Beef prices appear to be firmly rooted at £3.45/kg for continental R4L steers up to 400kg carcase weight. While this is an increase of 10p/kg from the lows of the summer period, it still represents a drop of £120/head when compared with animals sold in the runup to Christmas last year.

Official AHDB price reports put Scottish R4L steers on £3.48/kg, down 1p/kg on the week.

Same grade heifers are up 1p to £3.49/kg, with young bulls at the same grade rising 13p to £3.33/kg. Cows grading O-4L are down 3p/kg to around £2.26/kg.

Lambs in Scotland continue to be paid £4.25/kg from abattoirs for R3 carcases under 21kg, similar to the previous week.

Heavier lambs are up 1p to £1.80/kg

The official AHDB deadweight lamb price is £4.25/kg for R3L grade animals, up 2p/kg on the week. Finished sheep in the live ring increased by 4p to £1.90/kg for medium weight lambs.

Heavier lambs are up 1p to £1.80/kg, as seasonal demand for roasts continues to rise.

In total, 21,983 lambs were sold through the prime live ring, a drop of 2,000 on the week. More than 6,364 ewes were sold, similar numbers to the previous week with an average price of £62/head, meaning price was unchanged.

Caledonian Auctions sold over 7,000 lambs last week to an average of £66/head, up £10.40/head on the week.

Dingwall sold the most cattle with 1,138 going through the ring

Across Scotland, continentals made £64/head, up £4. Cheviots made £52/head, up £3. Scottish Blackfaces averaged £45/head, no change on the week.

The national average for store lambs was £56/head, down £1 for the 14,696 lambs sold. Throughput was similar to the previous week.

The number of store cattle sold through the ring rose significantly, with 3,057 head forwarded. Dingwall sold the most cattle with 1,138 going through the ring with an average of £729/head. The national average was £782/head, up £4 on the week.