Important information you need to know before coming to or entering animals into a Society Show and Sale

Health status

All vendors must complete a Highland Cattle Society Herd Health Declaration form at the time of entry into the Show and Sale. All information provided is supplied by the vendor who has the responsibility to ensure the details are correct.

By completing and signing the respective sale entry forms or completing an entry, online members agree to and accept all Highland Cattle Society bye-laws pertaining to official Highland Cattle Society Sales. The Highland Cattle Society reserves the right to check the accuracy of the information provided by members with the relevant CHeCS licensed health scheme provider.

It is mandatory for Highland bulls sold through Highland Cattle Society Sales to be DNA sire verified before the sale. You will find these on our Membership Fees page.

All animals are accepted for sale on the terms that the vendor warrants his or her right to sell the same and undertakes to indemnify the Society and the auctioneers against all actions, proceedings, claims, demands, costs, charges and expenses to which they may be exposed by reason of any defect in the vendor’s title.

Please note all cattle forward at sales must have been IBR, BVD Lepto and Johne’s (Antigen and Antibody) tested. All cattle however lose their accreditation status once they have entered the market premises. To regain status without affecting other cattle of higher status they must be isolated and retested either at the buyer’s premises or the seller’s premises (if unsold).

To minimise the risk of cross infection on the market premises, cattle for sale from a fold where all the animals are tested on a whole herd bases are segregated from animals with no health status. Animals tested on an individual basis are segregated from other animals of higher status and no status, if this is practicable, otherwise they are penned with animals of no health status.

Animals consigned for an official sale held under the auspices of the Society who have failed any test, whether as part of a whole herd basis or as individuals, should be advised to the office of the Society and should not be presented for sale. Cattle vaccinated for Blue Tongue must be accompanied by a Declaration Form.

Any animal showing antibodies must be notified and a declaration will be added to the catalogue note.

Animals must be quarantined for 28 days prior to testing, so please remember to allow plenty of time. Health Test Results Certificates must be sent to the Highland Cattle Society Office at least one week prior to sale. Anyone requiring information/advice should contact Anne-Marie Carruthers on 01786 446866.

The five diseases currently available for control in cattle are:

• IBR - Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis – attested cattle

• BVD - Bovine Virus Diarrhoea – attested cattle

• Johne's disease (Paratuberculosis) - attested cattle

• Leptospira Hardjo (Lepto) - attested cattle

• TB - Bovine Tuberculosis - attested cattle

The UK is officially free of EBL - Enzootic Bovine Leucosis (EBL).

Cattle tested for any of the above diseases on a whole herd basis are described appropriately in the Index of Sellers. Please refer also to the ‘Animal entered for the sale’ note section for any animal being privately tested. In view of the complexity of the health regulations, buyers should seek to establish the current health status of any animal whose purchase is being considered by prior consultation with the seller.

Vendors must ensure that the correct health documentation (a photocopy of the current health certificate) accompanies each animal upon arrival at the mart, to enable mart staff to direct them to the correct penning area. Failure to do so will result in their cattle being sold at the end of the sale.

Health status (overseas potential purchasers)

All overseas purchasers must ascertain the health status of the animal they wish to purchase prior to the auction and make the necessary arrangements for export prior to purchase. It is advisable that anyone interested in purchasing cattle for overseas export should contact their own Intra-Trade Animal Health Authority.

Disclaimer

The particulars shown in the Catalogue are furnished by the Vendors and are believed to be correct, the Society accepts no responsibility for any mistake or error therein. Vendors must intimate before or at the time of the Sale any mistake or misprint in their entry. The Society does not accept any responsibility for the health status of animals entered in the catalogue. The health status in the sale catalogue is not warranted by the Society. Sellers consign animals to the market premises entirely at their own risk.

Calves sold at foot

Bull calves at foot must be properly identified, birth notified and eligible for registration in the Herd Book.

Heifer calves at foot must be registered in the Herd Book unless otherwise stated. From 1 January 2018, in the autumn sales all calves born after 31 March must be sold with their dam. In the spring sales all calves born after 31 July must be sold with their dam.

