Thurso takes to video trading
Thurso takes to video trading
ABOUT 300 farmers adapted well to video trading when the annual sale of halfbred and North Country Cheviot ewe lambs was held at Thurso, producing averages near £35 and £32, respectively.
The sale, which was linked by phone to Perth and Huntley, was described by auctioneer Iain Thomson as "very satisfactory under the circumstances".
"It is impossible to compare like with like when looking at last years averages, but halfbred lambs (Border Leicester x North Country Cheviot) were 25p down, while the North Country Cheviot lambs were down £1.43," said Mr Thomson.
Compared with the 1999 sale – when prices tumbled – this years levels were up £5.28 for halfbreds and £3.40 for North Country Cheviots. Turnout was down with 2100 entries being about one-third of the normal level.
Each flock had a one-minute video clip. "A lot has to be taken on trust and many buyers were keen to buy from flocks they have dealt with in the past," said Mr Thomson.
Halfbred lambs from W Sutherland, Lybster, topped the section at £70 apiece with North Country Cheviots to £56 from G Henderson, Thurso. (Hamiltons and UA Partnership.) *