Pembrokeshires first private livestock collection centre has been set up to supply lamb and beef direct to the Oriel Jones and Sons abattoir in neighbouring Ceredigion.

The Colby Collection Centre at Wiston is only the second of its kind in Wales and has been established in a joint venture between cattle dealer, George Ratcliffe, and the Llanybydder-based slaughterhouse.

The abattoir has around 300 customers in Pembrokeshire but foot and mouth disease restrictions have made it uneconomical for the company to collect livestock from each farm. It has also been costly for smaller producers to haul their stock to Llanybydder where delays have been created by queues of lorries carrying mimimum capacity.

The collection centre, which opens for business on Monday, provides a solution for both the abattoir and its customers.

Mr Oriel Jones, who was at Colby on Friday to launch the project, said the centre and associated cleansing facilities have been created in response to demand from customers. Costs to farmers, he confirmed, will be kept to a minimum.

We aim to be very competitive, he said.

Mr Jones views the centre as a long term investment. He predicted that after foot and mouth disease has been eradicated, strict controls will still be in place.

I think it will be a long time before we are allowed to collect from farm to farm again, he said.

The abattoir is now part of the Northern Irish Dungannon group which is investing heavily in the plant. It is installing a new beef line and expanding its cutting and packing facilities.

One of its biggest customers in Pembrokeshire is Brian Ratcliffe, whose father, George, will be running the collection centre.

He said foot and mouth disease had emphasised the need to limit livestock haulage. Support of local abattoirs is vital from both a welfare and environmental point of view, he believed.

He said it could also mean better returns for farmers.

We have got to minimise the costs from the farmgate to the abattoir, he said. The collection centre has been approved by inspectors from Pembrokeshire County Council, DEFRA and the Meat and Livestock Commission.

Customers can contact the abattoir on 01570 482146 to arrange a slot at the centre. Disinfection facilities can be booked through George Ratcliffe on 01437 751206.

* OTMS cattle will also be accepted at the collection centre. All inquiries to George Ratcliffe.

Caption: Ready for business: George Ratcliffe is pictured with Oriel Jones at the Colby Collection Centre. Picture: Martin Cavaney Photography.