Auctioneer Peter Crichton reported plenty of interest at the dispersal sale of indoor pig equipment he conducted on behalf of WH Norris & Sons, Doddinghurst, Essex, on April 26. The firm closed down its 350-sow farrow-to-finish herd earlier this year after 65 years of continuous pig production.
Buyers attended the sale from a wide area, with bids from the north of Scotland and the West Country, as well as Kent and East Anglia. The result was a total clearance and firm prices underlining a return to confidence in pig production.
The stars of the sale were two Finrone 16-crate farrowing containers, purchased new in 2009 and 2010, that made £22,000 each after spirited bidding from telephone bidders, as well as those attending the sale.
Machinery and equipment included a 1988 Volvo FL7 6-wheel bulk lorry with 658,000km (not tested) that sold for a remarkable £5,500 and an Ifor Williams tri-axle 14ft livestock trailer that made £3,000. A 2011 JCB skid-steer loader made £10,800.
Although none of the bulk bins on offer were particularly modern, they met ready demand with a six-tonne EB selling to £900, and 16-tonne types and others to £800.
Sundry items included feed trolleys at £30-60 each and ad-lib wheel feeders at £65 each, although demand for other plastic rearer and finisher hoppers was more selective with 5ft finisher hoppers selling at up to £115 each. Grower and rearer hoppers made anywhere between £5 and £30. Blocks of nine galvanised individual sow feeders sold for £130-140 per set.
A large selection of gates met plenty of demand to £75 each according to size and condition. A captive-bolt gun made £580, while a selection of drinkers and infra-red lamps were also readily sold. 330-gallon black plastic juice tanks made between £50 and £90 and an NC slurry irrigator with pump sold at £1,200.
A range of 74 sectional Trowbridge rearing/finishing pens in seven runs providing space for up to 1,100 finishers and erected between 1980 and 2012 met with plenty of demand and sold for a total of £17,400, which at £15.60/pig place still provided buyers with good value.
Peter Crichton’s next sale of pig equipment takes place on the 5th July near Barford St. Martin in Wiltshire, when outdoor pig equipment from a 1,000 sow herd comes under the hammer on behalf of Teffont Pigs.