Appendix animals

Females of unknown pedigree, but accepted, by inspection, as being of True Highland type, are eligible for entry in Appendix B of the Highland Cattle Herd Book. Only female progeny out of Appendix females, and by registered Highland bulls, are eligible for entry in the Herd Book. Female calves from Appendix B cows are entered into Appendix A of the Herd Book, and female calves of Appendix A cows are entered into the Herd Book proper. No male progeny out of Appendix females can be accepted for entry in the Herd Book. Highland Cattle accepted for entry into either of the appendices are identified by the addition of the suffix 'B' or 'A' to the ear tag denoting the appropriate appendix.

Stock arrival at market

Stock may be delivered to market early by arrangement with the auctioneers.

Fodder and utensils

Vendors must provide their own fodder, feed stuffs, drinking utensils and grooming equipment. Items including bedding can be purchased from the market staff.

Numbering

All animals will be numbered on arrival at the sale premises and must remain numbered throughout the show and sale. It is the responsibility of the vendor to be present and to check each animal is correctly numbered and penned and sold in catalogue order, unless any alteration is authorised by the Auctioneers.

Conduct

Unless there is a specific class listed in the schedule, all animals entered for Society sales must be halter broken. Please note if an animal is not led, washed, groomed and correctly presented for show and sale they will be moved to the unhaltered section, with no refund of entry fee, at the discretion of the Chief Steward. Any animal deemed not to be under proper control of the handler may be asked to leave the show ring at the discretion of the Chief Steward.

Exhibitors should be smartly dressed and wear a white coat during the show and sale. The white coat should be buttoned up. Exhibitors will be called forward in class order. Please listen to the public address system. Each class will be judged in numerical order.

Cattle of different health status will be brought forward to and from the show ring using separate pathways where possible.

Spectators are requested not to obstruct passageways and entrances to the show ring.

Halters, bull rings and snitches

All cattle entered for the sale except Highland steers must be halter broken and provided with a serviceable halter which will become the property of the purchaser. All cattle over the age of six months old at the time of the Show and Sale must have a ring or snitch in throughout the duration of the show and sale and until they are removed from the market premises.

Removal of stock

All animals must be left with water and fodder after the sale. All vendors and purchasers must remove their stock from the market by the deadline set by the Auctioneers. The Auctioneers accept no responsibility for stock left on their premises. No animal may leave the market without first being checked by the market staff. All transportation must be washed out and clean prior to the transport of any animals leaving the market. The only exception would be if a vendor was transporting solely their own animals, returning to their own holding, as not sold. Prospective purchasers are strongly advised to make their likely requirements as to numbers and destination known to the Auctioneers well before the sale date so that suitable haulage arrangements can be made.

Commissions

The Auctioneers will carefully execute commissions to purchase on behalf of buyers unable to attend the sale in person upon receipt of written instructions. Any animals placed for sale that are sold outwith the ring must put the sale through the UA books of account.

Accounts

Buyer's numbers will operate for all Society Sales and all prospective buyers should obtain a number from the accounts office before they make any purchases. The same number should be used throughout the market.

Settlement

Settlement in full for all stock purchased is due immediately at the close of the sale and before the stock is removed from the pens. All animals purchased at Society Sales must be paid for in full on the day of the sale. Credit Cards and cash will be accepted. Arrangements to transfer money in advance of the sale can be made direct with the auctioneer. No animal will be allowed to leave the market until full payment has been received. 

Reserves

There is a minimum bid in place for two year-old and three year-old bulls of 1200 guineas. Vendors shall have the right to fix a reserve price for any or all of their entries. Such reserve prices must be notified to the Auctioneers in writing on the day of the sale at least 30 minutes before the commencement of the sale. Animals, which fail to reach the reserve price fixed by the vendor, may be sold by private treaty after the auction where the price can be freely agreed between seller and buyer. Full commission and levy will be charged on all such transactions, which must pass through the Auctioneers.

Buyers’ declaration

It is the responsibility of the purchaser on collection of the Cattle Passports for the animals purchased to complete a Declaration Form. The ear tags must be checked against each Cattle Passport before signing the declaration and returning it to the Society office. Certificates of pedigree and ownership will not be issued for animals purchased without a signed declaration form.

Highland Cattle pedigrees

Buyers are reminded to retain the Sale catalogue. The short pedigrees of cattle offered for sale have been verified by the Society and are adequate for most practical purposes.

Change of ownership

Change of ownership at official Society Sales is recorded only on receipt of a Buyer’s Declaration Form.

Documentation

Purchasers are reminded that all documents relating to the animal/s purchased must be uplifted from the market prior to leaving. The market cannot accept any responsibility for documents which may have to be posted out from the market.