By Alec Ross
With news emerging that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has now approved the application for emergency authorisation for the use of the herbicide Asulox in England only, NFU Scotland president Martin Kennedy has asked Scottish Government minister Lorna Slater for clarification on when the bracken control product will be approved for Scotland.
Mr Kennedy remarked: “We have called on the government to approve Asulox to allow us to control an invasive weed that poses a threat to biodiversity, drinking water, agriculture and health.
"Given that the product is now available in England, we’ve asked for details about its availability which would allow us to exercise the necessary controls this season.
"We are seeking urgent clarification on its availability from both Lorna Slater MSP and Cabinet Secretary Mairi Gougeon”.
Round-up
With lamb numbers scarce, trade was buoyant at Newton Stewart yesterday.
Lambs averaged 319p/kg or 320p/kg SQQ and sold to £170/head for Suffolks from Blairbuy, and to 342p/kg for Suffolks from Bankhead.
Demand remained strong for store cattle, with bullocks peaking at £1,230 for Maxwellbank, who also sold heifers to £1,190/head. Shorthorn bullocks from Marchbanks sold to £980 while Angus heifers from Fingland made £940/head.
A relative scarcity of OTM cattle at Dumfries yesterday meant strong demand, with Holsteins selling to £1,340 for Gamerigg and to £1,280 for Park.
Prime lambs also met a strong trade, selling to £160 for Whiteyard and to 353p/kg for Dressertland, with Suffolks peaking at £143 for Palaceknowe. Heavier lambs averaged 308p/kg and sold to 324p/kg for Meikleholm. Cast ewes also met a keen trade as Texels sold to £144 for Kirkhill, and cast tups peaked at £200 for Texels from Skipmyre.
Stronger ewes and lambs sold to improved rates at Longtown on Tuesday, with a Charolais cross ewe with lamb at foot topping the market at £97 for Messrs Baxter, Moss Side. Meanwhile, hoggs and lambs sold to £103 for Mule hoggs with continental lambs at foot from Seat Hill.
Trade for calves and stirks at Ayr on Tuesday remained firm, with a top price of £660 being achieved on two occasions, firstly for a British Blue cross bull from South Kilbride and later for a heifer from the same vendor.
Stirks sold to £1,190 for a Simmental cross bull from Kirkland while heifers sold to £950/head for Aberdeen Angus crosses from Andrew Greer.
Prime cattle were every bit as much in demand as last week, selling to 333p/kg for a Charolais heifer from Mid Wellwood or to £1,929 for a Limousin heifer from North Boig.
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