[goosepimple]

Too many X's in the livestock and unregistered.  Might go along for the Steinbacher geese to supplement my others though.

[HappyHippy]

I have to admit that the abundance of crosses and unregistered stock does kinda put me off, as I'm sure it will others 
There may be a little something in the pipeline for future sales (can't say much more at the mo  ) which would hopefully up the numbers of registered animals. However, even doing that folk would have to actually have pedigree, registered stock that they were prepared to take to market.
It's a catch 22, without the quality of stock there isn't much interest but if there's not much interest (which normally means lower prices  ) most breeders would rather keep the animals at home than go through all the rigmarole of getting them to market only to make a loss in the sale ring.
I think the key is in supporting the sales (especially the Rare Breed ones) even if you only go along and buy the cataloge  because without enough attendees/sales there's always the chance of the market deciding it's not worth their while holding it in the first place 
Oh, hope that makes sense - approaching 8 hours without food and I can feel the delierium creeping in  better go and get my tea 
I'll be in the cafe at 10am in the morning though with a double buggy and a roll & sausage 
Karen 

[Anke]

I know the lady who is selling the X GG nanny kids, they are from a registered billy, and I used him last year. Unfortunately she doesn't register her stock anymore, otherwise her kids would be worth a bit! (seems she was more successful at getting female kids out of him than I was.....)

I will go along to also meet up with some Shetland sheep keepers, and it is a rare day out!

[SallyintNorth]

Well we had a ball.  Lovely to meet up with Karen and family, and Rosemary. 

I just emailed BH's nephew, "We've just got back from Lanark Rare Breeds sale - just a day out, something different.  It was an absolute hoot.  Pygmy goats so small they could squeeze into the ring through the hinges of the gate; pigs so wriggly they poured themselves between the bars to escape their pens and no-one could catch hold of them ("these little piggies went to market and went 'WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE' all the way around the pens"!); the auctioneer's patience wearing thinner than the smile of the producer getting £10 for his whole pen of pigs - you couldn't have scripted it and it was funnier than anything David Jason is in..."

There are some serious issues behind that, of course - but it was a great day out, we really enjoyed ourselves. 

Did anyone see what the Steinbachers made?  (The ginger Kune Kune gilt was £75, Karen - she was the only pig to make a sensible amount of money.)

[goosepimple]

Hmm, I'd like to know what the Steinbacher's made too - I was going to go specificially for them but changed my mind, sounds like I missed a good day out.

[Croftgary]

Maybe the pigs weren't making much but the sheep did, I heard someone from the shetland sheep society saying it was the best sale prices they had seen, unreg gimmers went for £70.

[HappyHippy]

pigs so wriggly they poured themselves between the bars to escape their pens and no-one could catch hold of them ("these little piggies went to market and went 'WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE' all the way around the pens"!); the auctioneer's patience wearing thinner than the smile of the producer getting £10 for his whole pen of pigs - you couldn't have scripted it and it was funnier than anything David Jason is in..."

That would have been the pen of very small 'micro' pigs then  I had asked the guys son what the cross was (as some of them had piri's) to be told they were 'pure micro pigs'  (But to be fair the wee boy could only have been about 10, so I didn't launch into my usual speach - well, not the full scale one  ) That wee ginger gilt was a lovely pig, but I've been told no more  yeah, righty oh then Bruce ! We'll see how long that lasts !
We saw (and completely fell in love with) those wee pygmy goats - I WANT (at least) ONE, or two, or 3 or........let's face it they're so small I could probably have about 20 and nobody would really notice them 

And the Dexter ! Would love to know what she made. She was stunning, such a shame she wasn't registered 

Maybe the pigs weren't making much but the sheep did, I heard someone from the shetland sheep society saying it was the best sale prices they had seen, unreg gimmers went for £70.

I don't know why, but the pigs never seem to make great money at auction  Hopefully that will change soon - just in time for any I happen to take to sell would be good 

But a great day out and always lovely to meet fellow TASers - roll on the next one 
Karen 

[Anke]

Yes a nice day out and a very successful sale for shetland sheep - some gimmers made over 200! (I didn't buy any though....), with averages around the 70 marks.

I didn't get to meet most of you, too busy chatting and watching the sale.

Leaving Lanark in beautiful sunshine, only to drive into pouring rain by the time I got to Biggar....

[SallyintNorth]

pigs so wriggly they poured themselves between the bars to escape their pens and no-one could catch hold of them ("these little piggies went to market and went 'WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE' all the way around the pens"!)

