Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 10th May 2022

Sheep Sales Reports

Finished Sheep – 1,801 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Finished Hoggets

Top price per kilo: 300p/kg – P J & P Wade Top price per head: £156 – T Husk

A slightly smaller entry this week of hoggets as more finishers are coming to the end of this year’s crop. Trade, with quality variable, was more mixed but averages were up on the week and the better quality hoggets were still selling very well. A lot of leaner types and erupted teeth in the entry which slowed the sale, somewhat, with a lot of “A & B Lots” to get through. Best quality export weights were all approaching £3 kg this week, with the averages coming in at 275p kg for this weight bracket. In the heavier band this week, we reached a peak of £156 for more of Tom Husk`s smart Beltex hoggets; with B G & M A Tomsett also selling to £146. Sheep with erupted teeth this week traded form £100-£120, which is certainly a discount from the clean hoggets prices, but maybe the gap is not as great as we have seen in the past.

Our largest entry this year of over 250 new season lambs with a similar trade to recent weeks and nationally at 321p kg. Top spot going to S W Mount & Sons at 349p, and to Carol Wimble at £139 hd. Another notable run from Dylan Isaac & Holly Chandler sold to £136 and averaging 333p/kg for 35 continental lambs.

Top Prices

33kg – £99.00 (300p/kg) – P J & P Wade
37kg – £103.00 (278p/kg) – C B Hope
38kg – £109.00 (287p/kg) – A J W Smith & Son
39kg – £109.00 (279p/kg) – A E & L Lidgett
40kg – £115.00 (288p/kg) – S J Reeve & Son
41kg – £119.00 (290p/kg) – R M Vidler
42kg – £118.00 (281p/kg) – Stuart Agnew Trading
43kg – £125.00 (291p/kg) – W F Kirk
44kg – £129.50 (294p/kg) – S J Reeve & Son
45kg – £129.00 (287p/kg) – M A Piper & Son Farms
46kg – £129.50 (282p/kg) – S J Reeve & Son
47kg – £126.00 (268p/kg) – Wanstall Farms
48kg – £138.50 (289p/kg) – M A Piper & Son Farms
49kg – £122.50 (250p/kg) – L Atfield
50kg – £149.00 (298p/kg) – T Husk
51kg – £150.00 (294p/kg) – T Husk
58kg – £146.00 (252p/kg) – B G & M A Tomsett
60kg – £156.00 (260p/kg) – T Husk
67kg – £134.00 (200p/kg) – R H Smith

Averages (p/kg)

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 56 – Top 300, Average 274.5
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 435 – Top 294, Average 275.1
Heavy 45.6 to 52kgs – 653 – Top 298, Average 263.4
Others over 52.1 kgs – 307 – Top 288, Average 237.2

Store Hoggets – 250 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Even though we are now into the middle of May, we are still seeing an incredible trade for these late hoggets. Good quality stores to £113 hd from Wanstall Farms and to £107 from Stuart Agnew Trading.

Breeding Sheep – 131 Couples Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

A nice run of couples on offer this week with some buyers very keen to buy. Prices pushing up in excess of £80/ life for the best end and to a top price of £84 life from T Tilley for Suffolk cross ewes with 1.6 Charolais lambs at foot.

We will offer more ewe and lamb couples next week so please advise us of numbers you intend to sell.

Cull Sheep – 596 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Ewes: Top £167 – Freshfield Mill Farm, Average £118.06
Rams: Top £180 – C R & G Daws, Average £141.77

Report on trade: Exceptional trade continues for all ewes with best crossbred in excess of £150 and Romneys in the £120 – £130 bracket. Only plain ewes below £100.

Top Prices include

Suffolk cross to £167 – Freshfield Mill Farm, Suffolk cross to £160 – P Bates, Texel cross to £166 – Jan Boomaars and G Husk, Romney to £133 – L Ramsden and Stuart Agnew Trading, Mule to £126 – W G Vant & Sons, Southdown cross to £146 – Lovejoy Farm Partnership

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle – 55 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Another cracking trade for an increased entry with prices on a par with last week. Best Continental cross in the 250 to 260p bracket.  Well finished dairy, and native bred, cattle generally 230 to 250p.

