January is usually a difficult month for prime beef and lamb sales following the over indulgences of Christmas and New Year, but so far, both are holding up well.

Latest figures show overall prime steer and heifer prices in Scotland marginally down on the week, with the former cashing in at 377.3p per deadweight kg, down 0.2p, but for 38.7% more, with the latter slipping 1.4p to 378.9p for a 79.3% increase in numbers. Prices are nevertheless some 10-12p per kg higher than at the same time last year.

This compares to figures south of the Border for the week ending January 13, which saw steers slip 2.2p to 355.6p for 21.7% more and heifers down 2.8p to 358.5p for a 19.3% rise in numbers.

And, with the fat trade holding up well, so too is the store market according to those in the know.

“Prime cattle prices are steady and with a shortage of larger stores about, forward cattle are making big money, which can only help the trade long term,” Primrose Beaton, cattle auctioneer at Lawrie and Symington’s Lanark centre told The Scottish Farmer.

“There seems to be a real shortage of larger stores, as we had finishers from all corners of Scotland at our last sale, many of whom had never been to Lanark, actively looking for cattle, which saw prices of up to £1470 for a heavy Charolais bullock, or 261.6p per kg for a Limousin cross.”

Notably, she said the heaviest cattle, weighing more than 600kg were also selling well with prices of up to 226p and 218p per kg.

It is nevertheless the penalties incurred for overweight cattle and the fact that most producers are selling their cattle at lighter weights that is helping to reduce the amount of beef in the market. It also appears to be one of the reasons why there is little if any backlog of prime cattle waiting to be killed, according those in the know.

“There doesn’t seem to be the numbers of cattle about and there appears to be is a strong demand for all types of cattle just now,” said John Angus, auctioneer at Aberdeen and Northern Marts’ Thainstone Centre.

“Many of the store producers who would normally sell their cattle now sold them in November/December, to cut down on feed and bedding costs when straw is so dear and because the trade was there,” he added.

“It doesn’t look as if the fat cattle trade can come back much when there doesn’t appear to be the numbers in the system,” concluded Mr Angus.

Thainstone has also seen a strong trade for the heaviest cattle with a 652kg Charolais stot and a 812kg Charolais heifer leading the gross prices per head at £1490 and £1480 at their recent store sale. Top per kg was 277.6p for a 308kg Charolais.

Further south, Harrison and Hetherington auctioneer, Grant Anderson has also seen a sharp increase in the demand for store cattle when the prime trade has held up well.

“The deadweight trade slipped 2p per kg down here over the past week so the store trade has eased but only slightly. Trade is still well up on the year and we have more buyers looking to buy store cattle than we normally have at this time,” he said.

Backing up these statements was the firm’s most recent sale which saw a catalogued entry of 808 head – a rise of 300 on the year – with the vast majority selling at four-figure prices. Heifers peaked at £1440 and steers at £1335, both for Limousin crosses.

And, while many producers have sold store cattle earlier than normal to avoid having to pay over inflated prices for straw bedding following last year’s poor harvest, to date, actual cattle prices appear unaffected in Scotland although they did slip this week.