Beef prices look stand-on for the week at £3.37p/kg to £3.45/kg for an R4L steer. QMS is quoting prices at 8.5% below last year, with a rise in supply of 3% on the year. A lift of 5.4% in beef exports failed to offset a 2.2% lift in domestic production and a 6% rise in imports, driven by a sharp increase in frozen beef.

In the 12 weeks to mid-July 2019, beef sales dropped by 2.7% as the sharp reduction in demand for burgers and steaks more than offset a recovery in spending on roasts, stewing beef and mince.

The official AHDB price continued to remain firm at £3.48/kg for an R4L steer. Same-grade heifers are up 1p/kg to £3.49/kg and same-grade young bulls are also up 1p/kg to £3.29/kg. Cows grading O-4L are getting around £2.50/kg, which is down 2p/kg, with R grade fat cows getting £2.71/kg.

Farmers are still getting around £3.85/kg for R3 lambs in Scottish abattoirs, with the UK price falling back 1p/kg to £3.94/kg for the same grade.

Finished sheep in the live ring are making £1.76/kg liveweight, which is down 3p/kg on average at live markets. Heavier lambs are making £1.71/kg which is down 5p/kg. Demand for lamb in the live ring could have slackened with the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival over. In total, 16,745 lambs were traded through the live ring, a rise of nearly 300 lambs on the week, while 6,598 ewes were sold, a fall of nearly 2,000 on the week with an average price of £57/head, down £5/head.

There were big store sheep sales at Caithness, Lairg, Dingwall and the two Stirling marts this week. Prices averaged £57/head, back £2 on the week. Short-keep stores were in demand.