Auctioneers slam restocking advice

By FWi staff

LIVESTOCK auctioneers have insisted that markets should play a role in restocking culled farms despite government advice to avoid them.

Livestock Auctioneers Association chairman Peter Kingwill said farmers would need markets to restock when they opened on a larger scale.

“Farmers need livestock markets to get a fair price – they provide true market value,” he said.

Government chief veterinary officer Jim Scudamore has indicated that he believes livestock markets pose a disease risk.

New booklets advising farmers how to restock after foot-and-mouth recommend that new animals should be purchased direct from other farms.

Mixing animals at Longtown market near Carlisle in February had helped spread foot-and-mouth, said Mr Scudamore.

Some auction markets have since re-opened in Scotland and Northern Ireland although none are operating in England and Wales.

But Mr Kingwill said: “It is unfair to quote Longtown as representative. There were particular problems associated with that market at that time.

He added: It was moving sheep between England, Scotland and Northern Ireland and there are lessons to be learnt from that.”

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