Hi-tech buyers need more stock details

By Simon Wragg

STORE cattle buyers want more information on animals if they are going to purchase stock that they cant judge from a ringside seat.

Uttoxeter-based auctioneer Bagshaws held its inaugural sale of 350 store cattle last weekend (22-23 September) with the support of digital pictures.

The bulk of the catalogue was offered by Tim Evans of Parkfields Farm, Tittensor, near Stoke-on-Trent.

His on-farm sale of cattle was cancelled after new restrictions were imposed by Defra earlier this month.

“Values were below what I would have expected had stock been sold through a ring,” commented Mr Evans.

But what producers believed cattle to be worth was difficult to assess, suggested auctioneer Norman Tweddle.

Reporting average values was complicated by a lack of detail on age and weight, and purchasers wanted more information on stock before sale day to improve selection.

“Many of the people here are just glad of the opportunity to buy cattle,” added Mr Tweddle.