The beef price seems to have stabilised this week and R grade lambs are getting £5.40/kg in abattoirs. However, the cow trade could slip this coming week. Abattoirs are still paying farmers between £3.45/kg and £3.50/ kg for R grading continental steers. The official AHDB price is steady at £3.50/kg for an R4L steer in Scotland, which is the same as the previous week. The tightness of the official price and the price paid to farmers shows the decline in Angus premium.

The number of store cattle through the live ring rose over 1,000 head last week

R4L grade heifers are unchanged on the previous week at £3.51/kg, with same-grade young bulls down 1p/kg to £3.30/kg. Cows grading O-4L have jumped again, this time by 4p/kg to sit at £2.55/kg, with R grade cows making £2.75/kg but some feel this may slip in the coming week.

The number of store cattle through the live ring rose over 1,000 head last week, as 4,266 animals were sold. United Auctions had the most cattle, with 1,489 sold to an average of £ 974.51/head. The national average was £935/head, down £8/ head on the previous week.

Heavier lambs are up 6p/kg to £2.33/kg

Lambs heading straight for the abattoir are making £5.40/kg for R grade. Finished sheep in the live ring jumped again, this time by 6p/kg to £2.43/kg for medium-weight lambs, making a 44kg lamb worth £107. Heavier lambs are up 6p/kg to £2.33/kg, making a 52kg lamb worth £121. In total, 23,358 lambs were sold through the prime live ring, down 781 on last week. Over 5,740 ewes were sold, which is down over 200 head on last week. The average price rose £1/head to £78/head.

The national average for store lambs was £73.45/head, up £5/head on last week for the 2,534 lambs sold, which is half the number of the previous week.

Across Scotland, continentals made £79.50/head, up £8/head

Thaintone had over 1,000 store lambs through their ring to average £79.30/head, with continentals averaging over £83/head.

Across Scotland, continentals made £79.50/head, up £8/head; Cheviots made £65/head, up £14/head; and Blackfaces made £64/head, up £17 on the week.