More than 7,900 Scottish producers will receive their share of £22 million of European funding in the next few weeks.

Payments for the 2011 Scottish Beef Calf Scheme (SBCS) will start to arrive in bank accounts, with 95 per cent of recipients expected to receive their payment by the end of April, subject to necessary validation checks. Payment information is available to view on Rural Payments Online.

Claims were received from 7,902 producers for around 434,000 animals, an increase of 10,000 from last year. Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said:

“These payments will provide timely support to the rural economy and deliver great benefit for our livestock sector. They form part of an important support framework which is always vital, and never more so than in the current economic climate.
“I am also pleased to confirm that the Scottish Government has been successful in ensuring this funding continues at current levels through the introduction of the Scottish Beef Scheme in January 2012, which replaces the SBCS. This will provide much needed ongoing support to Scotland’s livestock farmers until new CAP regulations come into force.”

This year’s payment rate is set at £102.44 for each of the first ten eligible animals, and £51.22 for the remainder. The payments are entirely EU funded. The Scottish Beef Calf Scheme is a direct support scheme aimed at specialist beef producers breeding beef calves from suckler cows. Suckler herds form the backbone of quality beef production in Scotland and provide environmental benefits in fragile areas. The new Scottish Beef Scheme was introduced in January 2012 following discussions held as part of the CAP review. It replaces the SBCS and allows funding to be targeted towards smaller herds through reweighted payment levels where the first ten eligible animals will receive three times the rate of any subsequent eligible animal. There is no limit to the number of claims which can be made.

United Auctions held their Annual February Sale of 326 head of Cattle at Tiree Auction Mart.

The 184 Bullocks averaged £676 or 180pence per kilo, recording a drop of £46.47 on last year’s high values. The 142 Heifers averaged £526 or 172pence per kilo, recording a drop of £32.49 on last year’s values. Bullocks sold to a top price per head of £940 for rising one year old Charolais from Heylipol Farm whilst Heifers sold to £820 for Limousin Crosses from the same home.

Prices per kilo were led by Ruaig for Limousin Bullocks at 219pence and Heylipol Farm at 204pence for Charolais Heifers. Breeding Cattle sold to £1020 for In-calf Heifers from Ruaig and Cast Cows sold to £860 from Ardmay and 125pence per Kilo from No1 Kilkenneth.

A feature of the sale was the consignment of 72 rising one year Bullocks & Heifers from Heylipol Farm which sold to average £809 per head.

PRINCIPAL LOTS & PRICES TOP BRICES PER HEAD
BULLOCKS
AAx: £798 – Hillcrest : £722 (2) – 13 Moss :
£685 – 13 Moss : £680 & £652(5) – Hillcrest :
£528 & £505 – Benview.
BBx: £548 – Ruaig
CHARx: £940, £932, £912, £888(3), £878(2), £868,
£855(2), £840(5), £822 (5) – Heylipol Farm : £815 –
Hillcrest : £812(2), £808 & £800 – Heylipol Farm :
£755 – Ardmay : £668(4), £648(3) & £628(4) – Hillcrest
: £558 – Ardmay.
LIMx: £890 & £880(2) – Heylipol Farm : £872,
£853(3) & £842 – 3 Kenovay : £832(3), £830(2),
£822(4) – Heylipol Farm : £822 (2) – 3 Kenovay :
£812 (2), £802 (3) & £792 (3) – Heylipol Farm :
£792 – 7 Kilkenneth : £788 (3) & £782 – 3 Kenovay
: £698 – Skipinnis : £698, £685 & £682 – 3 Kenovay
: £655 – Ruaig : £628 (2) – 6 Crossapol : £628 (2) –
Ruaig : £625 – Middleton Farm : £618 – Skipinnis :
£608 – 13 Moss : £598 – Ruaig : £595 – Middleton
Farm : £582 – 1 Kenovay : £578 – Druimfhraoich :
£572 – 15 Crossapol.
SALx: £745, £635 & £622 – Lochphuil :
£622 – 5 Balevullin : £608 & £582 – Lochphuil :
£550 – Middleton Farm.
SIMx: £868, £828(4), £778 & £745 – Heylipol Farm
: £718 & £692 – 3 Kenovay : £585 – Lochphuil.
HEIFERS
AAx: £612 & £585 – Hillcrest : £515 – Benview.
CHARx: £790, £738 (4), £728 (6) – Heylipol Farm :
£688 & £642 (3) – Hillcrest : £618(2) – Heylipol
Farm : £598 – Ardmay : £578 (3) – Hillcrest.
LIMx: £820, £705 & £692 – Heylipol Farm : £682 –
1 Kenovay : £655 – Heylipol Farm :
£648 – Druimfhraoich : £638 – Heylipol Farm :
£608 – 7 Kilkenneth : £588 – 1 Kenovay : £582 – 7
Kilkenneth : £578 – Druimfhraoich & 7 Kilkenneth.
SALx: £595 – Middleton Farm
SIMx: £578, £568(3) – Lochphuil.

