0:00:03 > 0:00:05Farming is a risky business...
0:00:05 > 0:00:06SHEEP BLEATS
0:00:06 > 0:00:08350, 380...
0:00:08 > 0:00:11..and when it's time to make money, the stakes are high.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Thainstone Mart, one of Europe's biggest livestock markets.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23Sheep, cattle and machinery auctioned to the highest bidder,
0:00:23 > 0:00:25day in, day out.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27MOO!
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Farmers spend months getting ready for their big sales day.
0:00:33 > 0:00:38With livelihoods on the line, their animals have to look just right.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42This is the thing that puts the food on the table. Of course I'm nervous!
0:00:42 > 0:00:47Fortunes can be made and dreams can be dashed,
0:00:47 > 0:00:49all in the blink of an eye.
0:00:50 > 0:00:51It's just another day at work.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Welcome to The Mart.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03It's late summer at Thainstone Mart, and in today's programme,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07John needs to get top dollar for the Sievright family's calves
0:01:07 > 0:01:08when they go under the hammer...
0:01:08 > 0:01:11You only sell them once a year. Best to make the best job you can.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13I look forward to receiving a good price.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16Hopefully we'll put you home with a smile on your face.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19..the pressure's on Colin, when his ten-year-old daughter Rachel
0:01:19 > 0:01:21asks him to sell her favourite lambs...
0:01:21 > 0:01:23- 44.8.- When's our sheep going to come?
0:01:23 > 0:01:26They'll be coming in a minute. You be quiet.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28..and rookie auctioneer Rory
0:01:28 > 0:01:30struggles to get a local farmer the bids he wants.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Start the bid at 900. 900, 900...
0:01:33 > 0:01:36- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, don't give the- BLEEP- things away.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40If Rory doesn't pull it round, he's going to have one unhappy customer.
0:01:47 > 0:01:52Every year, over 85,000 cattle and 300,000 sheep are sold
0:01:52 > 0:01:56at Thainstone, and in the pens, auctioneer Colin Slessor
0:01:56 > 0:01:59is weighing prime lambs due to be sold today.
0:02:00 > 0:02:0256 kilos, OK.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06As it's the summer holidays, bidders may be in short supply.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09But Colin still needs to be on top form...
0:02:09 > 0:02:11- 44.8.- When's our sheep going to come?
0:02:11 > 0:02:13They'll be coming in a minute. You be quiet.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15..because ten-year-old daughter Rachel
0:02:15 > 0:02:18is selling her three favourite lambs.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21- Is that ours? No?- I don't think so, no. Shut the gate, please.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25There's one that my friend named, Shaun,
0:02:25 > 0:02:30and then there's one that was, like, wandering off from his mother
0:02:30 > 0:02:34so we called him Wonder, and then there's one that my brother named
0:02:34 > 0:02:35which is Rodger.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37I don't think most commercial farmers have got
0:02:37 > 0:02:40names for their lambs, so we better say nothing about that.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43- Oh, well.- We better say nothing about it.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Farming is often a family business,
0:02:46 > 0:02:48and Colin's starting Rachel off early.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50But she's a demanding customer.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55If Dad doesn't get her at least £70 for each lamb, she won't be happy.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00The last time I got £20 for chickens. That isn't a lot.
0:03:00 > 0:03:01COLIN LAUGHS
0:03:01 > 0:03:03You be quiet.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06I probably could do a better job than him.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08Hey, hey. Don't you get cheeky, young lady.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20We'll make a start on the sale. There's three nice lambs coming in.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22That's them, that's them!
0:03:22 > 0:03:23Young lady's sheep, look.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Young Rachel Slessor, this young lady here.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29What do you say, £80? 70?
0:03:29 > 0:03:3280? £80 bid.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34HE SPEAKS RAPIDLY
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Any more? Put them in the market. At £80.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39Anderson. Thank you very much, sir, thank you.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42We got ten more pounds than we thought.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50I think we've got...200 and something pounds.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54£240, to be precise.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58Perhaps Dad didn't do such a bad job after all.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00- Thank you, James.- Dad!
0:04:00 > 0:04:01You happy?
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Well done. Good girl. Well done.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05Good girl. Right, come on.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07I've got to go and speak to these guys. Come on.
