INAUGURAL ORGANIC CATTLE SALE DEEMED GREAT SUCCESS
1st May 2008More than 330 animals were sold at Inverurie’s Thainstone Centre this week as part of Aberdeen & Northern Marts first ever sale of organic store and breeding cattle.
The event, which follows Aberdeen & Northern Marts’ recent certification as an approved organic sales centre, saw a large number of spectators and buyers gather on the day.
As the only approved such sales centre in the North-east of Scotland Thainstone will now be able to offer organic store producers greater opportunities – enabling them to trade organic store and breeding stock to organic finishers and breeders in the north-east of Scotland.
Speaking after the sale Aberdeen & Northern Marts general manager John Gregor said: “Our inaugural organic sale was extremely well received, and I am hopeful we can repeat it again in the future.
“There certainly was a real buzz around the ring with many potential buyers. I am certain that we are now very well placed to further enhance our links with livestock breeders and finishers and going forward – providing there is enough demand – we will look at having another cattle sale in the autumn, possibly this time with the addition of store and breeding sheep.”
Debs Roberts, Scottish Organic Producers (SOPA) Dvelopment Oficer was in attendance at the sale and said: “There was a very strong show of quality cattle today at Thainstone for the organic store sale.
“The event was an ideal opportunity to draw cattle across the North and North-east of Scotland, including Orkney and I hope the organic farming community recognises the benefits of having live auctions and takes advantage of the facility in the future.”
Caroline Bayliss, organic farming consultant with the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) consultancy division commented: “There was a great turnout of cattle on the day with some good prices being achieved. In particular I noticed a nice Belgian Blue which went for 230p/kg.
“Although I wasn’t able to speak to all the buyers there definitely seemed to be a lot of representation from the organic sector and for an inaugural event the sale was very well organised - it clearly has the potential to keep moving forward.”
Aerages were as follows – Organic bullocks (180) averaged 164.4p to 185.5p per kg and £945 gross. Organic heifers (153) averaged 159p to 231.3p per kg and £780 gross.
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