One of Scotland’s biggest livestock marts has signalled the likely shape of sales in the near future by responding to current demands for social distancing with an online sales partnership.
The ANM Group, based at Thainstone Mart at Inverurie, has linked with sellmylivestock.co.uk to allow farmers and buyers who want to avoid live auction rings to use online selling from tomorrow. The company’s live sales rings will also continue and commission will be the same for both methods.
ANM Group chief executive Grant Rogerson said fast tracking the roll-out of the pre-planned partnership was “the sensible thing to do” given the public health advice surrounding coronavirus.
Livestock auctions continued in Scotland yesterday, including at United Auctions in Stirling where cattle made a brisk trade. UA managing director George Purves said the strict biosecurity regulations introduced this week had been respected, but he added: “We are always looking at the marketplace.”
His words were echoed by Scottish auctioneers president Scott Donaldson, managing director of Harrison and Hetherington, whose sales were suspended at the beginning of the week. They will resume on Monday, but Mr Donaldson indicated marts would be forced to look at alternative solutions until the coronavirus crisis is over.
nnicolson@thecourier.co.uk