0:04:12 > 0:04:1425 miles away in Huntly,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17mart auctioneer Finlay McIntyre is visiting a farmer
0:04:17 > 0:04:20who's about to sell breeding sheep for the first time.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23That's a good, strong lamb. That's a good, strong lamb.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25These are the ewe lambs all picked out for you, so...
0:04:25 > 0:04:27get your professional opinion and see what you think.
0:04:27 > 0:04:32Jacqueline Strathdee runs a 400-acre family farm with her father Jock.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34They normally specialise in Aberdeen Angus cattle.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38Well, we've never done this game before.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41- No, it's difficult, I ken. - But they're looking well, aye.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Bonnie colourings, and you've got a lot of lambs
0:04:44 > 0:04:45for the number of ewes.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47- Quite a few sets of triplets...- Aye. Yes.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50..which I didn't expect from the black ewes.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53You'll definitely have a good 20 lambs ready for the first sale.
0:04:53 > 0:04:54- That'll be fine, then.- Yep.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56That's the first time I've had them to a sale,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59so it'll be a steep learning curve, maybe.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03The key question is, what is each lamb worth?
0:05:04 > 0:05:07Down to the nitty-gritty then. A rough idea, Finlay?
0:05:07 > 0:05:09You could start with a nine somewhere.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Start with nine or a late eight, but who knows,
0:05:12 > 0:05:13there could be a ten either way.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16- Somewhere about there I would say. - I'd be happy with that.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18- That would make you happy? - That would make me smile!
0:05:20 > 0:05:25Jacqueline is so fond of Finlay, she named her tupping ram after him.
0:05:25 > 0:05:26That's my namesake.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28HE LAUGHS
0:05:28 > 0:05:32That's a big tup that was bought at auction, maybe three years ago now.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35He's a monster of a tup.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37He's very well bred and he's good-looking.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39I think that's why she called him after me!
0:05:42 > 0:05:45'The auctioneers are willing to help you and give you advice
0:05:45 > 0:05:48'and have a laugh and a bit of a banter.'
0:05:48 > 0:05:49It's a bit of fun.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Lightens your life up a wee bit.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57The farm has been in the Strathdee family for over five decades.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01I ken you need money to get by,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04but I couldn't have coped with a big paid job
0:06:04 > 0:06:06if I didn't enjoy it.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09So I'm doing what I aye wanted to do,
0:06:09 > 0:06:11and I can't ask for no more.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15But a love of farming doesn't pay the bills.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17Jacqueline needs a good price when her lambs are auctioned
0:06:17 > 0:06:19in less than a week.
0:06:27 > 0:06:28Back at the mart...
0:06:28 > 0:06:3015 heifers.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33..yardsman Steve Sievwright is putting cattle into separate pens
0:06:33 > 0:06:34to be sold in groups.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39With some of these beasts weighing over 400 kg,
0:06:39 > 0:06:43he and colleague Kevin Rear need to watch each other's backs.
0:06:43 > 0:06:44Gary, Gary, Gary!
0:06:46 > 0:06:49Sometimes it can be your bad luck -
0:06:49 > 0:06:52sometimes you're maybe just a step behind.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54Try not to be a step behind, that's when they DO kick you.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56They're a wee bit spicy.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58Well, these are better.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03In the last 15 years you would say
0:07:03 > 0:07:06the cattle are definitely getting more...wilder.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Not so quiet as they were.
0:07:09 > 0:07:14The feeding and bedding jobs on the farms are getting more mechanical,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17so there's not much people in amongst the cattle, which means
0:07:17 > 0:07:20when they DO come in here and see people, they're more excitable.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22More...dangerous, you would say.
0:07:22 > 0:07:23Yeah.
0:07:29 > 0:07:3226-year-old Rory Livesey is from the Borders.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34He came to Thainstone to train as an auctioneer,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38and is about to take over a cattle sale from his mentor John Angus.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43It's a real rush when John's selling cattle, and they're going in
0:07:43 > 0:07:46and out really quickly and the sales are really good.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50You've got to keep that rhythm going, and making sure the trade's
0:07:50 > 0:07:54staying just as good when you go into the box and take over from him.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57Which isn't easy, but you've got to try.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00Rory is under strict instructions to keep the pace up -
0:08:00 > 0:08:03but doesn't have the information he needs for his first sale.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07Who's is this?
