Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 22nd April 2025

Sheep Sales Reports

Finished Hoggets –1,598 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per kilo – 367p kg – P Gorringe, West Sussex.
Top price per head – £182.00 – Husk Farms Ltd, Nonnington.

A smaller entry, as we often see on a Tuesday that follows a bank holiday weekend, and with Easter now behind us, the trade was just a little bit flat. With nearly 75% of the hoggets on offer today falling into the heavy category it certainly doesn’t help to push prices forward. Trade is still acceptable for these in the £3 kg region and up to 337p kg for heavies from Husk Farms Ltd but top on the day was 367p kg for Beltex hoggets from Mr Peter Gorringe. The lighter weighted sheep were sold to a similar level to recent weeks with no easing as they are in shorter supply as each week passes. The run up to them being replaced by the new season crop of lambs still looks quite a way off. Most heavy hoggets are trading in the £140-£160 head price range with some of the smartest exceeding this and topping at £182 head. The trade for the heavy sheep may rally back as numbers reduce going forward but this may be a dangerous gamble with many more sheep erupting teeth as the weeks pass by.

33 – £101.00 (306p kg) – B Chitty
35 – £90.00 (257p kg) – J Merricks
37 – £118.00 (319p kg) – J Merricks
39 – £123.00 (315p kg) – Hope Bros
40 – £143.00 (358p kg) – R L Pack
41 – £142.50 (348p kg) – R L Pack
42 – £137.50 (327p kg) – J & P Carr (Farms) Ltd
43 – £158.00 (367p kg) – P Gorringe
44 – £155.00 (352p kg) – P Gorringe
45 – £145.00 (322p kg) – G A Mitchell & Son
46 – £151.00 (328p kg) – F de Boer & Partners
47 – £168.00 (357p kg) – P Gorringe
48 – £165.00 (344p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
49 – £160.00 (327p kg) – R L Pack
50 – £168.00 (336p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
51 – £150.00 (294p kg) – A.L.H.R Farms Ltd
52 – £169.00 (304p kg) – P Gorringe
53 – £164.00 (309p kg) – A.L.H.R Farms Ltd
54 – £182.00 (337p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
55 – £159.00 (289p kg) – P Gorringe
56 – £156.00 (279p kg) – J Wayman
57 – £158.00 (277p kg) – M R Woodroofe
58 – £158.00 (272p kg) – J Wayman

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 6 – Top 319, Average 302.4
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 405 – Top 367, Average 320.5
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 762 – Top 357, Average 302.3
Other 52.1+ kgs – 400 – Top 337, Average 269.2

Store Hoggets – 307 sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Not so many on offer this week with only just over 300 penned but some good quality stores on offer in the pens which brought a very impressive average price of £115 head. There is still confidence in the longer-term hogget trade. Top price on the day was taken by M Keeley at £142 with W Pynn Contractors in second place at £131 head.

Cull Sheep – 371 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

Top price ewe: £215.00 – Husk Farms Ltd – Ave. £142.79

Decent numbers forward after the Bank holiday but more numbers in the pens would be of no concern. The best ewes regularly £150 – £180 and to a top price of £215 from Husk Farms Ltd for smart Texel ewes, followed closely by P Gorringe with Texel cross ewes to £195. Medium sorts £110 – £140 on most occasions with these plentiful and leaner grazing types £80 – £100 throughout, with only very small numbers sold below these figures. Demand is fierce for all grades so if you have ewes to sell do not hesitate get them to us while the trade remains strong.

Top prices included:

Texels to £215 – Husk Farms Ltd, Beltex cross to £202 – Husk Farms Ltd, Texel cross to £195 – P Gorringe, Suffolk cross to £184 – G A Mitchell & Son, Romneys to £176 – Frederick & Sons, Mules to £163 – P Gorringe.

Sock Lambs 13 sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

A selection of sock lambs forward with the best to £45 from P N & C Burden for strong lambs with a large percentage of the others £20 – £30 and a sale average of £32 per head. We will be offering sock lambs every Tuesday at 10am so please ensure you lambs are in the market by 9.30am at the very latest.

Ear Tags in Sheep
Please be aware of your responsibilities with regard to the tagging of sheep of all ages , and in all sections of the market.

