Electronic auction doubles volume

By FWi staff

UNITED Auctions electronic trading service has nearly doubled its normal volume of cattle sales in the last few weeks.

Renewed interest in the service, based at the companys headquarters in Perth, Scotland, has been sparked by a tightening of cattle supplies north of the border in areas where cattle can be moved to slaughter.

Anna Black, manager of electronic sales for the company, says demand for cattle north of the Forth/Clyde line that splits Scotland between F&M free and affected areas, is hotting up as supplies tighten.

“Theres a fair bit of interest in cattle. Normally, we would be selling 150-200 beasts a week on electronic sales. But we have been selling up to 330 a week recently.”

Prices have eased up a bit as well, with bids for R4L and R4H grade steers levelling at 178p/kg dw. Heifers have been trading slightly cheaper at 175p/kg dw.

But hoggets havent benefited from any additional trading on screen, says Ms Black.

“There have been too many supplies and no bids have been forthcoming from abattoirs.”

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