April 2025

Mother nature has been on our side this week once again, it’s been a pleasure to drive around the countryside and see the fruits of everyone’s labour skipping about in the fields.

Many of the conversations we’ve had over the past week, have been about the horrendous weather we had this time last year, what a change on the year! Long may it last!

Cattle

Prime

Prime cattle records are being made and smashed on a weekly basis. The beginning of this week saw 700ppk accumulated and then surpassed with outlets paying up to 720ppk! And a 20ppk premium for angus cattle.  

Cow prices are cruising along in the 560- 580ppk providing a nice return on the old girls at the end of their life. With trade continuing to rise, and the diminishing cow numbers being reported on a regular basis, its safe to say that they have not quite the highest prices yet.

Store cattle are still an absolute flier, everything from smaller to good heavy grazing cattle are in huge demand. Cattle are not hanging around for long – with swift pickup and swift sales being the order of the day!

Cattle of all shapes and sizes are keenly competed for, especially smaller grazing cattle and rougher done cattle. If you are looking for some or thinking of selling some, please get in touch sooner rather than later.

Sheep

Hogg trade has steadied up again with many outlets on a stand on of 690-700ppk depending on location and spec. Many chillers are still full and export remains slow – but we are still managing to get them trickled into outlets. Loads are harder to put together as groups of hoggs are spread out abit more,

We currently have good demand for ewes, which with a number of different outlets handling them we hope to increase ewe numbers going forward, so please get in touch if this is something you would be interested to know more about.

Ewes with lambs at foot are in strong demand going forward, with many people looking to up their numbers after lambing time. We’ve also got people looking to buy later lambing ewes –end of April beginning of May.

Organics

Hoggs

Good standard weight organic hoggs are sitting at a base of 740ppk, depending on location and spec. Demand does remain firm, with organics been swiftly uplifted to avoid losing them to competition.

Cattle

Organic prime cattle are still very much in high demand with the premium stretching higher every week. Currently sitting around  740ppk. Please phone to discuss the options available. Organic store cattle in good demand.

Dispersal of Organic beef cows coming soon. Contact Eilidh Mundell if you would like to be updated when they are available, and details will be provided.

For sale

Large batch of organic cows – in calf and with a calf at foot - Eilidh            

8 Aberdeen Angus Bulling heifers – TB4 BVD tested -Northumberland - Nikki

Wanted

In Lamb Ewes, preferably cheviots but all breeds considered, due April - May - Eilidh        

Angus store Bullocks  - Eilidh

Highland x Shorthorn Heifers, roughly a year old  - Eilidh

Shorthorn Store Cattle - Eilidh

Calves off milk -Jonny

Store Cattle – all shapes and sizes  - ALL

Organic Belted Galloways - David

Contacts

Jonny Williams
Acting Managing Director  07817 702 988

Alex Norval
Acting   Procurement Manager 07787 826 355

Nikki Gilbertson
Senior Livestock Procurement Officer- Northumberland  07595 313 040

Eilidh Mundell
Livestock Procurement Officer – Central Scotland 07789 741 807

Lucy Bell
Livestock Procurement Officer -Borders 07879 602 962

David Marshall  
Fieldsman for Farmstock  07808 329 719

Colin Mair
Fieldsman for Ayrshire Country Lamb  07976 605 130

Ian Douglas  
Fieldsman for Lothian Lamb 07885 367 151

Helen Marsden
Fieldsman for Dumfries and Galloway 07778 799 261

Matthew Niccolson
Fieldsman for Shetland  07795 144404