This week, lambs in the prime ring averaged £2.25/kg for medium-weight lambs, despite more numbers coming forward, while abattoirs are continuing to pay between £3.70/kg and £3.80/kg for R4L steer grade carcases.

The official AHDB price fell by 3p to £3.84/kg for an R4L steer in Scotland for the week ending 4 July.

The ADHB reports another small rise of 1p/kg on the average price for R4L heifers to £3.85, with same-grade young bulls losing 2p/kg on the previous week to trade at £3.71/kg.

Some marts have switched to sales every second week to ensure numbers through the ring on sale days

Cows grading O-4L were reported at £2.77/kg, which is down 3p/kg.

The number of store cattle sold through the live ring rose by 212 cattle, resulting in 1,637 sold in Scottish marts.

Some marts have switched to sales every second week to ensure numbers through the ring on sale days. The national average was £815/head, down £50 on the previous week.

Over 11,170 new-season lambs were sold through the prime ring, an increase of 1,877 in Scotland, with an average price of £2.25/kg recorded, down 4p/kg on the week – still a good trade for this time of year.

During the first three months of lockdown, shoppers spent an extra £45m at butchers’ shops than in the same period last year

Meanwhile, the UK average price published by the ADHB was £4.87/kg deadweight for R grade new-season lambs – up 28p/kg in a week.

The live ring also recorded 6,119 ewes sold last week, a rise of 1,131 on the previous week. The average price paid fell nearly 50p/head to £ 73.15/head.

The AHDB posted results on sales in UK butchers. During the first three months of lockdown, shoppers spent an extra £45m at butchers’ shops than in the same period last year.

This increase, equating to a volume uplift of 39% during the 12 weeks ending 14 June, came as people adapted to social distancing rules by shopping locally and visiting large supermarkets less often.

While the online channel has made big gains under lockdown, butchers have also experienced consistent growth within the meat and poultry categories.

This allowed their share of spend on meat and poultry to increase to 3.7%, a rise of 0.7 percentage points when compared with last year.