14 Clitheroe Advertiser &Times, Thursday, March 11th, 2010


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Clitheroe 422324(Editorial), 01282 426161 (Advertising), Burnley 01282 422331 (Classified) Matters PuWgRibMe


Bluetongue battle not over yet


VIGILANCE and vaccina­ tion remain the key to keeping British livestock free from Bluetongue. That is the message from


the national JAB campaign group, reminding farmers to protect their animals against disease in 2010. JAB is issuing a reminder to


farmers and livestock keepers to vaccinate their animals against the disease,- which is still causing major problems acro^ Europe and as a result farmers in England and Wales. still face a very real threat of potential incursions. A second year free from


Bluetongue outbreaks is need­ ed to see the UK declared dis­ ease-free and farmers are being urged to keep up their guard and continue with vac­ cination as part of their regu­ lar flock or herd plan.


Protected And there is good news,


with new research from the Institute for Animal Health showing that for the first time lambs bom to ewes that have been vaccinated twice against the BT8 strain of Bluetongue (the second shot being a booster one month before lambing) are protected against the disease for at least 14 weeks - the age at which many lambs go for slaughter. In a joint statement, a


spokesman for the JAB cam­ paign group said: “We are proud of our success so far in keeping this disease at bay. We are hopeful, that with con­ tinued vaccination and vigi­ lance, we can keep Bluetongue out of the country. “However, there is no room


for complacency, now is the time to ensure cattle and sheep are protected as an out­ break of Bluetongue can bave a potentially devastating impact on the economic via­ bility of a livestock farm. “The disease is still preva­


lent in Europe, with more than 700 cases reported l&t year. Anyone importing ani­ mals needs to double check the health and vaccination status of their livestock to ensure we keep the disease out. We cannot afford to rest on our laurels; vigilance and continued vaccination is key.”


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^^'unbelievable' - read Nigel ^wwwxfitlieroe |^adveHis?Rco.uk|, agricVfureSfqcus';^;.fj^^ Agriculture teaching packs I


grow ever more popular with schools throughout the UK


TEACHING packs from the NFU explaining “Why Farming Matters” have gone to the top of the class after proving extremely popular with the country’s primary and secondary schools. Working with Farming and


Countryside Education (FACE), the NFU originally launched the packs in 2007,


aimed at helping teachers deliver lessons explaining the crucial importance of food and farming to the Country as a whole. More than 15,000 have now


been requested and delivered to schools across the country, - with 3,500 of the secondary school packs snapped up in the past 12 months alone. And although all secondary school hard copies have now


gone, electronic versions are still available to download from the FACE website at www.face-online.org.uk. Teachers can still get their


hands on the primary school packs.


The packs include booklets


containing a series of activi­ ties for children at Key Stages Two and Three on a wide range of farming topics, as well as three sets of picture


Ewe’s simply the best


cards and a DVD containing interviews with farmers about their lives and work. NFU senior campaigns offi­


cer Gemma Fitzpatrick said: “The packs have been hugely successful over the past two years and we continue to get requests from both primary and secondary schools nation­ wide. “They are a fantastic resource for teachers, full of


activities and ideas for learn­ ing about farming.


“It is vitally important that


youngsters understand the role farming plays in their everyday lives so that they have a better idea of where their food comes from. “These packs are easy to


understand and help to explain agriculture to pupils in a positive and balanced way.”


to prices start rise again


FARMLAND prices in the North West rose in the second half of 2009 as land once again became an attractive investment and landowners’ reluctance to sell pushed sup­ ply to exceptionally low levels. That is the picture from the


latest Rural Market Survey published by RIGS, the Royal Institute of Chartered Sur­ veyors. The report, which is based on feedback from char­ tered surveyors working in rural communities, shows variations in demand for dif­ ferent types of farmland. Sixty per cent more char­


tered surveyors saw demand for commercial farmland rise rather than fall in the six months to December last year. This was up from 17% in the previous half-year and demonstrates the growing appeal of land as an asset class. Demand for residential farmland has fallen slightly in the North West, although nationally it has started to pickup.


Demand is coming from ' '•x' , .■


CHAMPION: Chipping farmer John Stott, of Laund Farm, exhibited the reserve show chamnion earber voted best in-lamb entry, at a show for Blue-faced Leicester sheep at Skipton


. Auction Mart. John is pictured with his prize-winning ewe. (s) 3.


‘Lifeline’ is there to be grasped


. HILL farmers should grasp ^the “lifeline” of a new r uplands scheme, advises the Country Land and Business


i Association (CLA). The CLA says'that the launch of the new Uplands


Entry Level Stewardship Scheme (Uplands ELS) could provide a lifeline for strug­ gling hill farms.


