Livestock market back in action
Monday 3rd September 2007, 10:30AM BST.
Hundreds of sheep and cattle were up for sale today as Welshpool Livestock Market opened its doors again for the first time in a month.
Farmers flocked to one of Europe’s biggest one-day sales from across the region after the Welsh Assembly lifted restrictions following last month’s foot and mouth outbreak and gave livestock markets the go ahead.
Today’s sale was a “green market”, meaning livestock does not have to go directly to slaughter, although unsold stock had to be returned to farms with a 20-day holding restriction.
It is hoped this restriction will be reduced by next Monday and everything will be back to how it was before the outbreak was discovered in Surrey at the start of August.
Auctioneer Keith Davies said today: “We have been very busy, we have a lot of lambs here. We also have a lot of ewes and cull ewes for slaughter.
“They are available to go and we are pleased to have the opportunity to sell them. In theory, it will be a green market from now on.”
He said the last restrictions could possibly be lifted once the results of blood tests of animals in the surveillance zone in Surrey were known.
“Government officials have been blood testing the sheep and they did the cattle at the end of last week,” said Mr Davies.
“It’s wait and see again. Hopefully, we will be back to the way it was next week and I can see no reason why not.”
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