Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 1st July 2025

Sheep Sales Reports

New Season Lambs – 1,246 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per kilo – 375p – Husk Farms Ltd, Kent.
Top price per head – £200.00 – Masters Farms, East Sussex.

A few less in the pens with a couple of bigger vendors not drawing lambs but the heat of both Monday and Tuesday certainly putting many people off getting sheep in and stressing them. Trade was on a similar level to recent week with heavier sorts what is really in demand and topping at £200 hd this week from Masters Farms, with L E Humphreys and C & J Georgetti & Sons in close attendance with £187 and £183, respectively. The lighter end of the lambs in Ashford are now diluted with several grass finished, and ultimately leaner, types that do make the averages look lower but with what appears to be a considerable dry spell and lack of keep incoming, many vendors are taking advantage of the favourable prices with all these lambs selling in excess of £100 hd an generally £110-120 which by the end of this month, may end up looking good business when store sales begin. Top of the lighter weight was Husk Farms Ltd at 375p kg but other of note include Catherine Cox with 33kg lambs at £118 and H V Link Partnership at 366p kg.

33 – £120.00 (364p kg) – C Field
34 – £111.00 (326p kg) – E J Clough
35 – £115.00 (329p kg) – N A Vincent
36 – £116.00 (322p kg) – Luandy Farming Ltd
37 – £131.00 (354p kg) – Catherine Cox
38 – £129.50 (341p kg) – A Head
39 – £126.00 (323p kg) – S W Mount & Sons Ltd
40 – £150.00 (375p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
41 – £150.00 (366p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
42 – £147.00 (350p kg) – A Head
43 – £151.00 (351p kg) – H V Link Partnership
44 – £150.00 (341p kg) – L E Humphreys & Sons
45 – £154.00 (342p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
46 – £168.00 (365p kg) – H V Link Partnership
47 – £160.00 (340p kg) – L E Humphreys & Sons
48 – £170.00 (354p kg) – L E Humphreys & Sons
49 – £182.00 (371p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
50 – £175.00 (350p kg) – A Head
51 – £170.00 (333p kg) – E W Homewood
52 – £183.00 (352p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
53 – £187.00 (353p kg) – L E Humphreys & Sons
54 – £165.00 (306p kg) – Masters Farms
55 – £169.00 (307p kg) – Masters Farms
63 – £200.00 (317p kg) – Masters Farms                                    

Averages (p/kg) 

Light 25.6 to 32kgs – 37 – Top 339, Ave. 331.3
Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 254 – Top 364, Ave. 317.0
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 627 – Top 375, Ave. 326.1
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 278 – Top 371, Ave. 333.9
Others 52.0 + – 50 – Top 353, Ave. 315.4

Finished Hoggets – 108 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903.

A few less again today and some better quality on offer also with some smart continentals getting up to £194 hd this week from A Head-Hickson. Not many hoggs are remaining now but if they are meat and don’t have their teeth up, there is still a good demand for them.

Cull Sheep – 203 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

Top price ewe: £235.00 – K V Potter – Ave. £140.09

A super trade throughout with an improved show of ewes in the pens making a massive difference to the averages. The best ewes regularly £160 – £180 and to a top price of £235 from K V Potter for purebred Texels followed closely by Master J Burden with Charollais to £228. Medium sorts looked well sold with majority £120 – £150 and the leaner grazing types £70 – £100 throughout with only very few sold below these figures. More are wanted with regular buyers present weekly for all grades of ewes.

Top prices included:

Texels to £235 – K V Potter, Charollais to £228 – Master J Burden, Suffolk cross to £184 – Masters Farms, Mules to £160 – Masters Farms, Romneys to £155 – Bosney Farm.

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 –  29 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903.

Not the quality or the quantity on offer this week that we saw last week, but again the hot weather and the other important jobs on the farm currently taking priority over livestock selling. Just 30 finished cattle penned and top on the day was W Alexander (Shoreham) at 390p kg which grossed £2220 hd. The bigger the better in the live ring and nowadays, weight does pay. In the past sellers have often been punished for produced heavy weight cattle as the factory buyers penalised prices for this proper beef production, but the live ring now WANTS these cattle. Top today was Legatt Farming Ltd at £2869 hd and many more of these could be sold week after week.

Top Steers

W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 389p (£2292)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 383p (£2448)
Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 378p (£2869)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 370p (£2106)
Dan Mackelden Ltd – Sussex – 369p (£2285)

Top Heifers

W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 390p (£2220)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 379p (£2195)
Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 376p (£2384)
Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 374p (£2390)
W S Furnival Ltd – Aberdeen Angus cross – 367p (£1924)

Average prices

Steers 551 to 650 kg – 14 – Top 389p – Ave. 360p
Steers 651 kg + – 4 – Top 378p – Ave. 359p
Heifers 300 to 500 kg – 1 – Top 312p – Ave. 312p
Heifers 501 to 590 kg – 7 – Top 390p – Ave. 347p
Heifers 591 kg + – 3 – Top 376p – Ave. 367p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 16 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903.

Very limited today in numbers and not too many top end beef cows to bring top prices but still in demand and the best of the cows over £2000 hd and topping at £2083 from H S Nicholls, Billingshurst. One older bull on offer from P J S Farms sold to 284p kg to gross £2820 hd. Dairy culls ranging from 220 kg-260 kg.

Beef Cows – 10 Sold – Top 296, Average 249.5
Dairy Cows – 4 Sold – Top 276, Average 224.8

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 – 21 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

A good show in the pens this week with top call £172.80 from the North School YFC for smart Pietrain gilts followed by P J & P B Wade with 115 kg boars to £149.50. C K Guest topped at 165p per kg and £148.50 per head with Brooker & Son heavy white gilts to £147.40 per head. Just a few Pietrain stores to £90 per head from the North School YFC.
Please let me know of any pigs you intend on selling in the next sale on Tuesday 15^th July.

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 8th July 2025

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here