Livestock sale despite new curbs

The lamb sale at Dingwall mart. Picture by Craig Anderson

A mart in the Highlands has been given permission to auction 3,500 lambs amid restrictions on livestock movements following a new case of foot-and-mouth.

Dingwall and Highland Marts said it believed the sale in Dingwall was the only one to be held in the UK.

It was given the go-ahead for welfare reasons. The sheep are from flocks in Wester Ross and the Western Isles.

Marts official Kenny McKenzie said buyers also had permission to transport the lambs from the sale.

Restrictions were reinstated in Scotland following the confirmation of a new case of foot-and-mouth disease in England.

Curbs had only just been eased after a previous outbreak in southern England.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said a licence permitting the movement of animals has been granted to several groups around the UK for Thursday.

Buyers can move the lambs on after today's sale, but only those from the islands can be moved to England Kenny McKenzie, Market official

Mr McKenzie said the new case had come as a blow to markets across Scotland.

He said: "Today's sale is only for today. It is the only one in the UK as far as we know, unless there are other marts in a similar position as ourselves."

The 3,500 lambs were only a fraction of the 17,000 that should have been auctioned on Thursday.

Mr McKenzie said: "Buyers can move the lambs on after today's sale, but only those from the islands can be moved to England."

Thousands of cattle and tens of thousands of sheep are dealt with by Dingwall and Highland Marts' centres in Dingwall, the islands and Fort William every week.

Mr McKenzie said he did not expect high prices, which was more down to the lingering effects of poor sales last year than foot-and-mouth.