While top continental cross cattle are quoted in the leading prices below the best of the native bred cattle are shown below

Top Steers

W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 257p/kg (£1776)
A J Down – British Friesian – 255p/kg (£1641)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 254p/kg (£1470)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 254p/kg (£1452)
D W Page & Son – Sussex – 248p/kg (£1457)

Top Heifers

G L Boulden & Sons – Blonde – 263p/kg (£1588)
D W Ferguson Ltd – Limousin cross – 260p/kg (£1440)
S Marsh – Limousin cross – 260p/kg (£1473)
D W Ferguson Ltd – Limousin cross – 260p/kg (£1349)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 255p/kg (£1499)

D W Page & Son – Sussex cross steer – £1457 – 248p/kg
D W Page & Son – Hereford cross heifer – £1503 – 243p/kg
R C & J L Pickering – Hereford cross heifer – £1520 – 238p/kg
R C & J L Pickering – Aberdeen Angus cross steer – £1624 – 236p/kg
J & A Lyon – Aberdeen Angus cross steer – £1472 – 238p/kg
A J Down – Hereford x Friesian steer – £1470 – 235p/kg
T Castle & Son – Friesian Heifer – £1360 – 235p/kg

Average Prices (p/kg)

Steers up to 650kg – 24 Sold – Top 255 – Ave236
Steers over 651kg – 4 Sold – Top 258 – Ave 244
Heifers up to 590kg – 15 Sold – Top 260 – Ave 245
Heifers over 591kg – 12 Sold – Top 263 – Ave 239

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 88 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795200357

Another outstanding trade for the cull cattle with an excellent entry in terms of numbers and quality meeting a strong attendance of buyers. We have never seen this level of trade before and clearly it must be the right opportunity to take with regulation culls, some older cows or those historically problematic!

With the best meat or feeding beef cows regularly 200-250p kg gross returns are sensational with many £1300-£1700 head. Plenty of half meat cows 160-190p. A few more leaner older cows but again very well sold.

Charolais 254p, 248p, 247p, 230p, 215p, 208p, £1730, £1703, £1617, £1520, £1496 Vexour Pedigree Cattle; Hereford 246p, 191p, £1448, £1375 Vexour Pedigree Cattle; Blonde cross 216p, £1444 E Chantler & Sons; Sussex 214p, £1300 (Non FA) Price-Whitehead Ltd; 194p, 185p, £1393, £1200 C E & W S Millson; Aberdeen Angus 215p, £1308 (Non FA) T Watts; 196p, 189p, 187p, £1582 Vexour Pedigree Cattle; 189p, 183p, £1734, £1461 P Broad; Lincoln Red 210p (2), £1446, £1341 A W Vincent; Limousin cross 211p, £1252 F W Hare & Sons; 207p, £1322 E Chantler & Sons; 200p, £1454 (Non FA) J H & A H Godden; British Blue cross 207p, 196p, £1521, £1373 (Non FA) O’Neil Smith Ltd; Simmental cross 210p, £1288 J Berryman; South Devon 187p, £1296 H & S Nesfield; British White 174p, 168p, £894 Piper Farms.

A different complexion to the dairy culls this week with still some heavyweight fleshed indoor cows really ringing the bell but certainly more lean grassy types now coming forward. Trade very firm but reflecting meat yield and work, particularly on the plainer types.

British Friesian 187p, 184p, 180p, 178p, £1278, £1194, £1184, £1122 Debden Court Ltd; Holstein Friesian 182p, £1379 W F Farms; 167p, 163p, £1440, £1259 Goddard & Son; Imported Danish Red 154p, £1190; Guernsey 138p Price-Whitehead Ltd.

Stock bulls remain strong with Charolais to 145p, £1672.

Some outstanding heavyweight 3year plus Charolais steers very well sold to 229p, 226p, 224p, 222p, £1577, £1477, £1364, whilst a Charolais heifer from the same home, also over 3 years old, to 233p, £1439.

Beef Cows – 72 Sold – Top 254p/kg, Average 188.9p/kg
Dairy Cows – 17 Sold – Top 187p/kg, Average 154.8p/kg

Store Cattle – 333 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

A decent show of store cattle forward for the time of year but mostly younger yearling types and perhaps beginning to reflect the end of the season with more variation in quality. Still a strong trade throughout with a good company of customers from far and wide looking for turnout cattle for grazing, and at the top end the stronger cattle to remain in the yards for final finishing. Encouraging to see strong interest in heifers with bulling potential.

Special mention for a record price in the store section with a pair of superb Blonde cross steers from John Berryman 26-29 mths realising £1735 head. Amazing times!

