The article highlights a significant increase in R4L steer prices in Scotland, defying the usual trend of falling prices at this time of year, with a 18.5% rise from the previous year and a 30% increase compared to the five-year average. This surge is attributed to various factors, including a decrease in prime cattle availability in Scotland due to an reduced breeding herd and an increase in store cattle being exported to England since autumn 2021, contrasting with a rise in prime cattle numbers in England and Wales at the beginning of 2023. The article also notes a slight decrease in calf registrations in Scotland in 2022, which could lead to a tightening of prime cattle availability in the first quarter of 2025. Additionally, it mentions record high cow prices and a reduction in the volume of beef added to the UK market in 2022.