Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 4th August 2026

Sheep Sales Reports

New Season Lambs –1,111 sold.

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top Price Per Kilo – 374p – C & J Georgetti & Sons, Kent.
Top Price Per Head – £185.00 – C & J Georgetti & Sons, Kent.

A few less lambs coming forward this week, this is usually the case once the Friday sales commence, which brings the leaner sorts on Friday and we see less lambs on Tuesday, but of better quality. This week the trade has taken a bit of a dip as reports suggest that now the schools are on holiday and the temperatures are very high, meat is very difficult to sell. Averages around the country at the end of last week took a severe downturn and this week has held at this lower level, at about 330p/kg with all included. Top spots on the day were taken by the Georgetti Family at £185/hd and 374p/kg. A shower of rain will certainly help this trade going forward as the increase it will create a lift in prices of store, leaner fat and consequently fed sheep will have a ripple effect through the trade levels.

35 – £115.00 (329p kg) – Ross Douglas
36 – £114.00 (317p kg) – P J Gilbert Ltd
37 – £114.00 (308p kg) – J H Millen & S Bourne
38 – £121.00 (318p kg) – J Burden & G L Harris
39 – £126.00 (323p kg) – D J Coles & Sons
40 – £141.00 (353p kg) – G H Dean & Co
41 – £145.00 (354p kg) – G H Dean & Co
42 – £140.00 (333p kg) – Link Bros
43 – £149.00 (347p kg) – G H Dean & Co & D Wimble
44 – £162.00 (368p kg) – Ross Douglas
45 – £168.00 (373p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
46 – £166.00 (361p kg) – P N & C Burden
47 – £176.00 (374p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
48 – £175.00 (365p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
49 – £171.00 (349p kg) – P N & C Burden
50 – £176.00 (352p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
51 – £179.00 (351p kg) – P N & C Burden
52 – £185.00 (356p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
53 – £181.00 (342p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
55 – £179.00 (325p kg0 – L E Humphreys & Sons

Averages (p/kg)

Prime NSL SQQ – 325.01

Light 32.1 to 39kgs – 91 – Top 330, Ave. 316.6
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 437 – Top 368, Ave. 323.7
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 391   – Top 374, Ave. 343.2

Over 52.1 kgs – 73 – Top 356, Ave. 343.6

Cull Sheep – 614 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

Top Price Ewes: £200.00 – D J Morphett. – Ave. £112.27

A big show forward with plenty of leaner sorts starting to appear as to be expected with a lack of rainfall.
The best ewes regularly £140 – £170 and to a top price of £200 for Charollais from D J Morphett. Medium sorts £110 – £140 on most occasions with leaner grazing types £80 – £110 throughout with only 8 lots sold under £80 per head.
A firm trade seen for all types with buyers present every week for all grades so please inform me of any large consignments you have to sell in the coming weeks.

Top Prices Included:

Charollais to £200 – D J Morphett
Suffolk cross to £169 – G H Dean & Co
Romneys to £166 – W T Kemp
Texel cross to £165 – Beslee Farms
Crossbreds to £158 – S & V Bullock
Mules to £150 – R Price & Son

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 Reports

Finished Cattle –  48 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903.

A similar show of cattle in the ring this week, and quite a similar level of trade. The demand could be described as pretty mediocre at best currently and returns are certainly lower than many would hope for, especially those who have purchased some pricey stores in the spring. A few heavier sorts in the ring this week which sold well in the lump from Dan Mackleden Ltd and R M Vant at 349p/kg and 330p/kg respectively. The top grossing beast on the day achieved £2,751. Better shaped animals from R F & E A Simmons and A J Thompson & Sons topped at 365p/kg on the heifers and 360p/kg on steers.

Leading steer prices

A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 360p (£2337)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 354p (£2139)
G L Boulden & Sons – Limousin cross – 352p (£2091)
Dan Mackleden Ltd – Limousin cross – 349p (£2440)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 348p (£2380)

Leading heifer prices

R F & E A Simmons – Limousin – 365p (£1914)
A C Hulme & Sons – Aberdeen Angus – 356p (£2151)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 345p (£1860)
A C Hulme & Sons – Aberdeen Angus cross – 343p (£2038)
W S Furnival Ltd – Sussex cross – 343p (£1850)

Average prices

Steers 200 to 550 kgs – 4 – Top 334p, Ave. 323p
Steers 551 to 650 kgs – 10 – Top 360p, Ave. 343p
Steers 651 kgs + – 18 – Top 349p, Ave. 331p
Heifers 501 to 590 kgs – 9 – Top 365p, Ave. 332p
Heifers 591+ kgs – 5 – Top 356p, Ave. 340p

OTM Cattle & Cull Cows – 56 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357.