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  50 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Another good quality entry of finished cattle and though rates would be slightly higher on the week it would be fair to say that trade was a little steadier for the commercial grades as two short weeks inconvenience the meat trade, and wholesalers look to tidy up stock after the Easter break.
Best cattle a sharp trade with more up over 400p than seen for some weeks and generally 380-400p. Smart Limousin x heifers from Leggat Farming topping the day at 415p, £2052 whilst a smart brace of homebred Limousin steers from Laurence Smith took steer honours at 404p and 401p, £2683.
Dairy bred from A J Down well received with Limousin x Friesian steers to 371p twice £2302, Hereford x to 364p, Friesians to 355p.
Natives saw Sussex steers to 370p, £2032 Dan Mackelden; Sussex heifers 369p, £2027 A H Hoad & Son.
Young bulls wanted with Limousin to 359p, £2115, Hereford 348p, £2102 A J Down.

Leading steer prices

Top Steers

L Smith – Limousin – 404p (£2623)
L Smith – Limousin cross – 401p (£2683)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 396p (£2531)
Birt Bros – Limousin cross – 390p (£2376)
Birt Bros – Limousin cross – 387p (£2338)

Top Heifers

Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 415p (£2052)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Bazadaise cross – 404p (£1775)
G L Boulden & Sons – Bazadaise – 400p (£2497)
Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 397p (£2022)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 397p (£1963)

Average prices

Steers 200 to 550 kg – 5 – Top 379p – Ave. 364p
Steers 551 to 650 kg – 18 – Top 404p – Ave. 371p
Steers 651kg + – 4 – Top 401p – Ave. 372p
Heifers 300 to 500 kg – 6 – Top 415p – Ave. 386p
Heifers 501 to 590 kg – 10 – Top 397p – Ave. 354p
Heifers 591 kg + – 5 – Top 400p – Ave. 372p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 53 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

An excellent number of cull cattle after the Easter weekend met another outstanding trade with some very good cows, and overage, taken to new GROSS RECORD LEVELS.
Brian Baker, Battle saw his quality, but aged, Limousin cows sell to 324p, 323p, £3225 & £3106 whilst a grand British Blue x Friesian heifer 43 mths sold at 356p, £3448 from Leggat Farming, Maidstone.
Meat beef cows 280-330p with feeding cows another remarkable trade with smart youngsters pushing close to 400p from Price & Shelbourne, and the older, harder commercial types regularly 240-280p. Only 4 beef cows below 210p, and two were Dexters!!
Limousin x 396p, £1542 Price & Shelbourne, 324p, 323p, £3225, £3106 B J Baker, 305p, £2284 R F & E A Simmons, Hythe, 283p, £1808 J C Loveridge, Rochester; British Blue x 340p, 321p, £1714 Price & Shelbourne, 285p, £2063 F Sole & Son, Canterbury, 280p  £1817 J C Loveridge; Angus x 328p, £2194 W S Furnival; Sussex 291p, £2179 M G Izard, 278p, 270p, £1967 Chandler & Dunn, 256p, £1814 Wright Farm Ptnrs; Blonde x 281p, £1964 J C Loveridge; Charolais x 281p, £1935 J C Loveridge; South Devon 277p  £1936 H & S Nesfield, Marden; Hereford x 246p, £1804 G C Kirby & Son, Dover.
No Black & Whites this week but 4 lighter Jerseys well sold to 170p, £780 from Hickson Bros.
Overage (11) Rates continue strong for all ages; for slaughter or feeding. Colin Leggat`s massive Blue x Friesian heifer 43 mths sold to 356p, £3448, and certainly worth the wait!
Sussex x Friesian OTM steer 350p, £2394 Angus x Friesian steers 347p, 346p, £2564, £2504, Angus x Friesian heifer 347p, £2408 E & J H Maylam; Angus OTM heifer 347p, £1577 C Kearl, Dorking; Sussex OTM heifer 346p, £1710 D Mackelden; Sussex 7+yo. steer 298p, £2440, 4+ yo. steer 299p, £1955 A Gaddie, Rye.
Stock Bulls (5) It is getting close to that time of the year! Demand for bulls with good flesh strengthening along with the cows despite the inconvenience.
Charolais 258p, £2691; Limousin 256p, £2670; Simmental 250p, 234p, £2580; Angus 224p, £2548.
Keep the numbers coming and have a good look at those cows that should have calved but haven`t!?

