UK Poultry Output Drops, Eggs on the Rise

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UK Poultry Output Drops, Eggs on the Rise

Meat production declined slightly in March, but egg output and prices showed steady growth, revealing a split in performance across poultry sectors.

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Martina Osmak

Director of Marketing

Poultry Meat Production Falls

Total poultry meat output was down 1.2% year-on-year in March, reaching 147,700 tonnes. Broiler meat led the decline, with turkey and duck production falling 26% and 10%, respectively.

Chick Placements: Broilers Up, Turkeys Recover

  • Broiler chicks: Increased 1.7% to 91.3 million.

  • Turkey chicks: Down 12% in February but rebounded 24% in March.

  • Layer chicks: Rose 7.8% to 3.2 million.

Slaughter and Weights

  • Broiler slaughter: 88.8 million birds in February, up 0.8%.

  • Boiling fowl: Up 42% to 3.3 million.

  • Average broiler weight: Fell to 2.3kg, from a winter average of 2.4kg.

Egg Sector Strengthens

  • Egg production: 255 million dozen in Q1 2025, up 2.7% year-on-year.

  • Prices: Farm-gate price rose 3.5% to 148p/dozen.

  • Egg products: Production fell 7.9%, but rose 19% compared to Q4 2024.

The UK poultry sector shows mixed signals—meat production is down, but the egg industry continues to expand, both in volume and value.

Source: https://www.poultrynews.co.uk/production/total-uk-poultry-meat-production-falls.html