Scottish Prices: lamb lifts in the prime ring with over 9,000 sold in marts

This week lambs in the prime ring rose 9p to £2.29/kg for medium-weight lambs despite more numbers coming forward, while abattoirs are continuing to pay between £3.70/kg and £3.80/kg for R4L steer grade carcases.

The official AHDB price rose by 4p to £3.87/kg for an R4L steer in Scotland for the week ending 27 June.

The ADHB reports a smaller rise of 1p//kg on the average price for R4L heifers to £3.84, with same-grade young bulls regaining the penny they lost the previous week to trade at £3.73/kg.

Cows grading O-4L didn’t change at £2.80/kg, while fleshier cows are still getting £3.05/kg.

The number of store cattle sold through the live ring fell again during the quiet trading period, with a fall of 599 cattle resulting in 1,425 sold in Scottish marts. The national average was £865/head, down £49 on the previous week.

The live ring also recorded 4,988 ewes sold last week

Over 9,293 new-season lambs were sold through the prime ring, a rise of 1,574 in Scotland, with an average price of £2.29/kg recorded, up 9p/kg on the week.

Meanwhile, the UK average price published by the ADHB was £4.59/kg deadweight for R grade new-season lambs - down 9p/kg in a week.

The live ring also recorded 4,988 ewes sold last week, down by up 744 on the previous week. The average price paid rose £2.13/head to £73.62/head.

Meanwhile, looking ahead, global beef supply could be tightened as Australia looks towards rebuilding its herd after improved growing conditions.

Recent rain is prompting farmers to turn around their herd downsizing, which will limit the number of heifers going into abattoirs.

This could see beef production in Australia decline by 16% to 2 million tonnes, according to the AHDB.

This tighter supply is supporting prices despite concerns a few weeks ago that a recent trade dispute between Australia and China could have dampened them.