ANM Group is to go ahead with its rare breeds sale this weekend despite restrictions on poultry gatherings.
The north-east farmers’ co-operative said the Thainstone Rare and Minority Breed Fair will take place on Saturday as planned, however the sale of poultry and waterfowl has been postponed until later in the month.
Although the Scottish Government has lifted restrictions on birdkeepers, introduced at the height of the Avian Influenza scare, there is still a ban on poultry shows and gatherings until May 15.
ANM will now hold a separate poultry sale on Saturday May 20.
The group’s executive director, John Gregor, said: “We are disappointed to learn that due to the Scottish Government gathering restrictions that we have had to postpone the poultry section of our renowned rare breed auction this year. We would like to assure our members and customers that all poultry and waterfowl entries will be carried over to May 20.”
He said the group’s mart in the north – the Caithness Livestock Centre in Quoybrae – would also have to postpone the poultry section of its rare and minority breed auction which takes place on Saturday May 13.
Looking ahead to Saturday’s sale, Mr Gregor said there were strong entries including 200 sheep, 17 horses, 90 pigs, 15 goats and 230 lots of hatching eggs, and various lots of poultry equipment and tack.
There will also be 52 entries of cattle including Belted Galloway, Dexter, Highland, Longhorn and Shorthorn beasts.
The sale starts at 10am with the sale of horses in ring two followed by an auction of minority breed livestock, cattle, pigs and sheep. Hatching eggs will be sold at 10.30am in ring three and 300 lots of harness and tack will be sold at 11am in ring one.
Implement and hand tools from a bygone era section will be sold in the concourse at 12pm, followed by poultry equipment.
