UK wheat used in animal feed production
UK wheat used in animal feed production stood at 236 thousand tonnes in Jul 2026, according to Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). It is one of the indicators in the Livestock, meat and feed table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 2010 to Jul 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Livestock, meat and feed table
| Indicator | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | 10-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All raw materials used, used in feed | 822.2 | 904.5 | 783.2 | 857.3 | 1,045.7 | 860.7 | 904.2 | 1,044.3 | 896 | 907.1 | |
| Wheat, used in feed | 236 | 268.7 | 227.4 | 233.3 | 277.2 | 222.5 | 233.2 | 278 | 238.8 | 245.2 | |
| Barley, used in feed | 92.4 | 100.9 | 85.4 | 94.2 | 117.5 | 97.9 | 102 | 126.8 | 107.2 | 107.1 |
Understanding UK wheat used in animal feed production
Official production returns track the monthly tonnage of raw wheat consumed by commercial compounding mills across Great Britain for inclusion in livestock diets. This metric measures grain utilised strictly as an industrial feed ingredient, separating domestic and imported milling wheat destined for animal rations from wheat processed for human flour production. It stands apart from sibling grain series by capturing the single largest cereal component in national feed formulations.
Seasonality heavily influences the series, with consumption patterns shifting following the domestic harvest period and fluctuations in global grain pricing. Analysts must evaluate annual cycles rather than month-on-month shifts to isolate underlying demand trends from seasonal livestock housing practices. Early releases are subject to routine administrative revisions as late-reporting mills reconcile their inventory records.
Frequently asked questions
- Is wheat used for human flour milling included here?
- No, this series measures only the wheat consumed by animal feed compounding mills.
- Does this cover farms that mix their own feed?
- Farm-mixed rations are excluded; the figures reflect commercial compounding operations in Great Britain.
- How should analysts judge short-term changes?
- Year-on-year comparisons are recommended to account for annual harvest cycles and seasonal feeding adjustments.