Turning a Corner – and Taking on a Few Challenges

Cross-border trading is finally beginning to turn a corner as we move into the low vector period and restrictions on livestock movements are eased.

 

For customers trading through Borderway, this will make business much more straightforward. We trade animals from all corners of the UK, and in recent months, the movement restrictions have created some additional challenges for farmers buying and selling livestock.

 

Now that we are into the low vector period, livestock can move freely throughout Great Britain, with the exception of breeding bulls and in-calf cows and heifers, which require either full vaccination with Bultavo-3 or pre-movement testing. It is a welcome step forward and should remove some of the uncertainty and complication that farmers have had to navigate.

 

In my role as Dairy Sale Advisor at Harrison & Hetherington, we continue to work closely with farmers facing the many challenges within the dairy industry. At present, one of the biggest frustrations is milk price, with many farmers receiving a price below their cost of production.

 

It is sad and frustrating to see an industry where the same product can be returning 15–20p per litre more to one farmer than another, depending on their contract and milk buyer, while opportunities to move to a better contract can be extremely limited. The cost of producing milk is broadly similar across the industry, so such a significant difference in the value of the end-product can have a huge impact on the viability and confidence of individual businesses.

 

Despite these pressures, the trade for dairy cattle has remained strong throughout the summer, with a noticeable shortage of dairy replacements. Many dairy businesses have found a balance between using sexed semen to produce the replacements they require and beef semen to create a profitable calf which can be sold at just a few weeks old.

 

While we have had quite a number of dispersal sales taking place through the ring, we are also selling a significant number of herds and groups of cattle privately, directly from farm to farm. Every farm and every situation is different, and depending on the circumstances, we can accommodate sales in a way that works for the vendor and buyer. That said, the auction ring continues to prove itself as the place to achieve the best possible trade, with competition between buyers giving sellers the confidence that their cattle are being properly valued.

 

Away from the sale ring, I have taken on a challenge of my own this year to support Harrison & Hetherington’s chosen charity for 2026, Hospice UK. I completed The Great North Run, and also raised over £1,000 for the charity.

 

It is fair to say this has pushed me well outside my comfort zone. Running is not something that comes naturally to me, and there is certainly a mental battle when the mileage starts to increase, at the start of 2026 I couldn’t manage a 5k run without stopping. This challenge has also reminded me that we are capable of much more than we sometimes think we are.

 

There is something very satisfying about getting out for a run or workout. Exercise really is brilliant for the endorphins – the feeling afterwards is always worth the sweat!

 

Getting the miles in out in the countryside has also been a great way to clear the mind. Regardless of the distance or the pace, there is something about being outdoors that gives you time to think, switch off and come back feeling refreshed.

 

Whether it is working with farmers through challenging times, watching the trade in the sale ring or running through the countryside there is a common thread – sometimes you just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.