That would have been the pen of very small 'micro' pigs then  I had asked the guys son what the cross was (as some of them had piri's) to be told they were 'pure micro pigs' 

Actually, no, it wasn't the very small (very young?) teeny tiny 'micro' piglets.  It was the pot-bellied or pot-bellied X weaners (no-one was sure which pen was which and the producer had left by then.)

And the Dexter ! Would love to know what she made. She was stunning, such a shame she wasn't registered 

BH thinks she was £360; I can't remember, sorry.  She looked very nice in terms of conformation, yes, but showed rather too much 'touchiness' (as the limousin folks put it) for my taste; I wouldn't like to try to milk her as a newly-calved heifer...  I have heard that you do have to be very careful about temperament with Dexters, some are quiet but some are headstrong.

We saw (and completely fell in love with) those wee pygmy goats - I WANT (at least) ONE, or two, or 3 or........let's face it they're so small I could probably have about 20 and nobody would really notice them 

I think everyone fell in love with them, you'd have to have had a cuteness receptor bypass to be immune to their charms!   If you had a farm park or similar I would think they'd more than make you their £60 for a wether kid, over £100 for a nanny kid.  (The producer thanked the auctioneer, saying, "I enjoyed that."  At those prices, I bet he did!)

We saw a lot of very nice sheep, just one very nice pig and a lot I wouldn't have had for free (which at £10 for 8 they practically were) and a lot of very interesting birds.  BH would like light sussex banties, LF or banty black leghorns, we both really liked the chocolate orpingtons and the steinbachers (yay!  put me down for an unrelated pair please jaykay!  but not until we've finished the cubicle shed and had time to think about goose housing...) and I liked the cream legbars and bluebells (which I'd heard about but never seen before.)   If I'd had to bring something home, it would have been either the steinbachers or the silkie broody with her 8 welsummer chicks.  Or any of the ducks except the muscovies (which I usually love but these looked sad.)  (I don't see how anyone could hear ducks quacking away and not smile.  But maybe the muscovies looked sad because they can't quack...)

[Rosemary]

Good to see Sally and Mike again, and Karen, Bruce and the kids - thanks for the super blackboard (pics to follow) and the pork.

Nice venue - watch this space 

[ballingall]

Sounds like you had a good day. Pygmy goats are cute, but remember they don't produce anything! Whilst these



produce milk,


and these...

[Fleecewife]

Lanark was the official Scottish Show and Sale for the Shetlands, so some top sheep were forward.  Some of the last Rench sheep were being sold (bred by Tom Findlay who sadly died last year) and they seem to have brought out plenty of buyers.   This was the report from the Shetland Link:
" Today we had a most successful show and sale at Lanark. Alistair Wilson did a very professional job of judging some very fine  sheep forward.
 
The Champion was a beautiful white Rench Gimmer with a super black Middleton ewe lamb standing Reserve.
 
The champion sold to £155 with several Rench lots topping at £270. The reserve was knocked down at £155 also. The Wool on the Hoof Champion was also Rench stock, a white gimmer which was knocked down at £270. The rest of the stock forward all sold for good prices with only a few not being sold.
 
It was noticable that there were also many new faces around the ring buying which augers well for the future of Shetlands."

If Karen and the RBST can get this adopted as an RBST Approved Sale then the quality of other rare breed stock would be higher and there would be more buyers. It has the potential to be a really good sale, in an excellent location.

Sorry I couldn't be there - I'm not up to outings yet 

[calamityjane]

A bit late lol i was at this sale i bought my kune pig there was the first pig sold was hoping to see the hungarian pigs  they wern't there nice lama loved the dexter if you happened to see a tubby lady with a lad on crutches that was me and my son lol we bought some hens and a huge cockeral who went home with paul betsy last owner phew hubby tends to buy cockerals just got rid of 3 hopefully to a countryside home providing they get on ok with her cockeral if anyone fancy ones pm me  did you see the shetland n colt at foot was tempted no transport lol and couldn't get hold of my mum /my bank lol  if you  are going to next lanark forfar sale we should met up i'm like my nickname lola calamity waiting to happen

[HappyHippy]

That would be good CalamityJane, I'm at most of the Lanark pig & poultry sales too  Harrassed looking fat lady usually with 2 kids in a buggy 
Was it the wee ginger gilt you bought at Lanark ? She was stunning looking and I think maybe registered ?
Karen x

[Fleecewife]

Little piggy goes to Lanark market

Not sure if this will work, but it's the slippery piglet which livened up the Shetland shearling gimmer class. Ah yes - it works