Safety first at ‘transactional’ Stirling Bull Sales

Scotland’s leading livestock auctioneers will host the three-day sale at Stirling Agricultural Centre, which features 741 pedigree bulls and females across seven breeds from Saturday 17th October to Monday 19th October. It will operate under a strict, safety-first format designed to limit the number of people on site at any one time while maximising buyer spaces to achieve top trade.

John Roberts, Group Sales Director for United Auctions, said: “There will be no spectator element to the Bull Sales this year unless you’re here to buy a bull. The breed sales will take place at prescribed times and if you take your seat in the sale ring, we expect you to be interested in bidding. In this way, we don’t compromise the safety of the people in the ring and it ensures that business can continue to be done. It is everyone’s individual responsibility to follow the rules to keep everyone safe.”

Pre-registered buyers, with bidding numbers, for each breed sale will be designated a seat in the ring positioned 2 metres apart and an additional tic tac area will be monitored to ensure social distancing. Face masks or coverings will be mandatory at all times. Press attendance will also be limited and there will be reduced catering available and no bar.

The Stirling Bull Sales continue to be supported by Galbraith, Scotland’s leading independent property consultancy.

Breed Sales

Inspections will take place over the weekend with the Aberdeen-Angus bull sale opening the event on the morning of Saturday 17th October in the cattle ring with Aberdeen-Angus females sold in the sheep ring in the afternoon.

On Sunday 18th October the Beef Shorthorn bulls will go under the hammer in the sheep ring in the morning followed by Salers and Maine Anjou bulls, and Beef Shorthorn females. The afternoon will see the sale of the Charolais bulls in the cattle ring and Charolais females in the sheep ring.

The Limousin bull sale will be held on the morning of Monday 19th October in the cattle ring followed in the afternoon by Simmental females with the Simmental bull sale closing the event.

October’s Bull Sales will also see three dispersals, including Preston-based John Loftus’ Weeton herd of Aberdeen Angus, the Knockenjig herd of Beef Shorthorns from David and Rosemary Dickie at Sanquhar and the Charolais dispersal of the Westcarse herd of JH Christie & Son, West Carse, Stirling. In addition, there will be a major reduction of the Eastfield herd of Aberdeen-Angus cattle from TH Brewis, Eastfield of Lempitlaw, Kelso.

Bulls will be paraded in number order around the Exhibition Hall prior to their sale to allow buyers to view their locomotion, depending on social distancing rules at the time.

Barrie Turner, Chief Executive of the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society, said: “It is a great achievement that we are able to attend a live sale situation again. As a Society we expect all members to take their individual responsibility seriously by fully complying with the important safety measures put in place by United Auctions in order to complete a transaction.

“After all, the Bull sales are about selling cattle. Preserving the functionality of the market system as an important part of the agricultural supply chain by our compliance with the rules is a must in the current crisis.”

Donald Young, Group Sales Director for United Auctions, and President of IAAS, commented: “The industry has worked hard to keep Scotland’s livestock marts open during the lockdown and we must all continue to follow the rules and regulations throughout the Stirling Bull Sales to avoid an outbreak. We appreciate how hard it is going to be for buyers and sellers alike, but in this global pandemic making sure everyone is safe has to be the top priority.”

He added: “We’d especially like to thank our event sponsors Galbraith for their continued support of the Stirling Bull Sales during these challenging and unprecedented times.”