CLA President William


Worsley said: “Following the demise of the Hill Farm


investors who view farmland as a stable venture, reflecting the fact that prices have remained resilient throughout the recession. Established farmers are also


looking to capitalise on rising livestock prices and greater


Allowance, it was important that a new scheme was up and running as soon as possi­ ble and I am pleased that this has happened. “I would therefore encoxu"- age landowners, tenants, gra­


optimism surrounding the prospects for agriculture by acquiring land close by so that they can expand their existing operations. The net balance of survey­


ors reporting falling rather than rising availability of land stands at 40% for commercial land and 43% for residential farmland. Consequently, in the North


West arable farmland prices per hectare rose in the six months to December last year from £12,356 to £13,282, with pasture prices also>- increasing from £12,356 to £13,591 per hectare. RIGS North West rural sec­


tor spokesman Graham Bow- cock said: “The shortage of supply has dramatically driv­ en demand for rural property^ and land, with dairy farms in particular seeing a significant increase in interest. However, demand has clearly reduced for non-essential or non-busi­ ness related ventures such as garden land premiums and pony paddocks, which usually attract a premium. “It remains unclear what a


change of government will do for the land market. Decisions on farm subsidies and funding are largely made in Brussels irrespective of the govern­ ment of the day in the UK.”


• that-the funds which.have been made.available go to those who deserve them.”


ziers and commoners to dis­ cuss their needs with each other and with Natiual Eng­ land as soon as possible, so


RED .ROSE beef and sheep farmer Jimmy Baines added to an ever-growing list of hon­ ours at Skipton Auction Mart’s March prime shows. Mr Baines, who has farms in


both Gisburn and Trawden, was first responsible for the reserve champion Limousin- cross 530kg heifer. It joined Cross Meats,


Bacup, for £1,046 (197.5p per kilo), with the same buyers also purchasing Mr Baines’ third prize Limousin-cross 460kg heifer at £918. Cross Meats is run by Philip


and Raymond Cross, who have been farmers and butch­ ers for over 30 years. They have three markets stalls in Bacup, Rawtenstall and Shaw, near Oldham, and their latest Skipton prime beef acquisi­ tions will be fully matured before going on sale to cus­ tomers in all three markets. Mr Baines, who for the past


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Putting Ribble ^Valley agriculture ■


two years has won the Craven Cattle Marts’ Stock Person of the Year title (for which points are awarded at shows and sales throughout the year) .further added to his 2010 tally when exhibiting this month’s prime lamb champions. His pen of five Beltex-x-


Texel 47kg iambs sold for £115 per head, top price in show, to Ali Shan, for Shan’s Supermar­ ket in Keighley. In addition, Mr Baines’


third prize pen of Beltex-x- Texel 53kg lambs sold for £106 a head to West Yorkshire butchers R.C. & B. Binns, of Saltaire. The prime lambs show was


sponsored by Guy Machinery, with the prime beef fixture sponsored by Philip Bolland Trailer Training, both compa­ nies based in Skipton. Judge at both shows was James Dewhurst, of Stanforths Butchers, Skipton.


Heifers generate a lot of interest at Gisburn


A DOZEN top quality heifers were on offer at the February Cogent Show and Sale at Gis- bum Auction Mart. Regular vendor Colin Sin­


gleton took Champion and Reserve Champion, with Tom Richardson coming in at third place. Judge Mr A. Greenhal- gh wasted no time in choosing a Gillette Final Cut heifer, giving 36 litres, as Champion. She later sold for £2,400 to D. Coulthurst, of Longridge. Reserve Champion was a Braedale Bam Bam daughter


out of a VG88 cow and with a superb udder. She sold to the same buyer for £2,320. Tom Richardson’s third place heifer was a Sam daughter, selling for £2,200 to Messrs A. Tl Barrow. Most of the other heifers on


offer sold around the £1,800 mark with new buyers looking for affordable TB replace­ ments. In-calf cattle was slow­ er to sell and the five on offer averaged £1,380. Auctioneers were Richard Turner and Son.


Machinery gears up


NOW in its second year, Gis- burn’s Great Spring Machin­ ery sale seems to be well and truly established as a prime venue for customers from the UK and Ireland. With more than 200 lots of


mainly ex-farm machinery on offer, including two small dis­ persals, the sizeable crowd gathered at Gisburn Auction Mart enjoyed a good day’s trading. Auctioneers Jonathan Turn­


er and Rachel Capstick moved quickly through the rows of machinery with a good clear­ ance on most items. Tractors were in short sup­


ply, but as always turned up a few surprises on the day. A 1960 International B275


with loader made £1,760, sell­ ing to local collector Gary Entwistle.


