Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 10th January 2023

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Finished Hoggets – 2,806 Sold

Top price per kg: 269p – Ross Farms
Top price per head: £125 – Miss A Hedges

Trade has taken a downward turn this week, with considerably more sheep on offer nationally. Just under 3,000 finished hoggets in Ashford this week showing that many vendors are now really needing to sell. This might be for a variety of reasons but certainly some are just not so confident in the longer-term trade. One factor in play for all though is that it’s just so wet, everywhere! Unfortunately, a situation where farmers need to sell is never a positive for the trade and we saw this today. The best quality finished lambs were still in demand but were few and far between. Best export types can still ring the bell at 250p kg upwards to a top of 269p from Ross Farms, and heavier types topping at £125 head from Miss A Hedges. A number of lambs today trading from 200p kg but it must be said many would be at the lower end of the quality scale, and many would benefit from further finish.
Over 1,000 stores penned this week, which really is a sign of the times and the current farming climate with a lot of lambs really showing the tough year they have had. The better-quality shorter-term types were well competed for with continental and shorn lambs really bringing the best prices this week. Several selling over £80, to a top price of £95 head from Mr P Smith. Longer term lambs and the Romney wethers on offer traded from £60-70 hd.

Top Prices

36kg – £87.50 (243p/kg) – W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm
37kg – £95.00 (257p/kg) – G P King
38kg – £90.50 (238p/kg) – K Loveridge
39kg – £105.00 (269p/kg) – Ross Farms
40kg – £101.00 (253p/kg) – N C & C G Hedges
41kg – £93.50 (228p/kg) – L Stevens & Sons
42kg – £111.00 (264p/kg) – F G Pierce & Sons
43kg – £103.50 (241p/kg) – Joanna Drew
44kg – £117.00 (266p/kg) – Joanna Drew
45kg – £108.50 (241p/kg) – Joanna Drew
46kg – £117.50 (255p/kg) – J F H Farming Ltd
47kg – £118.50 (252p/kg) – J F H Farming Ltd
48kg – £107.00 (223p/kg) – T Masters
49kg – £107.00 (218p/kg) – Stone Farms Ltd
50kg – £110.00 (220p/kg) – T Masters
51kg – £105.00 (206p/kg) – T Masters
52kg – £105.00 (202p/kg) – H J Hecks & Son
54kg – £125.00 (231p/kg) – N C & C G Hedges
56kg – £116.50 (208p/kg) – Friday Street Farmers
57kg – £119.00 (209p/kg) – T Masters
62kg – £110.00 (177p/kg) – T Masters

Averages (p/kg)

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 437 – Top 269, Average 218.5
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 830 – Top 268, Average 214.9
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 341 – Top 255, Average 213.9
Over 52.1 kgs – 49 – Top 231, Average 202.8

Cull Sheep – 884 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Ewes: Top £148 – N C & C G Hedges, Average £72.62
Rams: Top £120 – C & J Georgetti & Sons, Average £70.00

Although not at prices achieved this time last year this is still a very decent trade considering the large numbers coming forward nationally. Reports of poor scanning results and the recent inclement weather forcing more numbers on to the market.
Best crossbred ewes took the pick of the trade with Texel cross topping at £148 from N C & C G Hedges, £135 from C A Worley Farming Ltd and £127 from P & E Andreozzi. Strong Suffolk x Mules £118 from C & J Georgetti & Sons and £112 from T Masters.
Medium weight ewes generally £70 to £80 and the majority of plainer sorts £50 to £60.

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle – 49 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

The finished cattle trade remains strong with prices well on a par with the pre-Christmas figures.
Smart beef bred Limousin cross took the pick of the trade with the majority 250p plus with a top quality heifer topping the market at £1573 (284p) from D W Ferguson Ltd, while a steer topped at £1712 (262p) from W Alexander (Shoreham).
Other prices included a Limousin cross heifer at £1571 and £1521 from W G Vant & Sons and Limousin cross steers with weight £1613 (236p) from P W & P Sim & Son.
A run of 10 Limousin x Friesian steers from A J Down sold well in the 230 to 248p bracket and grossed up to £1680 and a favourable average of £1540.
The best of the native bred cattle around 230p notably Aberdeen Angus cross steer £1520 (240p) and £1698 (227p) from F Sole & Son, and £1574 (227p) from P W & P Sim & Son.
More cattle wanted to satisfy strong demand

Top Steers 

W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 262p/kg (£1712)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 250p/kg (£1309)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 248p/kg (£1522)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 248p/kg (£1237)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 246p/kg (£1313)

Top Heifers

D W Ferguson Ltd – Limousin cross – 284p/kg (£1573)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 275pkg (£1537)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 265p/kg (£1269)
D W Ferguson Ltd – Limousin cross – 258p/kg (£1351)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 257p/kg (£1423) 

