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Lamb sales buoyant despite uncertain future


By Alison Cameron

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Victoria Ballantyne
Victoria Ballantyne

Last month I wrote about the anticipation of selling most of our lambs at the mart and the anxiety and stress that comes with this. I’m pleased to report that the sale went well and our average price was up on last year.

Several subsequent lamb sales across the country have continued in the same vein with most people receiving improved prices for good lambs. Though a bit dry and a bit wet at times, 2020 weather has mostly been good and the condition and presentation of the lambs reflected this. They tend to do well in drier years as this reduces the challenge from worms and parasites, though ticks caused problems for some farmers this year.

Speaking to a few people who are more on the pulse when it comes to markets and prices, it seems that worries around scarcity later in the year have driven prices up, but also a demand from consumers for British meat. This is music to my ears, not just because it helps us to continue to farm profitably, but because it allows farmers here to make the best decisions when it comes to environmental sustainability and animal welfare whilst providing quality nutrition to the British public. It also shows that the public are not deaf to the concerns over a free trade deal with the USA and all this encompasses.

Some of you may have heard that a ram sold for £350k last week. Most farmers and breeders find these kind of headlines infuriating because they simply do not reflect reality. To my mind the prices are closely linked to the inflated egos of those with equally inflated bank balances (rarely made in farming). In this case, the ram is in the top 1% of his breed on paper and visually appeared correct and an excellent example of a texel sheep. But it is impossible to fathom how anyone could consider this a good business decision.

I am probably breaking with farming etiquette calling this out, but in every breed society there is a group of ‘top breeders’ who exchange livestock amongst themselves for large sums of money, ensuring their names and breeding stays in the headlines. I must stress that most people who receive top money for their stock usually produce excellent animals and good genetics are an important investment. But once that money starts running into the tens of thousands for sheep you have to question its legitimacy. Even when taking into account that semen can be harvested to spread the genetics, a prime lamb will only ever be worth so much and this is what underpins the price of breeding stock.

Last week we bought rams through the Fearn Farm online ram sale. This used simple technology to allow you to bid online for the rams you wanted up until Friday at 3pm. If you were outbid you had two minutes to decide to bid again, drop out or bid on another animal. It was very tense at 2:56pm though the bidding continued until nearly 4pm, when all bids went quiet and the sale was called to a close. It was the first of its kind in Scotland and a great example of innovation to get around the challenges presented by Covid19. I can see it becoming more widely used even once restrictions have lifted. That sale averaged just under £1000 for over 100 rams, topping at around £2300 for fully genetically recorded sheep.

Because I love innovating and interesting projects, we have recently been included in research looking at the use of silicate rock dust on pastures. Some of the UK & Europe’s top soil and carbon scientists will measure if this can help store more inorganic carbon in the soil (thereby removing it from the atmosphere permanently) and what the practical effects are at farm level. Most of the research will happen at a farm near Perth, so we will only play a very small role, but pleased to be asked to participate all the same.

And a reminder that it is Love Lamb Week, so look out for lamb on the shelf and in the butchers counter. It is peak season for lamb, it will be 100% grass reared at this time of year and it should be tasting delicious! Check the Scotch Kitchen website for yummy recipe inspiration.


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