Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 8th July 2025

Sheep Sales Reports

New Season Lambs – 1,918 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per kilo – 361p – M J Ashworth, Kent.
Top price per head – £180.00 – T R Holt, East Sussex.

More lambs about this week with almost 2,000 penned. More variation in quality this week with more leaner grass sorts on offer, which have an obvious effect on the averages. These lambs are still being well sold in comparison to what may be the potential store value later in the summer with all over £100 head, and most between £105-£120 head. The better end of the fed lambs, that have got weight on their side, are selling on a similar level to recent weeks despite having more of these on offer and topping at £180 head from Tom Holt, with close second taken by Dylan Isaac & Holly Chandler at £177 and £176. Several other pens over £170 from GH Dean & Co, C & J Georgetti & Sons, P N & C Burden and L E Humphreys & Sons. Each year, as the weather dries and we near harvest, we see this two tier trade develop for the different types on offer, with this year being no exception. The better lambs are now quite a bit ahead of the same time last year with the leaner sorts on a par.

33 – £115.00 (348p kg) – C Field
34 – £109.00 (321p kg) – R Mair & Son
35 – £120.00 (343p kg) – M J Ashworth
36 – £120.00 (333p kg) – K T D Axell
37 – £133.50 (361p kg) – M J Ashworth
38 – £129.00 (339p kg) – G H Dean & Co
39 – £135.00 (346p kg) – K Lukehurst
40 – £134.50 (336p kg) – M J Ashworth
41 – £133.00 (324p kg) – M J Ashworth
42 – £143.00 (340p kg) – Link Bros
43 – £146.00 (340p kg) – M J Ashworth
44 – £145.00 (330p kg) – T R & J R Kirk
45 – £154.00 (342p kg) – Link Bros
46 – £159.00 (346p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
47 – £164.00 (349p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
48 – £170.00 (354p kg) – T R Holt
49 – £170.00 (347p kg) – G H Dean & Co
50 – £180.00 (360p kg) – T R Holt
51 – £177.00 (347p kg) – Dylan Isaac
53 – £176.00 (332p kg) – Dylan Isaac
60 – £160.00 (267p kg) – John Wickham (Cranbrook) Ltd                                     

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 540 – Top 361, Ave. 310.9
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 950 – Top 342, Ave. 312.2
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 392 – Top 360, Ave. 334.3
Others 52.0 + – 14 – Top 332, Ave. 321.5

Cull Sheep – 306 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

Top price ewe: £188.00 – S W Mount & Sons Ltd, Kent. – Ave. £107.68

More grazing sorts now in the pens, as is to be expected with early lambing flocks starting to cull and take advantage of the trade. The best ewes regularly £140 – £170, to a top price of £188 for Suffolk crosses from S W Mount & Sons. Medium sorts £110 – £130 on most occasions with leaner grazing types £70 – £100 throughout. Only very few sold below these figures. All ewes are wanted with customers present every week for all grades.

Top prices included:

Suffolk cross to £188 – S W Mount & Sons, Suffolk to £186 – N A Balcomb & Son, Crossbred to £166 – B J Barker, Beltex to £160 – G P King, Texel cross to £150 – E J Stanford & Sons, Romney to £141 – 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 –  63 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357.

An excellent seasonal entry of finished cattle met an increased audience of buyers both for the well fleshed, and a few more leaner types that could go forward over coming weeks. Rates holding very positive as few in the industry, other than those playing silly games, can see where the pipeline of finished stock is going to come from!
Short of best beef types this week. A smart grey Blonde heifer from Dan Mackelden Ltd topped the day at 398p, £2504 whilst steers were led by Limousin from R F & E A Simmons at 388p, £2383. Strong Limousin x Hereford steers from W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm to 376p, £2704.
More dairy bred cattle this week with a proportion taken to feed on further, but all strongly competitive. Alan Down`s Limousin x Friesian to 369p, 367p (3) £2404; handyweight Angus x Friesian steers from R Haydon & Ptnrs 350p, £2084; whilst the Owen family sold Blue x Holstein Friesian steers to 345p, £2281.
Natives saw strong Hereford steers from W S Furnival Ltd to 369p, £2764; Sussex steers from Dan Mackelden to 366p, £2156. Sussex heifers from John Berryman to 385p, £2192; to 373p, £1974 from Dan Mackelden; and Angus heifers to 365p, £2074 W S Furnival.

