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News
Grant Rogerson: Building on strong foundations for the future
Posted: September 2, 2026
There is always a lot happening across agriculture at this time of year and that is certainly the case here at ANM.
As we approach one of the busiest periods in our livestock calendar, we have recently announced the next stage of our plans for Thainstone, and there is plenty of positive activity across our livestock markets as we head towards the autumn.
One of the most significant developments for ANM Group recently has been confirming the next stage of our Thainstone Vision. Following detailed consideration of the options for the Centre, we have decided to invest in and enhance the existing Thainstone Centre through a long-term programme of improvement.
Thainstone has been at the heart of agriculture in the North East for many years. It is home not only to our livestock and commercial auctions sales, but to a wide range of businesses, events and activities. Our plans are about building on those strong foundations and ensuring the Centre continues to serve agriculture, business and the wider community for generations to come.
Over the years, Thainstone has developed and changed considerably, broadening the range of activities, businesses and services based here. This has helped the Group respond to the changing needs of our customers and the wider community, and our responsibility now is to continue that progress, making sensible decisions and investing for the future.
In the more immediate term, our livestock division is preparing for the busy back-end sales period. We will soon be holding three sales a week at Thainstone, alongside a busy schedule at Caithness.
Our seasonal sales in Shetland also begin at the end of August. Our long-established relationship with Shetland Livestock Marketing Group is extremely important to us, and together we will once again deliver a busy programme of livestock sales. The live auction ring remains at the heart of these sales, supported by our online bidding platform which allows buyers from right across our extensive trading area to participate. Combining the strength of the traditional auction system with the reach of technology helps us bring buyers and sellers together, wherever they may be.
For breeders, the Ram sales in September are another important part of the autumn calendar, with shows and sales at both Caithness and Thainstone. These sales are about more than the day itself. The breeding decisions farmers make now will influence their flocks for years to come, and bringing breeders and buyers together remains an important part of what our markets do.
Maintaining strong relationships with our customers is equally important and we are pleased to be expanding the team with the appointment of a new canvasser based at Thainstone. This addition will provide us more opportunity to visit and speak directly to customers, understand what is happening at the farm gate and remain close to the agricultural community we serve.
Our markets themselves continue to perform well. The sheep trade has remained strong overall, although prices have eased from their seasonal highs, while cattle prices and numbers have also held up well throughout the summer. We have seen particularly strong numbers of prime cattle, both through the auction ring and through our direct-to-slaughter marketing, which has been very encouraging.
Our Caithness market is also performing very well, with increased numbers and consistently good quality stock attracting strong buyer interest. Much of the livestock sold in Caithness travels on for further finishing, reflecting both the quality of stock coming forward and the important role the market plays in connecting Caithness producers with buyers across our wider trading area.
Alongside the day-to-day business of our livestock markets, animal health and biosecurity are always at the forefront of our minds. That is why we are supporting calls for bluetongue vaccination to be incorporated into existing vaccination programmes.
Animal health is a shared responsibility across the livestock sector, particularly when disease does not respect farm boundaries or geography. Prevention is far better than dealing with the consequences of an outbreak, and anything practical that can strengthen the resilience of our livestock sector deserves serious consideration.
There is a great deal happening across ANM as we head into the autumn, from planning for the long-term future of Thainstone to the day-to-day work of our livestock markets and teams. These are very different areas, but the principle behind them is much the same: understanding what our customers and communities need, doing the job in front of us well and continuing to move the business forward.