Scottish store lamb prices rise amid strong demand

Auctioneers are reporting stronger prices for bigger lambs and confidence in the trade.

Strong finished prices are maintaining confidence in the store lamb trade, with the average GB deadweight finished price at £6.66 per kg this year compared to £6.17 per kg in 2024. Underpinning this has been the smaller number of lambs coming forward to the abattoir. Comparing the weekly kill between 2024 and 2025 across peak lamb production in autumn shows between 4000 and 7000 fewer lambs slaughtered every seven days.

Poorer grass growth in much of England may have slowed lamb growth for some producers, but the majority of the industry has commented that the numbers on the ground are fewer than in previous years. As a result, optimism in the store lamb trade remains strong among sheep farmers.

Luke Holmes, auctioneer at Dingwall and Highland Marts, said: “The demand for stores at the start of the season was very good, but the lack of grass steadied the trade. Over the last week or two, we’ve seen more English and Welsh buyers coming north to take lambs.

"Our island lambs have looked as well as they ever have, maybe even better than the mainland lambs, and Stornoway has been well supported by buyers.

Stronger lambs have maintained good demand as buyers look for animals to go straight onto hoppers if they don’t have a lot of grass. The stronger end of the Cheviots are making £95 to £105 per head. Middle lambs are selling for £80 to £90 each, and longer-keep lambs are around £70.

"Suffolks and Texel lambs are fetching £110 to £115 each. If you’re looking for good keeping lambs at 30kg, expect to pay around £100.”

Alistair Watret, auctioneer at Dumfries Mart, said:“Store lambs this year have been very expensive and a better show than last year. Texel lambs are up £10 to £15 over the last 12 months, with averages around £118 per head and top prices over £130 each. The best of the Cheviots are going for £116 to £117, with farmers averaging £106 to £107 per head sent through the ring.

"Longer-keep lambs are trading for £90 to £102 across all breeds. Lambs are typically weighing 32kg to 35kg, and we’ve had very few small lambs coming forward. It’s been a good growing summer in the south-west, which shows in the quality of the lambs.

"Most buyers are putting lambs back out to grass to finish, with a few aiming to bring them through to the new year before moving onto stubble turnips and hoppers. With the weather, it’s mainly bigger lambs coming onto the market.

"Luckily, finished prices are strong, with values up 10p to 15p per kg in the prime ring. When store buyers are paying £120 for a lamb, they’ll need a strong finished price to make it all stack up.”

Graham Low, auctioneer at Orkney Mart, said: “We had our first special sale of store lambs last week with 1400 entries and averaged £96.19 which is £12.35 dearer on the year. We had a lot of people’s first draw of lambs with a top price of £128 for a Texel.

“A good short keep store lamb was making between £105 and £120, quite regularly. But it has been a funny year up here, we had a tremendous summer with plenty of grass, but the lambs have not done as much as the cattle. The lambs look well but have not put the flesh on. We are seeing plenty lean lambs coming through the fat ring.

“As a result I expect to see an increase in stores coming into mart. Texels and Suffolks have been doing well as every up here, with hillier breeds trading closer to £80 or £90 each. Anything Texel or Suffolk is over £100 per lamb.

“I would say 90% of the buyers are from Aberdeenshire or finishers further south. There is still a lot of grass in Orkney but I suspect farmers are keeping it for their ewes and moving lambs on.

“As cattle numbers in Orkney drift down we seeing more sheep about and selling more through the ring. In the last five years I would say we are selling 3000 to 5000 more lambs.”