Service and parts support for Bauer slurry handling equipment is available ‘on the doorstep’ of farmers across the central belt of Scotland now that McCaskie Farm Supplies has become the first local dealer for the Austrian manufacturer’s extensive range.

“With service centres at Stirling and Ayr, as well as a new branch at Carlisle serving Cumbria and Dumfries & Galloway, McCaskie is well-placed to provide the standard of parts and service support we require,” says Adrian Tindall, Bauer’s UK & Ireland sales manager. “As slurry storage and handling requirements become more critical on dairy and other livestock farms, especially for those farming within Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, producers can invest in Bauer systems with added confidence.”

McCaskie managing director Andrew Rettie welcomes the appointment: “Ours is a long-established business focused on the livestock sector, while Bauer is a market leader in many respects with a recognised name for durable slurry handling equipment,” he says. “Bauer also has a bigger product range than we’ve offered previously, so now we’ll be able to meet more of our customers’ needs.”

The McCaskie business has two commercial arms, including a retail operation that supplies animal health and specialist feed products, materials such as bale net and wrap, and numerous sundries. These are distributed through an on-farm delivery service and trade counters at Stirling, Ayr, Kinross, Lanark and Carlisle.

The busy engineering arm, which represents dairy equipment manufacturer Fullwood, is focused on the installation and service of milking, feeding and slurry handling equipment.

“We have 12 engineers on that side of the business, with two specialists in capital projects with the necessary technical expertise to handle sales – Jonathan Neville at Stirling and Michael Armstrong at Carlisle,” notes Andrew Rettie. “One of our technicians, Tony Melville, has already been for a week’s technical training at Bauer to prepare for this new franchise and ensure we can provide proper support from the start.”

In addition to genuine Bauer pipe couplings, Andrew Rettie believes there will be keen demand for the company’s high-output pumps, particularly the SX models for umbilical slurry spreading systems, and for the screw-type slurry separators.

“There’s a lot of interest in separation, especially from producers facing a shortfall in storage capacity to meet new regulations in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones,” he explains. “But used strategically, separation can also help producers make best use of the nutrient value of slurry and ease the cost of using mineral fertilisers.”

McCaskie’s Carlisle branch has moved to new premises on the Kingmoor Park South industrial estate to the east of the town.

“The more spacious premises are easily accessed from M6 Junction 44, one up from the turning for Carlisle livestock mart,” notes McCaskie director, Neil Rettie. “We’ll be exhibiting Bauer equipment for the first time at the Dairy Expo, Carlisle auction mart on 28^th October and at AgriScot on the Ingliston showground near Edinburgh on 16^th November.”