Isle of Man relaxes F&M restrictions

ISLE of Man farmers will now be allowed to hold on-farm and mart sales, following a relaxing of some rules by the Crown Dependencys Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

But in a fight to prevent F&M spreading from mainland UK, there will still be a 21-day freeze on animal movement after sale and markets can only be held every three weeks.

One of the Islands and UKs leading Texel flocks, Ballaglonney Texels, owned by the Creers, had no option this year but to abandon their planned sale campaign on the mainland and sell all their tups on the Isle of Man.

Auctioneer Keith Kerruish of Chrystals sold 80 shearling tups, levelling trade at 375. Top price was 800 from a Ballaglonney Bonus son.