Strong demand as farmers restock (From Western Telegraph)

Strong demand as farmers restock

Pembrokeshire livestock producers could cash in as farmers in foot and mouth infected regions start restocking.

With current commercial cow values peaking at £900 a head, there are good opportunities for producers with surplus stock. West Wales auctioneer, Bob Jones-Prytherch and Co, is acting as a link between buyers and sellers.

It has several hundred pedigree and commercial cows on its books and is reporting strong demand from buyers.

That interest is coming not only from buyers who have lost stock through foot and mouth culls but from Pembrokeshire farmers reverting to milk production.

Huw Evans, livestock director with Bob Jones-Prytherch and Co, says it has four farmers in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire who are planning to return to dairying.

Some had leased out their milk quota and diversified into the beef sector. But with a slump in both quota leasing and beef prices and a firming of milk returns, they are reviewing their businesses.

The company's decision to draw up a register of stock for sale over the coming months was in response to demand.

'Farmers in this area with stock to sell were contacting auctioneers in England. It didnt make sense when we could act as that link,' said Huw Evans.

'By stepping up our involvement in the farm-to-farm market we are safeguarding the future of our markets when we once again have the opportunity to operate them. At the same time we are maintaining our contact with farmers,' he said.

'We are spending money upgrading these markets to the required DEFRA standards and need to make them work for us.'