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Friday 7th March 2025

What a week it has been! As the weather warms up, and the grass thinks about growing we start looking forward to the grazing cattle season and lambing time! Trade has been red hot across the country as the store prices ramp up. It’s been a week of YFC store cattle sales which has most likely fanned the flame.

Driving around the countryside, its lovely to see that the next wave of lambs have started to hit the ground with many early lambers well on the way to seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully, mother nature will be kinder to us this year.

Eilidh has an Organic cow dispersal coming on in the next few weeks – to include store cattle,

In calf cows with calves at foot. An exciting chance to purchase some super Scottish organic cattle. Please get in touch with Eilidh if you would like to know more. 07789741807 ‍

Cattle

Prime

As we head into March, it would appear prime cattle can do no wrong and the prices seem only to be set to climb. With several outlets adding 10p at the end of last week on to the already escalating prices. Current trade is sitting around the 650-660ppk with an added bonus for Angus of 10p
Looking forward, many outlets have reported that they see the price climbing further still to reach the lofty heights of 700ppk in the later part of the spring.
Abattoirs are currently chasing prime cattle, with uplift being fairly rapid, to reduce the chance of losing them to another outlet .
Cattle numbers are back in the UK - with reports suggesting they’re 1.9% down in the 2024 report. Obviously this will have a dIrect impact on the availability going forward. Conversations within the work place north of the border have suggested that cow numbers are slightly more stable than those south of the border.
The store cattle have been an exceptional price off the back of the prime prices. 300ppk was originally thought to be a strong price at the being of the autumn season, but now 430ppk is easily attained in the ring and on the farm
Competition is hot across the board.

Cows

Cast cow prices are closing the gap between prime and cast, currently cashing in at around 530 -540. Well fleshed cows are in high demand, commandeering a never before seen price. This price encourages those farms that may have given cows a ‘second chance’ in the past to get them away. Leading to a higher number of cows going off. Needless to say, this then has a direct impact on prime cattle coming forward in the coming years.

Sheep

Hogg prices have taken another lift this week with most outlets paying around the 710-740ppk mark - ABP have made a strong start with the NSL price at 760.
Hoggs didn’t get to the crazy heights that everyone predicted, initially it was assumed that there would be less sheep available going forward, encouraging a surge in prices. However, there’s still a lot of store lambs grazing roots up and down the country. The slowing down of the export jobs did have a knock on effect to the price with it loitering around the 690-700ppk mark for a while but in recent weeks we’ve seen a lift, even on the weekend Of Ramadan starting 10-20ppk was put into the price, lifting it to its current price this week.
Going forward, predictions suggest that the price will remain firm, given that Valentines, Ramadan, Easter and Eid are all nicely spaced out this year, a dramatic lift in price and panic buy seems unlikely as we get ever closer to the start of NSL period.
Stores are slowing right down, prices are good for good sheep, but on a whole there’s less stores changing hands at this time of year.

Organics

Hoggs

Organic hogg price is coming into its own this year with the price upto 780ppk, depending on location and spec. Demand does remain firm, with organics been swiftly uplifted to avoid losing them to competition.
Organic store trade has calmed slightly with less stores about and certainly organic ones, they seem to have moved out of the lime light for the time being.

Cattle

Organic prime cattle are taking centre stage on all fronts, this week prices have reached 740ppk to certain outlets, with demand set to increase as the season takes ahold.
Organic store cattle do not stand still long either, again realising hefty prices as the weeks go on. Good Angus bullocks coming in at 450-60ppk meaning 400kg spring born stores are fetching a strong starting price of £1800+
Organic cows are coming in at similar prices to conventional cows.

For sale

Large batch of organic cows – in calf and with a calf at foot- Eilidh
Large batch of Organic Store Cattle -Eilidh
180 Store cattle Charolais -Nikki

Wanted

In Lamb cheviots – due late April -may -Eilidh
Angus store Bullocks -Eilidh
Shorthorn Store Cattle – Eilidh
Store Cattle – all shapes and sizes Nikki/Jonny/Eilidh