0:08:10 > 0:08:12Tim... Tim!
0:08:12 > 0:08:13Tim...
0:08:14 > 0:08:16Tim, I need a price for this.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18- Eh?- I need a price for this.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24To add to the pressure, farmer John Matheson,
0:08:24 > 0:08:29whose 33 calves Rory is trying to sell, is standing right next to him.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33And he wants at least £1,000 per head.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37900 bid. I have a bid at 900. 900...
0:08:37 > 0:08:41- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, don't give the- BLEEP- things away.
0:08:41 > 0:08:42850. 850.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45850. 850...
0:08:45 > 0:08:47No. No. No.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50- Not today, then?- No way.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53The calves have gone unsold.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56Rory needs to do better for John's remaining cattle.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01The trade has quietened off. It's quieter than it was.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03So...
0:09:03 > 0:09:06But there's still buyers there. There's still buyers there.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09And Rory starts to flush those buyers out.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12Look at that for a golden calf.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15Look at the shape on him.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17That's a right bonnie fella. Put him into it now, 810.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19830 bid.
0:09:19 > 0:09:2240, 50, 60, 70. 870 bid.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24870 bid. At 870...
0:09:24 > 0:09:26870 bid. 880.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29880 bid. 880 bid.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31890.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34890. 900. 900 bid.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37At 900. 900, 900...
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Rory successfully pulls things round.
0:09:43 > 0:09:441,100...
0:09:44 > 0:09:48John's remaining calves go for nearly £29,000.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53I thought it was worse actually, I must admit.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57I didn't think it was quite as good as that, so it's not too bad.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00That's their income. You know, it's very important to them
0:10:00 > 0:10:03what you get for their cattle.
0:10:03 > 0:10:04At the end of the day it's an auction.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06They have to take the price on the day.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10'We have sold fully 200 cattle more this day than we did last year
0:10:10 > 0:10:11'so I'm delighted with that.'
0:10:11 > 0:10:14If you keep it flowing, that keeps them interested and they know
0:10:14 > 0:10:17they've to keep on bidding, that's why you've to keep the flow going.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20The longer you take to sell, the more people start talking
0:10:20 > 0:10:22and they lose interest.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24- Just keep them flowing.- Yup. - Keep them flowing.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Late summer is when Scotland's farmers
0:10:31 > 0:10:34often need to sell sheep and cattle, to raise money
0:10:34 > 0:10:37so they can feed the rest of their livestock over the coming winter.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42John often visits farmers before sales.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44In his 25 years auctioneering,
0:10:44 > 0:10:47he's become friends with many of his customers.
0:10:47 > 0:10:48I deal with a lot of family farms
0:10:48 > 0:10:51who have been in farms for generations.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53It's all they can do, is rear stock.
0:10:53 > 0:10:58They live for their stock. They'll know nearly every cow's name.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01It's not a 9-5 job, it's a seven day a week
0:11:01 > 0:11:03every hour a day more or less.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06So, they live for it and that's what you hope,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09there's always another generation of the farmers coming through.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15John knows this farmer better than most.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17Steve Sievwright works at the mart
0:11:17 > 0:11:20when he isn't running his tenant farm near Huntly.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22That's them.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Getting their tea. Breakfast, whatever you like to call it.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30Steve farms sheep and beef cattle, and he's decided to sell
0:11:30 > 0:11:3312 of his best one-year-old bullocks and heifers.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38- Morning.- Morning, John. - Nice morning anyway.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41They're looking very well. Nice and quiet.
0:11:41 > 0:11:42John's going to give Steve advice
0:11:42 > 0:11:45on how to get the best possible price on sale day.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49Will you give them a trim round the tail?
0:11:49 > 0:11:51I'll trim off the hair off the top of the tail.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53It helps the look of it.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55It all adds to the presentation. You're only selling once
0:11:55 > 0:11:58so you're best to make the best job you can because you only get that...
0:11:58 > 0:12:01I only get about 20 seconds of John...
