With the news that African Swine Flu (ASF) has reached Sweden, NFU Scotland has reiterated some key messages to prevent a disease that would devastate Scotland’s pig sector should it reach these shores.

James Wyllie, pigs committee chair, said: “The impact on our pig herd cannot be underestimated, so our message to the public is this - don’t bring pork products into the country for consumption or re-sale.

“As farmers, we must revisit our biosecurity measures while reminding the UK Government of the importance of protecting our borders, particularly with the control process now delayed until January and unlikely to be completed until next October. This is seriously disappointing and leaves the sector exposed to an ASF introduction”.

Round-up

33 bullocks at St Boswells yesterday averaged 281p/kg and sold to 316p/kg, while 58 heifers averaged 295p/kg and sold to 331p/kg.

Cast cows averaged 216p/kg and sold to 272p/kg or £1,971/head.

Lambs dropped slightly on the week to average £113/head and sold to £159 for a Texel or to 320p/kg for Beltexes, while cast sheep averaged £81/head and sold to £169 for a Suffolk tup. Heavy ewes averaged £116, with light ewes averaging £68, selling to £109 for North Country Cheviots.

3,204 lambs at Ayr yesterday sold to an average 247p/kg or £111/headead and to a peak of £160/head for Dutch Spotted from Chalmerstown or 285p/kg for Texels from West Newton. Cast Texel ewes from Drumuir sold to £170/head while Suffolk cross ewes from Madrissa peaked at £110/head, and Mules from Muir sold to £91/head. Oaklea sold the best of the Blackies, which reached £74.

Demand for prime cattle dropped at Carlisle yesterday with bullocks and heifers dropping by 9p/kg and 20p/kg on the week to average 276p/kg and 20p/kg respectively.

Young bulls met with stronger demand, with beef types rising 7p/kg on the week to average 255p/kg and sold to 317p/kg, and cast cows continued to meet with demand as beef and dairy cows averaged 188p/kg and 142p/kg respectively. Lambs held up well and were virtually unchanged on the week at an overall average of 264p/kg and a top of £164/head.

Cast beef cows at Dumfries yesterday sold easily to 230p/kg for a Limousin cross from High Threave or to £1687 for Tinwald Shaws, while dairy cows sold to 216p/kg for Branetrigg and averaged 132p/kg. Meanwhile, prime cattle sold to 328p/kg for Limousin cross heifers from regular consignor J Jardine, Yett.

235 accredited tups at Ayr on Saturday sold to a top of £1,800 for a Texel Shearling from John Wilson, Barneil, with Texel lambs from Danny Hair, Drumbreddan, selling to £1400.

Meanwhile, non-accredited tups reached £1,700 for a Texel shearling from Fisherton, while Blueface Leicester shearlings from Knockgerran and Fleminghill sold to £1,450. Down the road at Mains of Airies, near Stranraer, a shearling sired by Airies Comet went to Matthew Thomson, Pilmuir, for £1,150 in a sale that saw total clearance and an average of £632/head. Romney gimmers met with demand and sold to £160 to Messrs Cursitor, Laga Farms, Orkney.