IN–CALF HEIFERS £1020, £1000 & £940 – Ruaig.
BULLING HEIFERS £800(3) & £850 – 4 East Baugh.
IN-CALF COWS £785 – 3 Middleton.
OTM COWS £860 – Ardmay : £805 – 1 Kilkenneth :
£768 – Whitehouse : £702 – Heylipol Farm :
£700(2) – Druimfhraoich
TOP PRICES PER KILO
BULLOCKS
AAx: 190p – 13 Moss : 187p(5) – Hillcrest.
BBx: 182p – Ruaig
CHARx: 214p(4) & 205p – Hillcrest :
203p – Heylipol Farm : 200p – Ardmay : 199p(2) –
Hillcrest : 197p (5) & 196p (2) – Heylipol Farm :
195p – Ardmay : 194p – Heylipol Farm (5) &
Hillcrest (4) : 193p (2) – Hillcrest : 192p – Heylipol
Farm.
LIMx: 219p – Ruaig : 214p – Cnoc Gorm : 212p – 6
Crossapol : 204p (2) – Heylipol Farm : 203p(2) –
Ruaig : 202p – 8 Barrapol : 198p – Skipinnis & 15
Crossapol : 196p – 5 Barrapol.
HEIFERS
CHARx: 204p & 192p (4) – Heylipol Farm : 189p
(2) – Ardmay.
LIMx: 202p & 194p – 9 Barrapol :
188p – 5 Barrapol.
SIMx: 187p – 17 Balevullin.
OTM COWS
125p – 1 Kilkenneth : 124p – Hillcrest :
118p – Ardmay : 111p – Druimfhraoich :
109p – Whitehouse : 105p – Druimfhraoich.

Saturday morning was damp and grey but that didn’t seem to deter the buyers who had travelled over from the mainland for the first Tiree Cattle Sale of 2010.

Three hundred and seventeen animals had been put up for sale, trading was brisk and all stock was cleared at very satisfactory rates.