0:12:01 > 0:12:05Well, that's all you get so you have to have them presented.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08With prices for sheep falling,
0:12:08 > 0:12:11Steve needs to get as much as he can for his cattle.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14A lot of people are looking for cattle, so hopefully
0:12:14 > 0:12:17we'll be managing to gross you a bit over 1,000 quid.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20I would hope they'll be 1,000 plus.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23I look forward to receiving a good price.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26Hopefully we'll put you home with a smile on your face.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30Back at Thainstone, Rory's just in time
0:12:30 > 0:12:33for the leaving party of auctioneer Alan Taylor.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35- Hi, Alan. How are you tonight? - Hello, Rory, how are you?
0:12:35 > 0:12:38I'm delighted you could manage to come down and see us.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41He's retiring after 53 years at the mart,
0:12:41 > 0:12:44and was once asked to sell a very unusual animal.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46In come this llama.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49The first thing it did, it came in the ring and it spat at me!
0:12:49 > 0:12:51LAUGHTER
0:12:51 > 0:12:53Thought nothing about it and here's me standing...
0:12:53 > 0:12:575,000? 4,000? 3,000?
0:12:57 > 0:12:58Nobody looked.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00And the sheep buyer of that time -
0:13:00 > 0:13:03- "Gie you 30 quid!" - LAUGHTER
0:13:04 > 0:13:07Well, the bidding started at 30 quid...
0:13:07 > 0:13:08and it didn't move.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10LAUGHTER
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Rory's asked Alan for some words of advice.
0:13:14 > 0:13:20I was always taught by MY mentors that the man who's selling stock,
0:13:20 > 0:13:22- you are his only friend.- Yep.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26And the more money that you can get out of his stock,
0:13:26 > 0:13:30the better life he and his wife and family are going to have.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32I often think that maybe we've had the best of it, but
0:13:32 > 0:13:35I would aye wish you my success and maybe even better.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38- Yep.- Aye.- We'll try my best.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49At the Sievwrights, Steve and his wife Jenny are prepping their cattle
0:13:49 > 0:13:52to make them more attractive to buyers.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57Just helps make them a wee bit...wider.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00When they come into the ring they're fine and flat across the top.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02That's where the meat is.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06He likes to have them looking their best for the sale day.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09He takes a lot of pride in his work, so he does.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12That's just what you want.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14We'll just let her go.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19Steve took over the tenancy six years ago, when his dad died,
0:14:19 > 0:14:23starting with just four cows and no sheep.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27Now, he has 120 cattle and 400 breeding ewes.
0:14:27 > 0:14:28BLEATING
0:14:32 > 0:14:36He wants to build a successful farm he can hand over to his children,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39seven-year-old Katie and eight-year-old Jane,
0:14:39 > 0:14:43who's already getting to grips with the paperwork.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45It's H for a heifer.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49Dad is reading the tags and I'm ticking them off the list.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53Whether she'll follow in Dad and Mum's footsteps on the farm,
0:14:53 > 0:14:57we will see in 15 years, ten years.
0:15:01 > 0:15:02Despite the pressure,
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Steve still enjoys selling his cattle at the mart.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07When you stand up beside John Angus and
0:15:07 > 0:15:10you think they're worth 1,000 quid, and the hammer goes down
0:15:10 > 0:15:14and they're 1,090 or 1,100, you've won.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17You've done what you set out to do.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24A new day, and an early start for Jacqueline.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28Her crossbred mule lambs will be in the sale ring any minute now.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34Since Finlay visited, she's dipped the ewes to give them more colour.
0:15:34 > 0:15:35That can boost the price.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39- What are you thinking?- Price-wise? As much as I can.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41They've fairly done since I've seen them.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44We'll get as much as we can, but it's the reality that's the problem.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Aye. It is, it's the reality.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49What did you guys say?
0:15:49 > 0:15:50Back a while ago when I seen them
0:15:50 > 0:15:53I thought the first figure would be an eight.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57He's writing down a figure there, you see.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00- See who's right.- No...
0:16:00 > 0:16:03I was hoping for a wee bitty more.
0:16:03 > 0:16:0492.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07- They're strong enough to make 90 quid. They're fine. - Aye, they're bonnie.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09For a first crack of the whip you're not bad.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11Just think what you'll be like after 20 years.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13I'm feared of whips though.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17Especially if I'VE got it!
0:16:22 > 0:16:25We'll go down to Jacquie Strathdee.
0:16:25 > 0:16:2929 lambs. What a pen. Look at the power about them.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31120. 110.
0:16:31 > 0:16:32100.
