i) commercial dairy cattle for the last five years is available, as an aggregate of (A) England and (B) Wales due to the few Welsh markets from which data is available. Six years data of the yearly average market price for Friesian Holstein dairy cows sold at auction markets in England and Wales shows the trend of livestock prices prior to the foot and mouth outbreak.
Average price of dairy cows sold at livestock auctions (England and Wales) Average price £ per head 1998 555 1999 489 2000 479 2001 616 2002 593 2003 744 Notes:
1. 2001: The yearly average price was calculated from data collected during January and February 2001, until foot and mouth forced the closure of the livestock auctions.
897W2. 2002: The yearly average price was calculated from data collected from the auction markets which began to re-open from February 2002 onwards, the numbers steadily increased as more markets opened after the restrictions were lifted due to the end of foot and mouth.
3. 2003: The yearly average price was calculated from data collected during the period January until October 2003.