Bull sales pushed back in calendar

As a result of the latest set of Covid lockdown restrictions United Auctions, have re-scheduled the up-coming Stirling bulls sales.

The world-famous sale of the country’s top bulls will now take place later February, with the Aberdeen-Angus, Beef Shorthorn, Lincoln Red, British Blue and Limousin sales now taking place between Saturday 20-Monday 22 February rather than during the first week of February.

Similarly the Simmental, Salers and Charolais sales will now take place from February 27-March 1.

UA director John Roberts said that the move had been taken in response to recent government announcements designed to halt the spread of Covid.

“While our marts remain open for business, with both market staff and our farming customers sticking rigorously to the current restrictions, we felt that it would extremely difficult to conduct the bull sales in anything like the normal manner while the additional restrictions are in place.

“So we decided to postpone the sale by three weeks and a fortnight from their original dates in the hope that the situation will have improved by then – but the sales will still be live streamed with an online bidding facility for those who can’t or prefer not to visit.”

Adding that both fat and store sales continued as normal, he asked farmers to continue to observe all the current safeguards.

And while the “drop and go” rules might not be viewed as ideal by those selling animals, the approach had allowed the all important commercial sales to continue to function.