0:16:32 > 0:16:3490.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36£80.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39£80, surely? 70, then. £70 then.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41Look at them. Strong lambs there.
0:16:41 > 0:16:4370. 72.
0:16:43 > 0:16:4575, 78.
0:16:45 > 0:16:4680, then.
0:16:46 > 0:16:4782.
0:16:47 > 0:16:4982. I'm bid 82.
0:16:49 > 0:16:5185, 88.
0:16:51 > 0:16:5388, then. 90.
0:16:53 > 0:16:5492.
0:16:54 > 0:16:5595. 98.
0:16:55 > 0:16:5898 I'm bid... 100.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01100 I'm bid. 102. 102.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Look at the power. 102.
0:17:04 > 0:17:05102.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08102. You won't get them much stronger. They're going to be sold.
0:17:08 > 0:17:09102.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11102... 104.
0:17:11 > 0:17:12104, a new man again.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14104. 104.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16104, they're here for sale.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18104. 104 I sell away.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21At 104. Mr Gaul.
0:17:23 > 0:17:28Jacqueline's lambs have gone for over £3,000.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30I'm chuffed to bits.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34It's more than I was expecting, so I'm chuffed.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37She's going to invest the money in a brand-new ram -
0:17:37 > 0:17:41even better than the OTHER Finlay back home.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44There is a place in my heart for sheep.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50Well, Jacqueline, my evaluation was a mile out.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52Aye, you were well out there. Eh, Finlay?
0:17:52 > 0:17:54I was well out. But you're always better to be cautious than...
0:17:54 > 0:17:57- Well, you're better to play safe as build somebody up too far. - That's it.
0:17:57 > 0:18:02But no, they were good lambs, and the trade today was exceptional.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05But your lambs are looking well and they're a credit to you.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07It wouldn't matter if you were breeding budgies or what it was,
0:18:07 > 0:18:09you'd make a good job of them.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11You're going home with a feather in your bunnet the day.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14- Aye, I'm pleased to death. - Good.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16- Cheers.- No, thank you very much. I'll get a kiss.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18Oh, man... Oh, man.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20Blood pressure.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22Right. I better go before I get swearin'.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25- Aye, before you get swearin'. - Cheerio the now.- Cheerio.
0:18:28 > 0:18:3115 miles up the road in Midmar,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Ian Miller is gearing up for a mart machinery sale.
0:18:34 > 0:18:39His family business is an earthworks contracting company, with 50 staff
0:18:39 > 0:18:42and lots of big boy's toys.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45The machine we're using here is a Caterpillar,
0:18:45 > 0:18:46it's a 25 tonne Cat excavator.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50Feeding that into the jaw crusher.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Ian wants to sell a 20 tonne excavator,
0:18:54 > 0:18:58but he's a shopaholic, and may end up spending more than he earns.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02Auction fever can kick in, and you go there thinking you're
0:19:02 > 0:19:04just selling, but you come home
0:19:04 > 0:19:08with a bigger load than you went over with, but...
0:19:08 > 0:19:10ach, it's erm...it's how it goes.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14Mart sales manager John Roy
0:19:14 > 0:19:17has come to help Ian set a reserve price for his digger.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20- What year is it?- It's 2010.- OK.
0:19:20 > 0:19:232010, Cat 320.
0:19:23 > 0:19:257,800 hours on the clock.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28You got a figure in mind what you were hoping to get?
0:19:28 > 0:19:31- Well, I was hoping we'd be into the 60s a bit, like.- OK.
