Farming News - NSA welcomes the return of full line up of ram sales

NSA welcomes the return of full line up of ram sales

image expired

With the breeding sheep sale season approaching, the National Sheep Association (NSA) is looking forward to the return of its full line up of ram sales across the UK this summer and autumn.
 
With Covid-19 causing the sad cancellation of some of the popular NSA sales last year, organising committees for the NSA Wales & Border Ram Sales, NSA NSA South West Ram Sale and NSA Eastern Region Ram Sales are busy preparing to welcome vendors and buyers to sale rings once again.
 
Kicking off the season will be the NSA Wales & Border Early Ram Sale at the Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells, on Monday 2nd August. This first sale at Builth since 2019 will feature top quality breeding stock from a range of breeds and will be followed later in the season by the return of the NSA Wales & Border Main Ram Sale on Monday 20th September. Catalogues for the early sale and entry forms for the main sale are both available at www.nsaramsales.co.uk.

All involved with the organisation and management of the NSA Wales & Border sales are excited to hold these events once again. The early sale is ideal for sourcing rams in good time, integrating them into farm management systems ahead of use or for early lambing flocks. The main sale is recognised as a significant force in the UK sheep industry, with around 30 sheep breeds represented, more than 5,000 rams on sale and, pre-Covid, an attendance of around 7,000 people.
 
Also taking place in August will be both the NSA South West Ram Sale on Wednesday 18thAugust at Exeter Livestock Centre and the NSA Eastern Region Rugby Sale on Friday 27thAugust. Entries have closed for the SW Sale and a catalogue will be available soon. Entries are open for the Rugby Sale. See www.nationalsheep.org.uk/events.
 
The NSA South West Sale continues to attract a growing number of vendors and buyers, growing steadily through its 30-year history. The sale has become known for its rigorous inspection and generally high standards and will provide buyers in South West England with a choice of quality breeding stock once again.
 
NSA Eastern Region is looking ahead to another successful sale at Rugby Livestock Market, again providing opportunity for producers to get the first pick of the season’s offering and time to integrate tups into their system at home. The second sale of the region will take place on Friday 17th September, working alongside Melton Mowbray Market. Entries are online at www.nationalsheep.org.uk/events. Combined with the Melton Midlands Sheep Fair for the first time, the NSA Eastern Region Ram Sale will this year offer even more of a one-stop shop for purchasers, as well as additional assurances for buyers on the health of their purchased rams.

NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker comments: “All at NSA are thrilled to have our five popular and valued ram sales back, offering both NSA members a platform for the sale of their stock and the extended sheep sector a reliable source of top quality breeding animals. Our NSA ram sale committees work hard year-round to ensure these sales run smoothly and successfully so we are very pleased that Covid-19 restrictions appear to be easing sufficiently for them to run as usual once again.”