Good numbers reflecting the very difficult conditions that face the South East with a high proportion of lean culls from the dairy sector. A short entry from the beef sector and again little flesh on offer, though confidence still positive from the feeders.
Better beef meat cows 260-300p with commercial feeders 230-260p, and only the leanest and oldest around 200p. Strong demand for some fleshed Dexters to 231p, £1026. Good feeders wanted at this time of year to take through to the New Year period.
Sussex 296p, £1817 C Woodhead, 268p, 242p, £1509, £1498 H W Richards; Blonde 279p, £1615 J Berryman; Angus 266p, 265p, 258p, £1739, £1455 A J Thompson & Sons; Beef Shorthorn 259p, £1280 E Tilley; Blue Albion 256p, £1482 G L Boulden & Sons; Simmental 255p, £1171 T Mitchell; South Devon 250p, £1684 H & S Nesfield; Hereford 242p, £1280 Executors of F Henderson; Dexter 231p, 214p, 204p, £1026, £926, £758.
Very little flesh on the dairy culls overall, but two quality British Friesians from T Castle & Son stood out like beacons showing how strongly well fleshed cows are wanted selling to 279p, £2103. Trade for the plain Holstein Friesian types generally 150-190p, with anything with a touch of loin 190-220p. Interest in the younger plain cows for feeding putting them well in front of their slaughter value.
Overage (5) Decent demand for cattle with an entry mostly carrying some flesh.
Blonde OTM heifer 330p, £2142 J Berryman; Blonde 3+ heifer 320p, £2221 J Berryman; Hereford OTM heifer 322p K Wheeler & Son; Beef Shorthorn OTM steer 314p, £1928 E Tilley; Longhorn 5+ heifer.

Beef Cows – 19 Sold – Top 330, Average 251.9
Dairy Cows – 32 Sold – Top 279, Average 180.3

Store & Breeding Cattle – 202 sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678.

A big show for the time of year with plenty of strength in the pens and a solid trade throughout for all shapes and sizes.
In the breeding section to start and from H Jones we saw a Blonde cow with a Blonde bull calf 5 mths to £2700 followed by a British Blue x Friesian cow and smart Limousin calf 4 mths to £2680 from N A Vincent. Aberdeen Angus cross heifers 7 mths from N D Cannon to £1100 followed by Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers 10 mths from Kent Game Shooting to £1040. A smart British Blue x Friesian heifer 12 mths from Miss E Ashlee to £1760 and Aberdeen Angus cross heifers 14 mths from P J Goldsmith to £1360 with Limousin heifers 13 mths from A W Vincent not far behind to £1320. Limousin x Friesian heifers 18 mths from T Castle & Son to £1610 and Hereford steers 15 mths from S E Ginger to £1600 followed by smart Hereford cross steers 15 mths from High Chimney Farms to £1840. Longer terms sorts from C Greenland topped at £1480 for Aberdeen Angus cross steers with completely different sorts from R Haydon & Partners topping at £2360 for Charollais x Aberdeen Angus steers 16 – 18 mths followed by the heifers from the same home to £2210. Langrish Farmers had their Simmental cross 25 mths to £1690 and Simmental x Friesian steers 20 mths from P R Lanham to £1960. Smart Aberdeen Angus cross heifers 15 mths from Burnt Oak Farm & Kennels topped at £1890 and a run of strong sorts from B Sutton topped at £1960 for 20 mth Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers. Older sorts from K Loveridge saw British Blue x Friesian steers 24 mths to £2000 and Limousin heifers 27 mths to £1950 from the same home and Sussex steers 26 mths on behalf of the late F Henderson to £1810.
Please do not hesitate to get in contact with any store or breeding cattle you have to sell in the coming weeks with entries already forward and building for a larger catalogued sale on Tuesday 25^th August.

