Covid 19 Auction Update.

Following the Prime Ministers announcement tonight we have received the following further guidance from Defra and the Livestock Auctioneers Association.
Defra have confirmed that markets may take place tomorrow, Tuesday 24th March. However we MUST apply strict conditions.
With immediate effect LAA members MUST implement a “drop and go” policy for vendors bringing stock to market for sale.
Vendors:
Members must implement a “drop and go” policy for vendors.
This action is to prevent any sellers from entering the market.
Vendors MUST be instructed to deliver their animals to the loading docks (remaining in their vehicles) whilst the market staff unload the vehicle and take the animals to their pens.
The sale documentation MUST be collected by the auctioneers staff from the vendor’s vehicle when they arrive at the unloading docks – Vendors MUST NOT take the paperwork to the market office themselves, or enter the market pennage area for any reason.
The LAA appreciates that this will create many challenges – no more so than developing a system by which the vendor can accept or reject the price offered at the time of sale.
Unfortunately, if we want to stay in business and protect everyone from the virus we need to find and implement solutions to these challenges.
Buyers:
The number of buyers MUST be restricted to allow Social Distancing (2 meters between each buyer). The number of buyers able to attend may be different between markets, depending upon the size and layout of your sale pens and/or sale rings, and will result in some markets being able to manage slightly more buyers than others.
Markets MUST keep a register of those that attend their sales – contact name, address and telephone number.
At the conclusion of the sale buyers MUST be asked to enter the sales office in a way that does not result in too many entering at any one time.
Buyers should be asked to sanitise on entry to the market and again on exit.
In addition to this The Café will be shut.
Please work with us to help keep the market open and providing you with a open competitive market for your stock.

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93 Cattle  included 77 prime cattle with another firm trade throughout for an entry with a wide range in quality.  Best butcher’s weight steers and heifers very keenly sought with the top this week per kg a smart BBX heifer at 234.5pkg consigned by P Bentall of A & W Bentall, purchased by Tony Cracknell for his shop in Ipswich, the same buyer also having the same per kg for a Limousin heifer from Gary Hubert.  The Bentalls having other quality handyweight steers at 233.5, 221.5pkg and heifers to 230.5 etc.  J B Farms had steers to 224.5, 215.5, 205.5pkg etc.  Messrs Herwin Limousin steer to 212.5pkg, Geoff Grover usual handyweights to 220.5, 210.5, 209.5pkg etc.  Bob Manning to 209.5pkg for good steers, Tony Evans usual quality to 227.5pkg for Limousin heifers with steers to 210.5pkg.  M Alexander Limousin steer to 216.5pkg.  Miss Amy Kinge had BBX heifers to 214.5pkg and Ben Whiting strong steer to 217.5pkg (£1,468.13).  Mel Bloomfield to 214.5pkg for a Limousin heifer.  Again, a very wide selection of traditional breeds saw Devon steers to 186.5pkg, White Park steers to 182.5pkg, Hereford heifers to 189.5pkg, Shorthorn heifers to 167.5pkg, AAX heifers to 188.5pkg.  A run of Red Poll X steers and heifers saw steers to 184.5pkg and heifers to 187.5pkg looking well sold.