Farm Stock Scotland is reporting particularly strong demand from English farmers for high health Scottish and Northumbrian breeding cattle, particularly cattle from TB4 and BVD accredited/free herds.
The farmer-owned livestock marketing co-operative says commercial producers are increasingly prioritising health status, fertility and longevity when sourcing replacement breeding females.
Demand has been particularly strong for bulling heifers, in-calf heifers, young breeding cows from genuine commercial herds with strong maternal traits. Nikki Gilbertson of Farm Stock Scotland said the business was seeing growing confidence among English buyers looking for practical, hard-working cattle suited to modern commercial systems. “Health status has become one of the principal drivers in the breeding cattle trade,” she explained.
“English farmers are specifically asking forcattle from TB4 herds and BVD accredited or free herds. Buyers want confidence when introducing new stock into their herds and they are increasingly prepared to travel for the right cattle.”
Nikki explained that Scottish cattle continued to develop a strong reputation for hardiness, fertility and performance under commercial conditions.
“The cattle we are marketing are genuineworking cattle bred to last and perform,” she added.
“There is strong interest in maternal Angus and native cross females as well as beef x dairy heifers with good milk, temperament and longevity. Commercial farmers want cows that can go out and do a job with minimal fuss.”
Farm Stock Scotland says numbers of top-quality breeding cattle remain relatively tight, with many consignments attracting strong interest shortly after being advertised.
The co-operative is encouraging selling breeding stock this summer and autumn to get in touch earlyto discuss marketing options.
Farm Stock Scotland trades breeding and commercial livestock on a farm to farm basis throughout Scotland and Northern England and continues to see strong demand for high health status cattle across a wide range of systems.
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ENDS
Nikki Gilbertson 07595 313 040
Jonny Williams 07817 702 988 / 01750 723366 jonny@farmstock.org.uk
Farm Stock(Scotland) Ltd is a farmer owned, livestock marketing co-operative dedicated tomaximising returns to livestock producers. Based in the Scottish Borders andoperating throughout Scotland and Northumberland, it is owned by five regionallivestock marketing groups – Scott Country Lamb, Lothian Lamb and Beef,Galloway Lamb, Ayrshire Country Lamb and The Milk Suppliers Association. Withwell over 400 participating farmers, Farm Stock is the largest singleco-operative of its type operating within the Scottish livestock industryhandling large numbers of both sheep and cattle with an annual turnover in excess of £29million.
As a farmers’co-op Farm Stock’s role is to ensure that producers achieve the highest netreturns by maximising livestock prices and by minimising marketing costs. Primestock are marketed on a deadweight basis to a UK wide network of abattoirs andstore and breeding stock are traded direct from farm to farm.
Farmer owned.Independent.
