Farming

By Neale McQuistin

A NEW cooking guide has been launched by Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon MSP, to support customers to confidently choose and cook with different cuts of Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork.

The 2022 edition of the Scotch Butchers Club Steak Guide, which aims to encourage customers to talk to their local butchers about different cuts and recipes, was launched this week at Bruce Brymer butchers in Brechin. The guide, named Let’s Talk About Steak, is now available from over 270 independent butchers that are members of the club which is managed by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS).

Ms Gougeon said: “This new guide is part of the continued evolution of the role butchers play in Scotland’s red meat industry; where they are seen as leaders in craftsmanship, product knowledge, provenance, speciality, and innovation in an era where consumers are striving to know more about where their food comes from.

“Alongside recipe inspiration and cooking guides, this guide also highlights the Scotch Difference – a guarantee that the meat you buy is sourced from quality assured Scottish farms that adopt the best animal welfare and production methods.”

Gordon Newlands, QMS brands development manager who is responsible for the development and management of the Scotch Butchers Club, says that butchers continue to play an important role in supporting consumers to cook with new and different cuts of red meat.

Market round-up

Messrs Craig Wilson sold 1,646 prime and cast sheep at Newton Stewart yesterday.

There were 1,184 prime hoggets at the sale where leaner and lighter types proved hard to sell resulting in an average of 249p/kg (-7p). Top prices were £134 for a single Beltex and 284p/kg for a pen of Beltex.

Blackfaces peaked at £133 for a pen of heavy types with lighter weights topping per kilo at 263p.

Cast sheep peaked at £174 for a Texel cross tup, with ewes to £137 for a Bluefaced Leicester. Mule ewes peaked at £103 for a pen of 19 and Blackfaces sold to £91.

C&D Auction Marts held its sale of primestock in Dumfries yesterday. Prime cattle met a competitive trade selling to 270p/kg and 260p/kg.

Dairy type OTMs sold to £1520 and 174p for a Flecvieh to average 129p, while beef types peaked at £1352 for a Limousin and 190p for a Charolais to average 144p.

A smaller show of 490 prime hoggets were a steady trade that peaked at £138 and 292p/kg for heavyweights. There were 263 hoggets in the 39kg to 45kg weight range that sold to average 265p (+5p).

The 433 cast sheep sold to £180 for heavy types to average £96, while light ewes peaked at £108 to average £70.