Overview

• Slaughter prices for young bulls have topped €7 per kilogram, up about 50% since summer 2023, according to Bavarian data and VEZG.
• Retail prices for quality steak commonly range from €40 to over €50 per kilogram as scarcity drives costs higher.
• Germany’s cattle population fell from 12.6 million in 2015 to 10.3 million in May 2025, with closures and missing successors cited by AMI.
• The FLI recorded 17,854 bluetongue infections from May 2024 to April 2025, with this year’s case numbers markedly lower after vaccination and natural spread.
• Industry groups report no turnaround in cattle rearing and foresee limited price relief from small Mercosur beef quotas, while higher input costs such as pricier bull calves squeeze margins.