Defra Updates Great Britain Animal Feed Price Statistics

Executive summary

Defra updated its 'Animal feed prices' statistical dataset on October 22, 2026, providing the latest figures for straights and compound animal feed prices across Great Britain. This dataset is a key resource for understanding market dynamics and informing policy decisions within the agricultural sector. The update includes average monthly prices for selected straights and average sale prices for main livestock categories of compound animal feeds, all reported in pounds per tonne.

Key data

• Total raw material usage by GB animal feed compounders (August 2026): 842.9 thousand tonnes^[2]
• Total animal feed production by GB compounders (August 2026): 853.7 thousand tonnes^[2]
• Average concentrate feed price (July 2026): £295/t^[3]

Cropenta Market Analysis

Defra's latest 'Animal feed prices' dataset provides updated figures for straights and compound animal feeds in Great Britain, crucial for market analysis. This update, alongside AHDB's recent data on feed production and raw material usage, indicates a mixed picture in the GB animal feed sector. While overall raw material usage and compound feed production saw slight year-on-year decreases in August 2026, there were notable shifts in specific livestock feed categories, such as a significant decline in pig feed production and an increase in sheep feed production. Concentrate feed prices also showed a slight downward trend in July 2026 compared to the previous month and year.^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}

Why it matters

• Provides current official statistics on animal feed prices, essential for procurement and formulation decisions.
• Highlights shifts in raw material usage and compound feed production across different livestock categories in Great Britain.
• Offers insights into price trends for concentrate feeds, influencing cost management for feed manufacturers.

Defra Updates Animal Feed Price Data

Defra, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, released its updated 'Animal feed prices' statistical dataset on October 22, 2026 ^[1]. This update provides the most recent figures for both straights and compound animal feed prices across Great Britain. The dataset is a crucial resource for policymakers, academics, and researchers within the agricultural sector, offering insights into market dynamics and supporting informed decision-making ^[1].

The updated dataset includes average monthly prices for selected straights and average sale prices for the main livestock categories of compound animal feeds ^[1]. All prices within the Defra dataset are consistently reported in pounds (£) per tonne ^[1]. Straights feed prices are updated on a monthly basis, while compound animal feed prices are updated quarterly, specifically in February, May, August, and November ^[1].

Complementary Market Data from AHDB

In addition to Defra's price statistics, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) publishes complementary monthly data on the volume of animal feed produced by manufacturers in Great Britain and the raw materials used ^{[2, 4]}. AHDB's 'GB animal feed production' data was last updated on October 1, 2026 ^[2].

According to AHDB's data for August 2026, the total raw material usage by GB animal feed compounders amounted to 842.9 thousand tonnes, marking a 2.0% decrease year-on-year ^[2]. Total animal feed production by GB compounders in August 2026 was 853.7 thousand tonnes, representing a 2.7% decrease compared to the previous year ^[2].

Further breakdown of AHDB's August 2026 figures shows specific trends across livestock categories: cattle and calf feed production by GB compounders was 328.0 thousand tonnes, a 0.6% decrease year-on-year ^[2]. Pig feed production saw a notable decline, reaching 112.6 thousand tonnes, down 19.3% from the previous year ^[2]. Poultry feed production also decreased by 2.9% year-on-year, totaling 288.0 thousand tonnes ^[2]. In contrast, sheep feed production by GB compounders increased significantly by 23.8% year-on-year to 65.0 thousand tonnes ^[2].

AHDB's data also provides insights into concentrate feed prices, with an average of £295/t in July 2026. This figure represents a £1/t decrease from June 2026 and a £3/t decrease compared to July 2025 ^[3].

What to monitor

• Next Defra 'Animal feed prices' update (monthly for straights, quarterly for compounds)
• Next AHDB 'GB animal feed production' data release

Disclaimer

This article, including the market analysis, has been compiled automatically from publicly available sources and is intended for information purposes only. The content does not constitute advice and does not necessarily represent the views of Cropenta. No rights can be derived from the information. Cropenta gives no guarantees as to its accuracy or completeness and, to the extent permitted by law, accepts no liability for its use.