This week, abattoirs have held the price of cattle in Scotland, with R grading continental steers getting paid around £3.80/kg.

The official AHDB price increased by 8p to £3.82/kg for an R4L steer in Scotland for the week ending 17 June.

The ADHB also reports that R4L grading heifers rose by 7p to £3.82/kg, with same-grade young bulls also up by 5p to £3.73/kg.

The number of store cattle sold through the live ring was 2,231

Cows grading O-4L jumped by 8p to £2.82/kg.

The number of store cattle sold through the live ring was 2,231, which is down 956 head on the week.

The national average was £842/head, down £39 on the previous week.

Lambs

Over 6,217 new season lambs were sold through the prime ring, a rise of 321 in Scotland, with an average price of £2.22/kg recorded, down 15p/kg on the week.

Meanwhile, abattoirs are paying around £4.70/kg deadweight for R grade new-season lambs. This is down 20p/kg in a week.

The live ring also recorded 3,219 ewes sold last week, down by 285 on the previous week.

The 10,300t was the lowest production for the month of May for four years

The average price paid for live ewes rose by £1.75/head to £71.75/head.

Elsewhere, UK beef production fell by 13% last month, according to the AHDB.

The 10,300t was the lowest production for the month of May for four years.

The prime slaughter was back 12% year on year to 155,600 head, while the cow slaughter was 42,500 head, which is a fall of 14%.

The average prime carcase was 346kg which only 1% back May 2019.