Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 11th April 2023

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Finished Hoggets – 1,855

Top price per kg: 358p – F de Boer & Ptns
Top price per head: £165.00 – O’Neil Smith Ltd

Just a shade under 2,000 in the pens with numbers just starting to show signs of easing, locally and nationally, as less and less farmers now holding onto any of last year’s lambs. This coupled with a shorter week following Easter has sent the trade into orbit with another rise of 25p kg this week compared to last week’s already good trade! The SQQ figure for this week was just a touch below £3 kg which is as high as we have seen for a long time. Top spot on the day was taken by Archie De Boer with some smart Beltex lambs selling to 358p kg (38kg at £136), with the highest prices in the lump taken by Matt O’Neill Smith at £165, and again at £164 head, whilst Tom Archer also sold strong hoggets to £157. I have been asked, at least 50 times, in the last 24hrs “how long will it last?”  I am not sure of the answer, but we didn’t anticipate this level of rise this late in the season and with all other factors considered my advice would be to sell now if you have still got hoggets, and not try and second guess another price rise from an already good position!

35kg – £104.00 (297p/kg) – Carina Cox
36kg – £114.00 (317p/kg) – K T D Axell
37kg – £130.00 (351p/kg) – T Husk
38kg – £136.00 (358p/kg) – F de Boer & Partners
39kg – £130.00 (333p/kg) – C D Millen
40kg – £137.50 (344p/kg) – J D Gribble
41kg – £110.00 (268p/kg) – D J Miles
42kg – £140.00 (333p/kg) – R L Pack
43kg – £144.00 (335p/kg) – R L Pack
44kg – £133.50 (303p/kg) – A J W Smith & Son
45kg – £140.00 (311p/kg) – R L Pack
46kg – £145.00 (315p/kg) – J D Gribble
47kg – £141.50 (301p/kg) – H & S Nesfield
48kg – £140.00 (292p/kg) – J D Gribble
49kg – £157.00 (320p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd
50kg – £155.00 (310p/kg) – K T D Axell
51kg – £152.00 (298p/kg) – R L Pack
52kg – £148.00 (285p/kg) – R White
53kg – £140.00 (264p/kg) – H & J Noakes
54kg – £154.00 (285p/kg) – K T D Axell
55kg – £165.00 (300p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd
56kg – £144.00 (257p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd
57kg – £157.00 (275p/kg) – T Archer
58kg – £150.00 (259p/kg) – H & S Nesfield
60kg – £164.00 (273p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd 

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 198 – Top 358, Average 302.3
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 522 – Top 344, Average 294.0
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 839 – Top 320, Average 275.7
Over 52.1 kgs – 289 – Top 300, Average 267.7

Store Hoggets – 263 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Another flying trade this week for the small amount now on offer as the season for these now is winding down. Genuine stores selling to £114 with several pens of Romney types over £100 this week, at least £30 dearer than they would be been 6 weeks ago.

Cull Sheep – 434 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewe: Top £160 – T Husk, Average £90.94
Ram: Top £143 – G & H Bates, Average £92.71

A super trade with a few leaner sorts in the pens than previous weeks. The best ewes regularly £95 – £125 and to a top price of £160 from T Husk for some strong Texel ewes. Medium sorts £70 – £90 generally with leaner grazing types £40 – £65 and looking well sold.

Texel cross to £160 – T Husk, Beltex to £158 – T Husk, Texels to £146 – A Pynn, Suffolk cross to £142 – P Ashlee, Mules to £110 – Whiteleaf Farm, Romneys to £103 – A Pynn

Ewe & Lambs – 75 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

A few more pens of ewes and lambs today with the highlight in this section from C Woodhead for a pen of 10 ewes and 13 lambs making £173 per outfit, £75.22 per life. Please do not hesitate to get in contact with any further breeding sheep you have to sell.

Sock Lambs – 38 Sold

Auctioneer: Thomas Baker 01233 506246

A larger number of sock lambs sold to the dizzy heights of £31 from E & M E Brundrett for a Suffolk x Mule wether lamb. Anyone wanting to sell or purchase sock lambs please contact the office to express your interest as it greatly helps on the day.

