The liveweight lamb price fell 2p on average across Scotland, with a price of £1.89/kg for medium weights.

Prices around the marts were more uniform than previous weeks, ranging from the lowest average of £1.86/kg in Castle Douglas up to £1.93/kg to £1.93/kg in Forfar.

Heavier lambs dropped 2p/kg for the second week running to £1.76/kg liveweight.

Numbers rose nearly 1,000 lambs to 18,752 traded in marts.

The deadweight market reports the price of R3L lambs were up 1p/kg on the week to £4.27/kg across the UK. Cast ewe through the ring were up 500/head to 7,805 as the average price fell £2 to £53/head.

The largest declines came from dairy males, down 22,500 head

The beef market rose this week, with an R4L steer reported by the AHDB at £3.62/kg, which is 5p/kg more than last week.

Same-grade heifers are quoted at 3p/kg more than the steer price. Deadweight cow prices are rising in price, getting £2.40/kg for an O-4L carcase, which is 8p/kg more than last week.

Last year, calf registrations in the UK were down around 50,000 head, which is a fall of 2% on 2017. There were 2.65 million calves according to data from the British Cattle Movement Service. The largest declines came from dairy males, down 22,500 head (-7%). Increased cow slaughterings over the last 18 months have had a big impact on registration decline.

Looking at population data for January 2019, beef cattle between 12 and 30 months, which indicates short-term beef supplies, are slightly up year on year. Looking longer term, unsurprisingly, the population of both dairy and beef cattle under 12 months is down year on year. These are further indicators that beef supply is likely to become a little tighter towards the end of 2019 and into 2020, with fewer cattle expected to be on the ground.