The fatstock show must go on

While the farming community has grown used to landmark events either falling by the wayside or transferring to a virtual format, the top winter fatstock show still went ahead at the weekend, albeit without the usual audience in attendance.

With no spectators and animals shown in pens, the LiveScot exhibition – which took place on Saturday at Lawrie and Symington’s Lanark market - was judged to be a success by the organisers

“Despite the difficult circumstances, the cattle and sheep producers were eager to have an event to showcase and sell their livestock, and the butchers and sponsors were keen to support us, making it a tremendous success,” said the Scottish National Fatstock Club chairman, David McKerrow.

He said that by live streaming much of the event on social media spectators had been able to follow the day’s progress.

Taking the overall title in the cattle, judged by Sam Carlisle of Border Meats, Lockerbie, was Mateus Rosie, a 608kg home-bred 20-month-old Limousin cross heifer from Wilson Peters, Monzie, Crieff which sold for the day’s top price of £6,600 - of £10.86/kg – to B and T Kitson Butchers, Northallerton.

Reserve overall went to the reserve heifer, Red Hot Ruby, another Limousin cross, this time from Stirling-based Stewart and Lynsey Bett.

In the sheep lines it was a double celebration for John Guthrie, Cuiltburn, Crieff, who lifted his first live champion tickets with a pair of Beltex lambs - and also the reserve ticket with a pair of similar breeding.