SRUC, Scotland's Rural College, announced changes to its veterinary services for the country yesterday.
Providing one-to-one advice to veterinary practitioners, leveraging big data, and integrated testing in one specialist laboratory are at the centre of a new model of animal disease surveillance for farm animals in Scotland.
SRUC has developed the proposed model through engagement with the Scottish Government and its strategic management board for disease surveillance. The proposals are made against a backdrop of pressure on budgets and the need for SRUC to find operational efficiencies.
The model will be operational across Scotland by 1 April 2020.
Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 16 prime heifers at Ayr on Tuesday to a top of £1,291 per head and 226p/kg to average £1,095 or 205p, while two prime bullocks averaged £1,076 or 174p.
In the rough ring 71 cast beef cows sold to £1,090 and 162p to average 115p, while 84 cast dairy cows peaked at £900 and 117p to level at 80p. Seven bulls sold to £,1340 and 122p to average 107p, while nine clean, OTM cattle peaked at £1,080 and 182p to level at 149p.
Three Friesian Calved Heifers sold to a top of £1,650 and averaged £1,483.
Lawrie &Symington sold 649 store and breeding cattle at its fortnightly sale at Lanark on Tuesday.
Bullocks sold to £1,265 for an Aberdeen Angus x and 251p/kg for the same beast, to average 188p/kg. Heifers topped at £1,145 for a Simmental x and 217p/kg for a British Blue to average 184p/kg. Dairy bred bullocks topped at £990 for a Holstein bullock and 167p/kg to average 132.7p/kg.
C&D Auction Marts held its weekly sale of 4,638 store lambs at Longtown on Tuesday. Cheviot Mules topped the bidding at £81, closely followed by Beltex and Texels at £80. Suffolk lambs sold to £73.50 and Mules peaked at £69.
The firm also held its weekly sale of primestock in Dumfries on yesterday when there were 54 head of cattle forward. Prime cattle sold to 230p/kg for a Limousin x heifer. OTM dairy cattle peaked at 138p/kg and £1,144 to average 97p/kg, while beef cattle sold to 139p/kg and £995 to average 112p/kg.
There were also 1,018 prime lambs forward on the day which sold to a top of £96.50 and 200p/kg for Texels.
Messrs Craig Wilson had 2380 prime and cast sheep forward at its weekly sale in Newton Stewart yesterday. Top prices on the day were £90 per head and 185p/kg for two different pens of Texel lambs with the overall average levelling at 174p (+3p).
Cast sheep were also dearer on the week with heavy ewes selling to £114 for Suffolks, while light/export-type ewes peaked at £57.50 for Blackfaces.
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