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Live Animal Wholesaling in the UK Industry Data and Analysis
The UK live animal wholesaling industry is currently benefitting from buoyant revenue, as sustained high livestock prices, driven by the fallout of the Russia-Ukraine war, have underpinned industry turnover. Global feed and energy market disruption has translated directly into higher auction prices, ensuring that wholesalers who can secure supply or move stock efficiently are seeing top-line gains. Despite this uplift, operating conditions are far from easy. There was a sharp slump in export opportunities, following the UK government’s permanent ban on exports of live cattle, sheep, pigs and goats for slaughter or fattening in 2024. As a result, sales have contracted and competition has intensified within domestic markets, especially for lower-value livestock segments. Meanwhile, abattoir closures and chronic staff shortages have significantly reduced processing capacity, forcing wholesalers to absorb higher transport costs and lengthier holding times for unsold animals. Large national supermarkets have responded by using their considerable purchasing power to squeeze prices further, while direct farm-to-consumer sales and vertical integration by major processors like Cranswick continue to erode the traditional wholesaler’s role. Profit squeezes are exacerbated by volatile feed costs, one of the largest input categories and rising wage bills due to repeated hikes in the National Living Wage.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released December 2025.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom operates under the SIC industry code G46.230. Those in this industry wholesale live animals to farms, abattoirs and other animal-processing companies. This includes the bulk sale of various animals like pigs, cattle, poultry, sheep, goats, and horses. Breeding stock animals are also included in the industry. Related terms covered in the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom include wholesale bypass, foot-and-mouth disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (bse) and compartmentalisation.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom include Cattle, Sheep and Pigs.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom include Aviagen Ltd, Cranswick plc and JSR Farms Ltd.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom in 2026?
The market size of the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom is £656.6m in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
There are 538 businesses in the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.4 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom?
The Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom?
The Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom has been declining at a CAGR of 1.1 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom is expected to decline.
What are the biggest companies in the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom are Aviagen Ltd, Cranswick plc and JSR Farms Ltd
What does the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom include?
Cattle and Pigs are part of the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom is Aviagen Ltd.
How competitive is the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom?
The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Live Animal Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom.
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