Following are the principle lot prices

Charolais Bullock Calves from Heylipol Farm sold to £935. Limousin Bullocks from No2
Kenovay sold to £945 and Limousin Heifers from the same home sold to £885. Leading
the prices per kilo for Bullocks was No8 Barrapol when their Limousins sold to 262pence
and No9 Barrapol led the way for Heifers per kilo at 232pence, also Limousin Crosses.
PRINCIPAL LOTS & PRICES
TOP PRICES PER HEAD
BULLOCKS
AAx:
£780 – Hillcrest : £775(4) & £765(4) – 13 Moss : £730, £720, £715 & £700 – Hillcrest.
CHARx:
£935, £905(2), £895(4), £860, £855(4), £850(6), £845(2), £840(2), £825(5) & £820(5) –
Heylipol Farm : £800 – Hillcrest : £775(2), £745 & £715 – Heylipol Farm : £710, £695 &
£675 – Hillcrest : £635 – Ardmay & Hillcrest(2).
LIMx:
£945 – 2 Kenovay : £905 & £895 – 3 Kenovay : £850 – Heylipol Farm : £820(4), £805,
£795(2) & £780 – 3 Kenovay : £775(2) – Heylipol Farm : £770 – 3 Kenovay :
£750 – Heylipol Farm(3) & Hillcrest : £730 & £725(2) – Heylipol Farm : £715 – 3 Kenovay :
£710 – Middleton Farm : £700(2) – Hillcrest : £685 – Hillcrest(3) & Heylipol Farm :
£675 – Middleton Farm : £655 – 3 Kenovay : £650, £615 & £610(2) – Middleton Farm.
SALx:
£805(2) – 3 Kenovay : £615 – Lochphuil House.
SHx:
£650 & £610(5) – Middleton Farm.
SIMx:
£890 – Heylipol Farm : £860(2) – 3 Kenovay : £850(2) – Heylipol Farm : £835 – 3 Kenovay :
£825(2), £820(4), £805, £745 & £740(3) – Heylipol Farm : £635(2) & £615(2) – Lochphuil.
HEIFERS
BLONDx:
£570 – Ardmay
CHARx:
£835, £815, £785(3), £775 & £685(2) – Heylipol Farm : £685(3) – Hillcrest :
£675 & £655(2) – Heylipol Farm : £640(2) & £600(2) – Hillcrest.
LIMx:
£885 – 2 Kenovay : £675(3), £650(2) & £645(3) – Hillcrest : £565 – 1 Kenovay :
£545(4) – Middleton Farm.
SALx:
£580 & £570 – Lochphuil.
SIMx:
£675 – Heylipol Farm : £555(4) – Lochphuil.
OTM COWS
£755 – Heylipol Farm : £715 – Lochphuil : £655 – Heylipol Farm.
I/C COWS
£840 – Lochphuil : £790 – Heylipol Farm : £780 – Lochphuil : £750 – Croish & Lochphuil.
TOP PRICES PER KILO
BULLOCKS
AAx:
205p(2), 202p & 196p – Hillcrest : 196p(4) & 195p(4) – 13 Moss.
CHARx:
237p – Ardmay : 233p(2), 221p & 218p – Hillcrest : 214p(5) – Heylipol Farm :
209p – Hillcrest : 206p – Ardmay : 204p, 203p(5) & 197p(2) – Heylipol Farm :
197p – Hillcrest : 195p(4) – Heylipol Farm.
LIMx:
262p – 8 Barrapol : 247p – Mainroad : 241p(2) – Hillcrest : 234p(2) & 228p – 8 Barrapol :
223p – 1 Kenovay : 222p – Middleton Farm : 221p(2) – 8 Barrapol : 214p – 1 Kenovay :
213p – Hillcrest(3) & Skipinnis : 208p – 1 Kenovay : 207p – Hillcrest : 206p – Middleton
Farm & Carnan : 205p – Carnan : 204p – 8 Barrapol : 203p(2) – Heylipol Farm :
202p & 201p(2) – 1 Kenovay : 201p – 3 Kenovay : 198p – Middleton Farm & 3 Kenovay :
197p – Middleton Farm & Carnan : 195p – Middleton Farm.
SALx:
219p & 217p – Lochphuil
SHx:
222p(5), 212p & 196p(2) – Middleton Farm.
SIMx:
226p – 17 Balevullin : 214p – Lochphuil : 211p – 17 Balevullin :
207p(2) & 204p(2)- Lochphuil : 198p(2) & 197p – Heylipol Farm : 197p(3) – 3 Kenovay.
HEIFERS
CHARx:
215p – Ardmay : 212p(2) & 202p(5) – Hillcrest : 195p & 185p(4) – Heylipol Farm.
LIMx:
232p(2) – 9 Barrapol : 231p – Mainroad : 227p, 222p(3) & 221p – 9 Barrapol : 220p(3) –
Hillcrest : 219p(2), 217p(2) & 213p(2) – 9 Barrapol : 211p – 9 Barrapol : 208p(4) – Middleton
Farm : 207p – 1 Kenovay : 201p – Hillcrest (3) & 1 Kenovay : 198p – Skipinnis : 197p,
196p & 195p – 1 Kenovay : 193p(2) – Skipinnis : 192p(2) – Hillcrest.
SALx:
195p(2), 193p & 192p – Lochphuil.
SIMx:
203p(4) – Lochphuil : 202p(2) & 200p – 17 Balevullin : 194p – Lochphuil.