Average Prices

Steers up to 550kg – 10 sold – Top 250p – Ave 226p
Steers 551kg to 650kg – 11 sold – Top 248p – Ave 233p
Steers over 651kg – 9 sold – Top 262p – Ave 234p
Heifers up to 500kg – 6 sold – Top 268p – Ave 255p
Heifers over 500kg plus – 14 sold – Top 284p – Ave 249p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 113 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A tremendous show of cows both in terms of numbers, as well as in overall quality. A very high proportion of fleshed cows, dairy and beef, and exactly what a processing industry is demanding. Trade fierce from start to finish, and there can be no doubt that we have never seen such prices and returns.
With beef cows up to 224p; 26 making over 200p; 24 grossing over £1400 head; and 17 buyers tells its own story!
Meat beef cows assured or non-assured, on fire at 180-220p whilst a small entry of keeping types remain very dear with the right young types well over 200p, and even older, leaner, horned types 150-190p.
Limousin cross 224p, £1218 W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm, 219p, 198p £1595, £1442, L E Humphreys & Sons, 217p 215p £1373, £1346 J Berryman, 215p £1609 C & J Georgetti & Sons, 207p, £1260 (Non FA) L Palmer & Son 190p, £1421 (Non FA) Beaute Agri; British Blue cross 218p, £1338 A J Thompson & Sons 213p, £1434 Goddard & Son, 197p £1346 J Berryman; Simmental cross 217p, £1591 A J Thompson & Sons, 216p, 202p, £1552, £1451 W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm, 198p, 195p, 192p, £1600, £1513, £1498; Sussex 216p, £1164 D G & J W Gore; Aberdeen Angus cross 211p, £1242 A J Thompson & Sons, 193p, £1318 J S Tilley; Lincoln Red 203p, £1610 (Non FA) N Morgan; Charolais cross 184p, £1587 (Non FA) N Morgan; Hereford cross 179p, £1267 J S Tilley.
Cows from the dairy continuing to show plenty of condition and being well rewarded. Best heavyweights 170-190p with great returns throughout. A good run of foreign bred cows sold well to good competition up to 147p, £1319 – what fools the Red Tractor Organisation continues to make of itself!!
Holstein 187p, 173p, £1578, £1464 P J Forknall; Holstein Friesian 187p, 167p, £1400, £1345 W G & T A Manford; 186p, 176p (2), 175p, 174p £1326, £1290, £1246, £1195 J W Boyd & Sons; 177p £1138 W F Farms; 170p, £1381 Huddlestone Farmers; Danish Red 186p £1086 W F Farms; Guernsey 169p, £1247 W G & T A Manford; Foreign Holstein Friesian 147p, 145p, 138p, 135p, £1319, £1105, £1052.
Bulls (2) Belted Galloway 146p, 140p, £1158.
A bigger show in the overage clean section and all sorts on offer. Another sparkling trade for flesh and fatteners, and this section working very well for all the out of spec and out of age unclassified!
Holstein steers UTM 223p, 214p, 208p, £1494, £1432, £1366; OTM 211p, 208p (2) £1463, £1453, £1402; 3 YO+ 195p, 180p, £1445, £1352; Belted Galloway steer OTM 214p, £918; 4 YO+ 195p, £1255; Longhorn heifers OTM 186p, 184p, £933, £872.

Beef Cows – 57 Sold – Top 251, Average 181.5
Dairy Cows – 32 Sold – Top 187, Average 148.0

Store Cattle – 48 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

A small entry of store cattle met a good trade with some keener bidding at ringside compared to the end of last year. Strong 17 months Aberdeen Angus cross steers to finish this spring took the pick of the trade, topping at £1130 from J S Tilley while 22 month Simmental cross heifers looked well sold at £1100 from Betchworth Estate.
Several runs of 15-16 months Friesian steers Tb1 topped at £650 from R & K Livestock Services and £575 from J D Trunkfield Farms Ltd.

 

Pigs – 63 sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Finished: (28) – Less numbers about this week with trade very much a tale of two halves. Best on the day was a lovely pen of Pietrein cross Baconers from Snowfields Academy which raced away to 166p or £173.47. Lighter porkers in abundance with quality variable. Best from the Snowfields Academy at 150p or £124.50 with some breed standard Saddleback Gilts from C Meopham to 130p or £90.57.
Cull: (10) – Lighter sows plentiful today with trade remaining similar to its pre-Christmas level. Best sows to £117.60 or 48p from J Sanders; H M P East Sutton Park sold lighter sows to 52p; slightly heavier sows from P Acton look well sold at £114.75 or 45p.
Stores: (25) – A range of shapes and sizes in the store section today with more spark in the trade. Forward white stores from I Machin to £60, medium Pietrein cross stores from D A Innes to £28 and smallest coloured weaners from Bocketts Farm £5.

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 17th January 2023

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

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