Horseley Farm is a family partnership which farms 840 acres in Reston in the Scottish Borders, approximately 10 miles from Berwick-on-Tweed. The farm is home to 1,000 breeding ewes and around 400 acres of cereal crops. All the Horseley lambs are bred and finished on the family owned farm. Each year, some 1,300 lambs are reared and sold as prime British meat to one of the UK’s leading supermarkets. 

 

 

Prior to the 2001 Foot and Mouth epidemic, the Horseley Farm lambs were sold at Reston Livestock Market. The market was just a few miles away and the lambs were transported in the farm’s own vehicles for sale at the auction. The movement restrictions on livestock during the epidemic resulted in the closure of Reston Market, leaving local farmers with no choice but to find an alternative means of selling their stock. For William Davidson, of the Horseley Farm partnership, this meant either making a 35 mile journey to St Boswells, or finding an agent to help him market his stock. 

 

 

When Alan Gray, previously the Principal Sheep Auctioneer at Reston Market, formed his own livestock agency Scottish Procurement Services in 2001, William Davidson was very interested in what he had to offer. Alan Gray has more than 17 years experience in the procurement and sale of both sheep and cattle, as well as an extensive network of supply and demand contacts.  William understood Alan’s expertise, having been a regular seller at the Reston Auctions.  

 

Since 2001, William and Alan’s professional relationship has developed, built on mutual trust and respect. In the early days, William used a couple of different agents, but didn’t get the level of service or the prices he subsequently received from Alan Gray. 

 

 

The Horseley Farm lambs are sold in batches between the months of June and December. The majority of the stock is sold to a large meat wholesaler, supplying some of the UK’s leading supermarkets. When William Davidson has a batch of lambs ready for sale, the process couldn’t be simpler. 

 

William phones Alan Gray to start the transaction. Alan advises when the collection will be made, normally between 2 and 7 days.  In addition, with the Scottish Procurement service, all sheep and cattle are priced ex-farm, so there are no haulage charges levied.  With Alan Gray arranging all the logistics, Horseley Farm doesn’t have the time, inconvenience, or expense involved in transporting the stock. The farm’s fee is based on a price per kilo, but depends on how the lambs ‘kill out’, i.e. the grade of the meat. 

 

 

Once the stock has been sold and transported, William Davidson receives his payment, normally within 10 days, helping maintain his cash flow. William added “This is faster than with cereal crops, when the payment takes at least a month”.

 

 

As well as making the arrangements when William Davidson has lambs to sell, Alan Gray maintains regular contact with the farm. He knows when Horseley Farm has lambs ready for the market, and advises on the right time to sell to achieve the best possible prices. It is this level of service, expertise, and rapport which has cemented the relationship, already spanning some 7 years. 

 

When asked about Alan Gray, William Davidson said, “We’ve built a good relationship with Alan over the years. He is always well informed and trustworthy to deal with.”