Last week’s store sale at Thainstone Mart saw prices for steers increase by 17p/kg to £2.25/kg. This is up from the previous week, when cattle sold for £2.07/kg. However, numbers of stores coming on the market have also increased, with 525 cattle moving through the ring, up from 114 at the previous week’s sale. Heifers sold for an average of £2.16/kg. Last week’s sale at Stirling also showed positive prices, with steers averaging £2.15/kg while heifers were at £2.06/kg.

There was a large sale of steers in Castle Douglas, with the average price for continental steers at £937/head, an increase of nearly £6/head. The number of store cattle coming to auction is also increasing, with 2,725 head sold over the past week, up from 892 head the previous week. Increased grass growth seems to have increased confidence in the market and farmers will hope the positive trends continue. In abattoirs, the number of cattle killed for the week ending 11 August was at its lowest point since Easter, with numbers down 5% on the same week last year. Average price paid for both steers and heifers was £3.72/kg.

ADVERTISEMENT