FARMING
By Neale McQuistin
The directors of AgriScot have described their huge disappointment following a board meeting at which they took the decision to cancel the forthcoming farm business event.
AgriScot was unable to take place on its usual mid-November calendar date due to the use of the venue at Ingliston as a Covid Vaccination Centre; a new date was therefore set to hold the event on February 9 2022 instead. Now, new Covid restrictions, designed to combat the Omicron strain of the virus, mean that this February date is no longer possible.
Robert Neill, chairman of the AgriScot Board of directors, said: “The health and safety of all involved in AgriScot, from visitors to organisers to tradestand staff, is our top priority. That said, it is with huge disappointment and heavy hearts that we have made the decision to cancel the February event.”
Market round-up
Messrs Craig Wilson sold 1,089 prime and cast sheep at its opening sale of 2022 at Newton Stewart yesterday.
A feature of the sale was an entry of 19 ‘new season’ Dorset lambs which sold to a top of £137 or 281p/kg to average 279p/kg or £122.
The 885 prime hoggs were still a good trade this week. They sold to a top of £150 for heavyweight Texels, while another pen of Texels were also top per kilo at 287p. A small show of Blackfaces sold to £123 for heavy tup hoggs and to 272p for a different pen of wedders. All the prime lambs at the sale averaged 269p.
Cast sheep sold to a top of £168 for a very large Texel tup with ewes to £145 for Texel crosses. Mules peaked at £107 for a pen 17, while Blackfaces sold to £79.
C&D Auction Marts held its opening sale of primestock of 2022 in Dumfries yesterday.
Prime cattle were easily sold to 265p/kg for a Limousin cross heifer, while heavyweight bullocks peaked at 242p.
OTM cattle sold to £1,332 or 180p for an Aberdeen Angus, while dairy types topped at £1,402 or 172p for a Holstein.
There were also 781 prime hoggets sold on an improving trade on the week. Top prices were £145 and 300p for heavy Texels.
There were 424 hoggs in the 39kg to 45kg weight range that levelled out at 284p.
The 252 cast sheep peaked at £147 for Texels, while Cross ewes made up to £129 and Blackfaces to £92.
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