Top Steers

R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 388p (£2383)
W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm – Limousin cross – 376p (£2704)
W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm – Limousin cross – 370p (£2457)
W S Furnival Ltd – Hereford cross – 369p (£2764)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 369p (£2045)

Top Heifers

Dan Mackelden Ltd – Blonde cross – 398p (£2504)
Mrs Kay Hamilton – British Blue cross – 391p (£2128)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 390p (£1967)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin – 387p (£1913)
J Berryman – Sussex cross – 385p (£2192)

Average prices

Steers 200 to 550 kg – 4 – Top 367p – Ave. 360p
Steers 551 to 650 kg – 29 – Top 388p – Ave. 349p
Steers 651 kg + – 13 – Top 376p – Ave. 348p
Heifers 300 to 500 kg – 2 – Top 387p – Ave. 370p
Heifers 501 to 590 kg – 10 – Top 391p – Ave. 371p
Heifers 591 kg + – 4 – Top 398p – Ave. 360p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 16 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357.

A decent entry for the first week in July, and some decent flesh on offer in general. Plenty of customers keen to secure numbers and trade holding strong for all grades.
Nothing flashy in the entry but good beef cows regularly 250-280p, and heavyweights well through £2000. Few grazers on offer.
Simmental 284p, £2084 Mrs K Hamilton; Lincoln Red 281p, 279p, £2006, £1866; Angus 274p, £1723 R Brown, 269p, £1920 K Clayson, 265p, 258p, 257p, £2195, £2078, £2009 V & C Smith, 264p, 254p, £1724, £1502 J Berryman, 259p, £1810 F Sole & Sons; White Park 272p, £1901 P Ashlee.
Few dairy culls on offer this week and remaining strong. Holstein Friesian 255p, 252p, £1937, £1718 W F Farms; British Friesian 224p, £1631 R & J Ledger; Ayrshire 208p, £1266 V & C Smith.
Stock Bulls (4) A very good trade. Limousin 276p twice £2645, £2562; Angus 242p, 222p, £2093, £1852.
Overage (4) Wanted. Limousin OTM heifer 360p, £2355 John Berryman; Angus OTM steer 347p £2600 and Angus steer 4yo+ 323p £2645 RG Gibson & Son; Friesian OTM heifer 301p, £1563 V & C Smith.

Beef Cows – 23 Sold – Top 284, Average 239.3
Dairy Cows – 8 Sold – Top 255, Average 208.9

Store & Breeding Cattle – 191 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

The sun was shining, and the customers were forward in abundance.
The main bulk of the stores were a run of 150 Angus from South Pickenham Estate, Norfolk creating plenty of interest from all directions.
To start the sale we saw Simmental cross cows with Limousin cross calves from K Clayson to £2060 and £1840. Mrs K Hamilton had forward smart British Blue cross steers 4 mths to £790 and £720, with a Simmental heifer 16 mths to £1500 from the same home. Strong Aberdeen Angus x Friesian heifers 24 mths to £1850 from K Loveridge with others £1810 and £1700.
An excellent run of Angus steers and heifers 14 – 20 mths from South Pickenham Estate topped at £2150 for the steers, with heifers to £2000, and many other pens upwards of £2000. Extras on the day from J H & A H Godden saw their Angus cross steers 26 mths to £1770 and a superb Limousin steer 21 mths from I D Machin topped at £2100.
Please do not hesitate to get in contact if you have any store or breeding cattle to sell in the coming weeks with the trade remaining strong.

Calves – 19 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357.

Disappointing not to have more calves this week but understandable with a big show in James`s capable control 2 weeks ago. No let-up in the trade with a real battle to secure calves at all levels.
A 4 week Simmental bull from Parrett & Son topped the day at £435 whilst Angus heifers 8-12 weeks from A & W J Hitchcock sold to £420 thrice! Fresh 14-28 day Blue calves from J W Boyd & Sons saw heifers to £340 and £320, bulls to £300 twice. Their 14-21 day Angus bull calves a famous trade at £332, £322, £320, & £260. Well done Friesian calves from Parrett & Son to £335 and £320.

Bull Calves
British Blue cross – 2 – Ave £300.00 – Top £300.00 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd
Simmental cross – 1 – Ave £435.00 – Top £435.00 – Parrett & Son
Aberdeen Angus cross – 4 – Ave £308.50 – Top £332.00 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd
British Friesian – 3 – £280.00 – Ave £335.00 – Parrett & Son
Heifer Calves
British Blue cross – 5 – Ave £291.60 – Top £340.00 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd
Aberdeen Angus cross – 4 – Ave £410.00 – Top £420.00 – A & W Hitchcock

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.

 

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 15th July 2025

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here