0:19:31 > 0:19:36- Well, I was thinking round about 55, 60. Could have a go at that.- Mm-hm.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39Ian sets a reserve of 57,500.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42But John isn't giving any guarantees.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45It could be worth £30,000, it could be worth £100,000,
0:19:45 > 0:19:47it's what the market dictates.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50The figure he's expecting, that should be achievable,
0:19:50 > 0:19:51but we won't know until the day.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53But we should have a good crowd if the weather's
0:19:53 > 0:19:57like this today, and obviously we've got the online buyers as well.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59So fingers crossed. Optimistic.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05A new day at the mart,
0:20:05 > 0:20:07and the heavens have opened.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10With the store cattle sale less than an hour away,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Steve and his 12 bullocks and heifers have just arrived.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18I didn't sleep great last night. I didn't sleep.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21But you do get a wee bit nervous, cos you don't know if folks
0:20:21 > 0:20:24are going to buy them or if they're good enough, but
0:20:24 > 0:20:26hopefully they are. Hopefully they are.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28Time will tell.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Steve needs at least £1,000 per animal to break even.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36These cattle are all just bred to make money to keep the bills going round.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40Pay fertiliser, pay feed. Anything that's to be paid.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42Hopefully there's a profit at the end of the day -
0:20:42 > 0:20:45I won't know that until I sell them up there. I can only sell them once.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48If they're not looking what you want
0:20:48 > 0:20:49when they land here,
0:20:49 > 0:20:51you don't get the price you want.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56To make ends meet, Steve works at the mart every Friday, rain or shine.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02Along with Kevin, he's about to separate 1,000 cattle into pens.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11The wet conditions make a dangerous job even more treacherous.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20HE SHOUTS
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Aye, this is hard going, aye!
0:21:26 > 0:21:28Aye, on you go.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30No rest for the wicked.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39We'll walk down the fence side doing the small plant diggers and tractors...
0:21:39 > 0:21:44In the mart car park, a rather soggy machinery auction is under way.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48..followed by the vans, commercials and pick-up...
0:21:51 > 0:21:54..the heavy lorries, artic trailer and the non-runners.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Self-confessed shopaholic Ian Miller
0:22:00 > 0:22:03has already bought a tractor and a loader.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05Now he's spotted something else he fancies - a screener,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08which separates crushed rock into different sizes.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13It's not the newest of things, but erm...when you're crushing
0:22:13 > 0:22:16and screening like we are all the time it might be handy
0:22:16 > 0:22:19just to stick under a crusher just to size some material
0:22:19 > 0:22:22when other screeners aren't available.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Shouldn't be that expensive, so we'll have a go at that.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34The heavy-duty screener weighs 23,500 kg,
0:22:34 > 0:22:37and can handle the heaviest of rocks.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39It's maybe worth about 10,000, 15,000.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43It might make 20, might make 30 or it might make 5.
0:22:45 > 0:22:50If the bidding goes over £10,000, Ian will bail out.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Who'll give me 20? 15.
0:22:52 > 0:22:5512,000. 10,000.
0:22:55 > 0:22:56£8,000.
0:22:56 > 0:22:585,000.
0:22:58 > 0:23:002,000 bid.
0:23:00 > 0:23:012, 3.
0:23:01 > 0:23:024. 5. 6.
0:23:02 > 0:23:057. 8. 9.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Last call then at 9,000, a conditional sale at 9,000. 9,000.
0:23:09 > 0:23:129,000. Sold conditional.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17Sold conditional.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19Which means that it didn't quite meet the reserve price
0:23:19 > 0:23:24but the seller might take that bid, so...
0:23:24 > 0:23:25We'll make a phone call, Ian,
0:23:25 > 0:23:29- we'll let you know as soon as we can.- Thanks, John.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31Ian's excavator is next up.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34But the rain has kept potential bidders away.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36It is a wee bit concerning
0:23:36 > 0:23:40cos usually the ringside is packed, and it's not today
0:23:40 > 0:23:44so it might affect the sale of the machine, but hopefully
0:23:44 > 0:23:47again there's people sitting at home bidding on it that's
0:23:47 > 0:23:49maybe come down during the week to have a look at the machine.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51So time will tell.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55The mart has introduced internet bidding.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00But no i-bids have got close to Ian's reserve of 57,500.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03It's all down to this live sale.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05A 2010 machine...
0:24:05 > 0:24:09The bidding couldn't get off to a worse start.
0:24:09 > 0:24:1080. 70. 60.
0:24:10 > 0:24:1250. Let's get on.
0:24:12 > 0:24:1340.
0:24:15 > 0:24:1730 bid. 30 bid.
0:24:17 > 0:24:1930,000 bid. 30,000 bid.
0:24:19 > 0:24:2235 bid. 35 bid. 35 bid. 35 bid.
0:24:22 > 0:24:2340 bid. 40,000.
0:24:23 > 0:24:2645. 45. 50.
0:24:26 > 0:24:2850,000. 50,000. 50,000.
0:24:28 > 0:24:3152 then. 52. 54.