Principal prices include:

Continental:
Charolais cross steers 17 mths – £2360 – R Haydon & Partners
British Blue x Friesian steers 24 mths – £2000 – K Loveridge
Simmental x Friesian steers 21 mths – £1960 – P R Lanham
Charolais cross heifers 17 mths – £2210 – R Haydon & Partners
Simmental cross heifers – £2060 – H & S Nesfield
Limousin cross heifers 28 mths – £1950 – K Loveridge

Native:
Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers 21 mths – £1960 – B Sutton
Aberdeen Angus cross steers 19 mths – £1890 – Burnt Oak Farm & Kennels
Hereford cross steers 16 mths – £1840 – High Chimney Farms
Aberdeen Angus cross heifers 16 mths – £1890 – Burnt Oak Farm & Kennels
Aberdeen Angus x Friesian heifers 20 mths – £1800 – B Sutton
Aberdeen Angus x Friesian heifers 28 mths – £1770 – K Loveridge

Calves – 61 sold

Auctioneer: Tristan Howell 07917024340.

Another good trade in the calf shed but the weaned calves overshadowed; A 4-mth-old heifer from J Plumley (TB Edge) finding a weanling centre-record of £1250 to a first-time Ashford purchaser from Norfolk.
G R Edgar & Son having a superb trade for smaller calves, Jersey-bred British Blue heifers to £340 and Aberdeen Angus’ heifers from the same home to £280. A & W J Hitchcock making a return to the ring with older calves to £595, £590 for good Aberdeen Angus bulls and their heifers realising £570. Mr P J Forknall with only one Aberdeen Angus bull calf this week at 2 weeks old, selling to £500. Well-bred Simmentals from R & J Ledger at only a month to £660 and £640. Hitting these numbers also, were T Castle & Son, their British Friesian cross British Blues also topping at £660 and their well-liked pure British Friesians even dearer since the last sale at £470, £455. Two exceptional beef-bred calves from A J Thompson & Sons, just one-month old, to £730.
The biggest show of weanlings penned for a while and something to suit all buyers. J Howie with her run of Hereford cross stirks making £690 for a nice bull and her only Ayrshire steer to £460. A J Thompson & Sons had a weanling penned at 4 mths old realising £830. Market supporter Mrs Tracey Higgins had a Limousin cross heifer at £690, and a Limousin steer just behind at £600. Following this was a rare sight in any market, an original population Shorthorn, the weanling bull from Garratt & Mannerings finding £770. Also from this home was a Dairy Shorthorn steer – £690 at just 3 and a half months old. Finally, in the ring, was a Black & White steer from local farmers J C & S K Williams, at £480.

Bull Calves
British Blue cross – 11 – Ave. £408.64 – Top £660.00 – T Castle & Son.
Limousin cross – 1 – Ave. £680.00 – Top £680.00 – A J Thompson & Sons.
Simmental cross – 4 – Ave. £615.00 – Top £660.00 – R & J Ledger Ltd.
Aberdeen Angus cross – 8 – Ave. £391.88 – Top £595 – A & W Hitchcock.
British Friesian – 2 – Ave. £462.50 – Top £470.00 – T Castle & Son.
Heifer Calves
British Blue cross – 9 – Ave. £392.78 – Top £610.00 – T Castle & Son.
Limousin cross – 1 – Ave. £500.00 – Top £500.00 – T Castle & Son.
Simmental cross – 1 – Ave. £615.00 – Top £615.00 – R & J Ledger Ltd.
Aberdeen Angus cross – 8 – Ave. £371.88 – Top £570.00 – A & W Hitchcock.
Bull Weanlings
Dairy Shorthorn – 1 – Ave. £770.00 – Top £770.00 – Garratt & Mannerings.
Hereford cross – 1 – Ave. £690.00 – Top £690.000 – J Howie.
Heifer Weanlings
British Blue cross – 1 – Ave. £1250.00 – Top £1250.00 – J Plumley.
Limousin cross – 2 – Ave. £760.00 – Top £830.00 – A J Thompson & Sons.
Hereford cross – 2 – Ave. 3582.50 – Top £680.00 – J Howie.
Steer Weanlings
Limousin cross – 2 – Ave. £665.00 – Top £730.00 – A J Thompson & Sons.
Dairy Shorthorn cross – 1 – Ave. £690.00 – Top £690.00 – Garratt & Mannerings.
Hereford cross – 2 – Ave. £455.00 – Top £455.00 – J Howie.
Holstein Friesian – 1 – Ave. £480.00 – Top £480.00 – J C & S K Williams Ltd.
Ayrshire – 1 – Ave. £460.00 – Top £460.00 – J Howie.

Ear Tags

Producers are reminded that all cattle require two ear tags with at least one large distance readable tag. Please inspect stock in good time to order replacement tags as, regrettably, any stock that are incorrectly tagged may not be offered for sale. Local authority inspectors will be taking note as stock comes to market.

 

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