; This was a perfect example


of a barn-stored tractor, with original badges and paint- . work, and will be kept un­


touched by Mr Entwistle. Also selling well was a Case


Skid Steer in good working order from a local farmer, sell­ ing at £2,150. Top seller of the day was a


1600 West Dual Spreader; looking very fresh and ready to go, it topped at £8,000 to local farmer Jimmy Baines. Irish Buyers enjoyed the


chance to pick up a few items en route to York’s Wednesday sale.They showed a keen inter­ est in the cattle trailers and, with 14 on offer, everyone found a model to suit. • Prices were from £2,250 for


a mint TA510G 12ft to £450 for a 25-year-old Bateson 10ft model, i! .


I ' There was a strong entry of


sheep-handling gear, with a Tony Binns system selling at £900 and a sheep turnover crate at £440, reflecting the price of galvanised equipment. Auctioneers were Richard Turner and Son.


Steven Walker with his sevenrmonth-old British Blue heifer, with which he won the young handlers’ class, (s)


JUST missing out on the top honour, Dunsop Bridge farmers J. C. Walker and Son exhibited the reserve champion on Craven Champions Day, the annu­ al Skipton Auction Mart show and sale of commer­ cial store cattle with future show potential. The Walkers, of Brennand


Farm, took the supreme champion title at the 2009 event, but this year had to settle for reserve champi­


onship honours with their non-halter led class victor, an 11-month-old home-bred British Blue heifer by their stock bull Brennand Viper. It sold to Philip Summers, of


Clayton, Bradford, for £1,060. 'The Walker family also


achieved the second highest price of the day at £2,050 with a seven-month-old British Blue heifer, another top-class daughter of Bren­ nand Viper, which had earlier won the young handlers class


Clitheroe Advertiser &Times, Thursday, March 11th, 2010 15 news story, contact our editorial. ers


Competition keen for top Craven spot


Jcnm.pu 01200 42^24 or c-mall:duncamsm|th@easllancsnews.co.uk:


Craven Champions Day reserve supreme champion, with handier Steven Walker and show judge Richard Priestley.


when shown by 24-year-old Steven Walker. The buyer was show judge,


19-year-old Richard Priestley, of Hill Top Farm, Denholme, Bradford, who is building up his own herd and also paid a new mart record price of £2,100 for the supreme cham­ pion. It was a seven-month- old British Blue-x-Limousin heifer from Yorkshire Dales showman Chris Akrigg, of Manor Farm, Cray - first chosen as victor in the halter- led classes.


Quality in quantity was


evident among the 72 show cattle, with the Walker fami­ ly selling four animals at an average of £1,315, among


. them the first prize British Blue bullock to Steven Swales, of Melbourne, York, for £1,150. Show sponsors were Lay-


cocks Animal Healthcare, Skipton, Huddersfield-based agricultural merchant’s agent Janet Sheard, Mosey Feeds, York, and the North East Limousin Breeders Club.


Ribchester breeder takes honours at year’s first poultry show


POULTRY bred by Ribch- ester’s Alan Procter brought the top price of the day at Clitheroe Auction Mart. At the mart’s first sale of


2010 for pure-bred poultry and waterfowl there was a special consignment of live­ stock from Mr Procter, a well known breeder. High demand from vendors


resulted in the catalogue entries closing early and by 10 a.m'. more than 500 cages were full of top class birds of all breeds, hatching eggs and a selection of arks, coops, runs, food and watering equipment. Trade was brisk and


improved as the day went on. Mr Procter, who is


renowned for his white wyan- dottes, had a special entry of 50 cages of birds - and top price of the day went to a trio of his white wyandotte ban-


Some of Mr Procter’s birds, (s)


tarns, which sold for £540. A single large white Wyan­


dotte hen, which he had previ­ ously. been showing, realised


£280 and the prices achieved for all his birds were a reflec­ tion of his high quality breed­ ing. Customers had travelled


from the south of England, Scotland and Ireland in the hope of purchasing some of his poultry. Auctioneer Joe Swift said:


“The huge crowd stayed throughout the sale even though the auction continued into the late afternoon and above average prices were still being achieved at the end of the day. “I am really looking for­


ward to the next sale in April.”


Top prices were as follows. Alan Procter’s consign­ ment: trio large white wyan-


"dottes to £420; trio white wyandotte bantams to £540; single white wyandotte hen £280 (champion bird); trio partridge wyandottes £85; trio barred wyandottes £160; trio light Sussex £100; trio buff Orpingtons £120.


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