0:24:31 > 0:24:3254.
0:24:32 > 0:24:3456. 56. 56.
0:24:34 > 0:24:3758. 58. 58. 58.
0:24:37 > 0:24:3960. 60,000. 60,000.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41Against you, 60,000 bid.
0:24:41 > 0:24:4360,000. Take a single then...
0:24:43 > 0:24:4660,000 and one. 61. Against you, John.
0:24:46 > 0:24:4762. 62.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50At 62, last chance at 62.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53At 62. 62. At 62.
0:24:53 > 0:24:5462. Last chance then.
0:24:54 > 0:24:5662,000. Hammer comes down then,
0:24:56 > 0:24:58thank you. 62,000.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07Well, that's it.
0:25:07 > 0:25:0962 I think it made, so erm...
0:25:09 > 0:25:11We had it reserved at 57,500,
0:25:11 > 0:25:14so... Happy with that.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20And Ian's £9,000 bid for the screener has just been accepted.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22OK. Fantastic.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24The tractor and loader cost 12,000,
0:25:24 > 0:25:27so overall he's £41,000 in the black.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31The screener, I think, was maybe the bargain of the day.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34I believe the seller was from Shetland, so it was probably
0:25:34 > 0:25:37going to cost a him fair bit more to take it home again. So...
0:25:37 > 0:25:40yeah, so 9,000 was a bit of a steal.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44Any day where you earn more than you spend is good all round,
0:25:44 > 0:25:46so I've had a fantastic day, yes. Uh-huh.
0:25:50 > 0:25:51Over in the pens,
0:25:51 > 0:25:55Jenny and the girls are overseeing a last-minute makeover.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57They only get a few seconds in the ring, so you want them
0:25:57 > 0:25:59to look their best at the time.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02This is our bread and butter.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06This is the thing that puts the food on the table and clothes on the kids.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09Farming's a gamble.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12You're putting your fate in somebody else's hands.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15Of course I'm nervous!
0:26:16 > 0:26:21For Jenny and Steve it's the culmination of a year's hard work.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28I can't see any of you. Come forward, everybody.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30I can't see you.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Will they get the £1,000 per beast they need to pay their bills?
0:26:33 > 0:26:36INDISTINCT
0:26:36 > 0:26:39£1,200. 11. 1,050 bid.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42£1,050, 60, 80, 90. 1,100.
0:26:42 > 0:26:431,110. 11 bid 10.
0:26:43 > 0:26:4520. 30.
0:26:45 > 0:26:471,130 bid.
0:26:47 > 0:26:501,130. 1,130. 1,130. 1,130.
0:26:50 > 0:26:55£1,130 bid. 1,130 bid.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58£1,130 bid. 1,130 bid. £1,130 bid.
0:26:58 > 0:27:001,130 bid it goes then...
0:27:00 > 0:27:021,130. 1,130. Number four.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05£130 more than Steve was expecting -
0:27:05 > 0:27:08and the next pen does even better.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12..Take a half. 5. 80.
0:27:12 > 0:27:161,180 a piece. £1,180. Anderson...
0:27:17 > 0:27:20All Steve's calves go for well over £1,000.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22In keeping with tradition,
0:27:22 > 0:27:26he'll give the buyers some money back for good luck.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Your luck's in the office.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32Thank you very much. A wee bit of appreciation for your support.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37- Happy? - I think so, aye. Heifers sold well.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40- Keep the wheels turning for six weeks.- For a wee while, eh?
0:27:40 > 0:27:43OK. We're off.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47For the Sievwright family, it's been a good day at the sales.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Next time on The Mart:
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Auctioneer Finlay is under pressure to get top prices
0:27:55 > 0:27:58at the pedigree ram sale.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00Pensive. A wee bit pensive.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Will a bust-up among the Blackhall family sheep
0:28:03 > 0:28:05make them less attractive to buyers?
0:28:05 > 0:28:09The butterflies are starting. Just wondering what we'll do in the ring.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12And it's all hands on deck,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15when highly strung cattle arrive to be auctioned in Caithness.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18You would feel safer in a cage of lions.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Can the mart team get local farmers top prices...
0:28:21 > 0:28:22Watch your back.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24..and escape unscathed?
0:28:24 > 0:28:26Watch your back!