April 2025

Greetings Members! As the month marches on at a swift rate of knots, so does the lambing and calving season. Mother nature is still smiling down on us, giving us tremendous weather. Farmers being farmers, we do have a tiny complaint,  a little bit of rain through the night would be very much appreciated.

Steak for tea anyone? Let’s talk about BEEF! With it being national Eat Beef Week, it seems only fitting to discuss the record breaking prices that we have seen come through on the hook and through the store sales. With everyone forecasting a shortage in beef numbers as a result of the national calf registration numbers being well down for the 2024 season, it would seem that the competition is as hot as ever. Store cattle continue to calve out new records across the board, with Scottish cattle noticeably dearer than their English counterparts. Well grown yearlings are regularly exceeding AVERAGES of over £1800, and the idea of the price starting with a 2 is not as far fetched as it would have been this time last year. Although this week seems to have steadied up ever so slightly, there is still a considerable demand for cattle of all shapes and sizes. Dairy bred beef calves have really come into their own, with dwindling numbers coming from the Beef side, well bred Dairy X calves ( as a result of sexed semen) have really gathered pace and demand.  Fat prices look set to remain steady, with rumours of 800ppk being within our reach. Organic cattle are as hot as ever, store and fat, with some people coming out of organics the availability is decreasing while the demand is increasing.

Cattle

Prime

Prime cattle records are being made and smashed on a weekly basis. The beginning of this week saw 700 accumulated and then surpassed with outlets paying up to 710! And up to 20ppk premium for angus cattle.  

Cow prices are cruising along in the 580-90 With some places suggesting 600ppk is on the horizon for good beef cows. These high prices look set to stay going forward, which as mentioned in previous reports isn’t going to bode well for those that sometimes had second chancers!    

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 685-700ppk 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, so please be patient when booking in sheep.

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 740, 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  765ppk to 770ppk  Please phone to discuss the options available. Organic store cattle in good demand.

Dispersal of Organic beef cows coming soon. Contact Alex Norval  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 (40 spring calving cows) - Alex          

Smaller batch 2o Autumn calving cows with calf at foot in calf again to AA  - Alex

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

60 Organic Store Cattle – av 475kg – Ayrshire  -to be sold on a weighed on wagon basis - Alex

Wanted

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