Beef Cows – 30 Sold – Top 396, Average 276.3
Dairy Cows – 7 Sold – Top 170, Average 131.1

 

Store & Breeding Cattle – 362 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

A larger entry than usual following a Bank Holiday Monday with a sale of breeding bulls and heifers included which created plenty of interest and atmosphere around the ring. Breeding bulls topped at £4550 from Messrs. Vaughan for a 24 mth old Pedigree Limousin followed by W M & G Quan with a Limousin at £4500. E H Holdstock & Sons had forward 24 mths Sussex bulls to £2850 while A Barr & Son sold a Sussex bull to £2200. A proven Limousin bull 36 mths from B J Baker to £4100 and a proven Blonde, 36 mths from G L Boulden & Sons to £3400. A run of superb Pedigree Limousin breeding heifers 24 mths old from B J Baker topped at £3500.
A good entry of cows and calves kicked off by Gallagher Farms with Angus cows back 3 mths in calf and with 6 mth Angus calves at foot topped at £3000 followed by J Penighetti with Angus cross cows and 2 week old calves to £2400. A herd dispersal from G C Kirby & Son of mainly Angus cross cows with Angus calves this time 2 mths old topped at £2400 with plenty of the others £2000 – £2200 per outfit.
Then onto the store cattle which remain a superb trade, and with the rain expected this week hopefully that flush of grass may eventually turn up. Long term sorts were plentiful this week with Hereford cross steers 9 mths from G McKie to £1320 followed by Angus cross heifers 12 mths from J Penighetti to £1130. Sussex steers 12 mths from L Stevens & Sons to £1510 and Limousin x Sussex steers from I G Pilcher 10 mths to £1470 with the heifers £1360 from the same home. K T D Axell, Hooe 11 mth Limousin cross steers to £1400 and Sussex steers to £1300 while a run of Angus cross steers 13 mths from F Pearce & Sons topped at £1600. Limousin x Friesian steers 14 mths from A J Down to £1660 and a cracking run of Angus cross steers 12 – 14 mths from J Batchelor & Partners topped at £1900. Simmental steers 13 mths from Lawrence & Son to £1680 with the heifers to £1590 and being kept for breeding. Smart Limousin steers 12 mths from R Coleman & Son to £1660 followed closely by L Palmer & Sons with Limousin cross steers 14 mths to £1590. M J Ashworth had forward another run of Limousin cross heifers 13 mths to £1560 followed by R D E Spencer with 12 mth Limousin cross steers to £2010 and the heifers to £1580. The annual run from Tim Martin topped at £1980 for 13 mth Limousin cross steers with others £1860 and £1680. Limousin x Friesian heifers 14 mths from E Stretton look well sold to £1580 followed by Angus crosses 13 mths from K M Goddard Agri to £1560. Strong Sussex heifers 24 mths from Pritchard-Gordon to £1940 and Simmental cross steers 23 mths from Ross Farms to £1780.
A very good trade with plenty of buyers still looking for cattle.
Please do inform me of any store or breeding cattle you have to sell with the trade strong and good numbers already entered for Tuesday 29^th April.

Principal prices include:
Continental Breeds:

Limousin cross steers 12 mths – £2010 – R D E Spencer
Limousin cross steers 13 mths – £1980 – T Martin
British Blue x Friesian steers 26 mths – £1800 – C Kearl
Simmental x Frisian steers 23 mths – £1780 – Ross Farms
Limousin cross heifers 17 mths – £2160 – L Palmar & Sons
Limousin cross heifers 17 mths – £1760 – Birt Bros
Limousin cross heifers 12 mths – £1690 – R D E Spencer
Simmental heifers 13 mths – £1590 – Lawrence & Sons

 Native Breeds:

Aberdeen Angus cross steers 14 mths – £1900 – J Batchelor & Partners
Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers 30 mths – £1770 – C Kearl
Sussex steers 24 mths – £1690 – P Dumbreck
Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers 23 mths – £1670 – Ross Farms
Sussex heifers 23 mths – £1940 – Pritchard – Gordon
Aberdeen Angus x Friesian heifers 21 mths – £1680 – C Kearl
Aberdeen Angus cross heifers 14 mths – £1530 – F Pearce & Sons
Aberdeen Angus cross heifers 14 mths – £1480 – K M Goddard Agri.

Cattle Passports
We remind producers that on no occasion should the details on a cattle passport be changed other than by returning it to BCMS.
If details are incorrect return and advise BCMS or advise the auctioneers on market day without writing on the passport.

Store & Finished Pigs – 17 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

A small show following the bank holiday with the top call going to Willow Farm for Durocs topping at £173 per head and Tamworth’s topping at £141 per head. A group of Tamworth stores from Canterbury Oast Trust to £38. In order to achieve the best results, breed better quality pigs and get them 85 kg plus. More pigs are wanted so please do not hesitate to get in contact if you have pigs to sell going forward.

 

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 29th April 2025

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here