Principal Prices

5-6 months Aberdeen Angus cross bulls – £580 – Vexour Pedigree cattle
7 months Aberdeen Angus cross steers – £790 – Vexour Pedigree Cattle
5-7 months Aberdeen Angus cross heifers – £705 – Vexour Pedigree Cattle
10 months Aberdeen Angus cross steers – £840 – P Ashlee
10 months Aberdeen Angus cross heifers – £800 – P Ashlee
10-14 months Aberdeen Angus cross steers – £1370 – J A Lyon
12 months Sussex steers – £870 – I G Pilcher
9-11 months Limousin x Sussex steers – £790 – I G Pilcher
9-11 months Limousin x Sussex heifers – £730 – I G Pilcher
9-11 months Stabiliser cross steers – £800 – A & N Bullen
9-11 months Stabiliser cross heifers – £720 – A & N Bullen
11-13 months Simmental heifers – £935 – Lawrence & Sons
12-13 months Limousin cross steers – £990 – A J Strand & Sons
12-13 months Limousin cross heifers – £975 – A J Strand & Sons
12-14 months Beef Shorthorn cross steers – £920 – A J Strand & Sons
12-13 months Beef Shorthorn cross heifers – £860 – A J Strand & Sons
12-14 months Aberdeen Angus cross steers – £995 – A K F Dod
14-18 months British Blue cross heifers – £1075 – J Earey
16-18 months Holstein Friesian steers – £720 – Burnt Oak Farm & Kennels
18-20 months Aberdeen Angus cross heifers – £1040 – D McDermot
20-22 months Aberdeen Angus cross steers – £1225 – B Sutton
20-21 months Aberdeen Angus cross heifers – £1180 – B Sutton
21 months British Blue cross steers – £1250 – B Sutton
20-22 months Norwegian Red cross steers – £955 – Mrs A Farris
26-28 months Sussex cross steers – £1380 – E & J H Maylam
24-26 months Limousin cross steers – £1280 – Gillshaw Farms Ltd
31 months Hereford cross heifers – £1000 – C Kearl
28 months Simmental cross heifer – £1020 – C Kearl
26-29 months Blonde cross steers – £1735 – J Berryman

Calves – 44 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

A tremendous quality entry this week with vendors well rewarded for their efforts. More numbers still needed to satisfy demand!

Bulls well sold throughout with British Blues topping the trade at £410 and £390 from T Castle & Son; other Blues to £375 from D Murdoch & Sons with the breed averaging £338.64! Aberdeen Angus bulls also in strong demand with a top for a suckler bred steer from A J Thompson & Sons of £390; dairy cross Angus bulls topped at £310 (x2) from both J W Boyd & Son Ltd and A & W J Hitchcock.

Heifers a storming trade with Blues topping at £365 & £350 (x2) from Hickson Bros, £320 & £300 from Goddard & Son and £290 from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd and averaging overall £295.63. Suckler bred Limousin from A J Thompson & Sons were much sought after and topped at £370. Angus heifers to £345 from D Murdoch & Sons and £300 from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd. A single Hereford from Goddard & Son was well followed and sold for £240.

Dairy bulls stronger on the fortnight with a top of £205 for a Montbéliarde from D Murdoch & Sons, with the same vendor selling Norwegian Reds to £150. Holstein Friesians averaging £88 with most stronger calves £100 plus.

Weanlings: – 15 Sold

More weanlings than expected this week to help satisfy a little of the demand. More still needed to fulfill summer grazing orders!

Bulls to £390 for a pair of 6 mths Angus cross and Hereford cross from Vexour Pedigree livestock. Black and White bulls look well enough sold for the cattle and topped at £240 from Monks & Barrow Farm. Angus Heifers at 5 mths from Vexour, split into two lots, with the strongest at £455 and the smaller pair at £380.

Bull Calves

British Blue – 11 – Top £410.00 – Average £338.64
Montbeliarde – 1 – Top £205.00 – Average £205.00
Simmental – 1 – Top £150.00 – Average £150.00
Aberdeen Angus – 2 – Top £310.00 – Average £310.00
Norwegian Red – 2 – Top £150.00 – Average £135

Heifer Calves

British Blue – 8 – Top £365.00 – Average £295.63
Limousin – 3 – Top £370.00 – Average £310.00
Aberdeen Angus – 3 – Top £345.00 – Average £258.33
Hereford – 1 – Top £240.00 – Average £240.00

Bull Weanlings

Aberdeen Angus – 1 – Top £390.00 – Average £390.00
Hereford – 1 – Top £390.00 – Average £390.00

Heifer Weanlings

Aberdeen Angus – 5 – Top £455.00 – Average £425.00

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 17th May 2022

Regular Weekly Market with a catalogued sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

Over 140 Store and Breeding Cattle will be catalogued for this sale.

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here