Breeding stock available online as pandemic closes markets
© Tim Scrivener Signet breeding have launched new sheep and cattle for sale sections on their website to help match farmers with breeding ewes and rams.
The cancellation of breeding sales due to restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic has left many farmers struggling to source stock in the usual way, it says.
The new “Cattle for sale” and “Sheep for sale” tabs on the recently launched Signet website list rams, bulls, ewes, cows and semen for sale, either at auctions or directly off farm.
See also: Coronavirus: Online livestock auctions – how they work
The sections enable users to find:
- The breeder and their contact details
- An image of the animal
- The animal’s birth date, sex and index
- By clicking on the animal’s ID, users can view a full record of each animal’s estimated breeding values (EBVs)
- The postcode of each animal is listed, allowing producers to easily refine their search
- Producers can also use the Flock Finder and Herd Finder tools to search for breeders in their region
The AHDB’s Samuel Boon, who heads up Signet Breeding Services, says: “The website is also proving to be even more useful in recent weeks due to the closure of breeding sales, with recent activity showing this is an important tool for producers in these challenging times.”
The AHDB is reminding producers to act early to source breeding stock. To allow time for an MoT and a quarantine period, rams should be sourced at least 10 weeks before mating.