Beef prices have moved little on the week, with abattoirs quoting £3.37p/kg to £3.45/kg for an R4L steer.

The official AHDB price rose 1p/kg to £3.49/kg for an R4L steer. Same-grade heifers dropped 1p/kg to £3.48/kg and same-grade young bulls also fell by 3p/kg £3.26/kg.

Cows grading O-4L are still getting around £2.50/kg for the second week running.

In July, more beef was produced in the UK than estimated, with 75,500t of beef a fall of 1% on the year when experts thought it could be 3%.

This is leading some to predict tighter numbers in the back end of the year.

The average dressed weight of prime cattle increased compared with July 2018.

Steers were 2% heavier at 373.3kg, heifers and young bulls were up 3% to 337.5kg and 354.3kg respectively.

Farmers are still around £3.75-80/kg for R3 lambs in Scottish abattoirs, with the UK price sitting at £3.94/kg for the same grade.

Finished sheep in the live ring fell 5p/kg to £1.71/kg.

Heavier lambs are making £1.55/kg, which is down 5p/kg.

In total, 14,293 lambs were traded through the live ring, which is a fall of 2,500 lambs on the week.

Meanwhile, 5,154 ewes were sold, which is a fall of over 1,000 on the week, with an average price of £60.50/head, which is up £3/head.

The store lamb trade is building, as 17,660 lambs were sold in marts last week. The average price was £58/head. Continentals were making £60 to £62/head, Cheviots £49/head and Blackfaces the same. Good grass growth seems to be pushing finishers to buy and keeping the prices up.