date:Jun 22, 2012
supplies globally led to strong livestock prices during 2011 and this generated increased confidence in the cattle and sheep sectors.
However this confidence failed to materialise into greater stock numbers as producers took high prices as an incentive to cull their least productive breeding animals.
Confidence
The Scottish suckler herd numbers fell for the first time in four years last year. At 522,000 head it was 2.5% smaller than in 2010.
The breeding ewe flock fell by 1.7% to total falli