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  56 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Another good entry and a trade to match with recent strong levels. Again, a superb run of Limousin cross steers and heifers from M B Farms took the pick of the trade and top honours at 300p plus with the steers averaging £2072 and heifers £1960. These were closely followed by a smart Limousin cross heifer at £1987 (304p) from W S Furnival Ltd, Limousin cross steer and heifer £1825 (271p) and £1609 (278p) from W Alexander (Shoreham) and well-muscled Limousin cross heifer £1880(292p) from W G Vant & Sons.
Native bred cattle generally 240 to 260p with Aberdeen Angus cross steers topping the section at £1624 (269p) from R G Gibson & Son; Sussex steer £1523 (261p), Aberdeen Angus cross heifer £1480 (258p) and South Devon heifer £1521 (252p) from W S Furnival Ltd and Devon cross steer £1467 (258p) from Gillshaw Farms Ltd.
Well fleshed purebred Friesian steers attracted firm prices around 245p and up to £1553 (249p) from A J Down.

Top Steers

M B Farms – Limousin – 307p/kg (£1946)
M B Farms – Limousin – 307p/kg (£2145)
M B Farms – Limousin – 304p/kg (£2124)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 279p/kg (£1796)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 271p/kg (£1825)

Top Heifers

M B Farms – Limousin – 313p/kg (£2046)
M B Farms – Limousin cross – 312p/kg (£2009)
M B Farms – Limousin – 312p/kg (£1837)
M B Farms – British Blue cross – 308p/kg (£1860)
M B Farms – Limousin – 304p/kg (£2048) 

Average Prices

Steers up to 550kg – 6 sold – Top 258p – Ave 248p
Steers 551 to 650kg – 19 sold – Top 307p – Ave 254p
Steers over 651kg – 4 sold – Top 307p – Ave 281p
Heifers up to 590kg – 16 sold – Top 312p – Ave 261p
Heifers over 591kg – 10 sold – Top 313p – Ave 288p
Bulls – 1 sold – Top 259p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 66 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A good quality entry of cows and overage culls with a RECORD AVERAGE for the cows at 195.1p kg – all included! Some tremendous meat cows supported by smart shaped, younger feeding beef cows were eagerly taken up by the trade. The quality of the dairy entry clearly shown by an outstanding run of British Friesian cows from Debden Court Ltd selling to 216p (14 Av 197.1p kg). Older beef cows wanted to go straight to grass.
British Blue cross 255p, £1400 (Non FA) R Martin, 228p (2), 216p, 214p, £1409, £1388, £1336 J Berryman; Belgian Blue import 245p, £1822 Price & Shelbourne; Limousin cross 231p, 216p, £1590, £1288 J Berryman, 222p, £1694 (Non FA) M Keeley (Agri Services) Ltd, 218p, 217p, £1407, £1388 (Non FA) Gallagher Farms; Simmental cross 229p, £1702 W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm, 229p, 225p, £1706, £1527 W J Hurley; South Devon 214p, 207p, 206p, £1901, £1719 Gardners; Sussex 213p, £1296 W J Hurley, 203p, £1357 (Non FA) R Killingbeck; Aberdeen Angus cross 209p, 207p, 206p, £1212, £1115, £1089 (Non FA) W K Gutsell; Hereford 209p, £1700 (Non FA) Alpha Farms.
British Friesian 216p, 208p, 203p, 198p, 197p, 196p (2), £1447, £1427, £1353, £1319, £1315, £1310; Holstein Friesian 185p, £1439 D Murdoch & Sons, 179p, 178p, £1411, £1357 P J Forknall.
Stock bulls (5) Wanted! Aberdeen Angus 145p, £1553; South Devon 140p, £1437; Traditional Hereford 139p, 131p, £1370, £1260 – All Non Assured.
Overage (5) Small entry and reflecting how the supply is and will remain for a long while yet! Simmental cross OTM heifer 246p, £1400; Simmental 3 year old + heifer 233p, £1697; Sussex 3 year old + steer 238p, £1520; Sussex OTM bull 232p, £1713; Sussex 4 year old + heifer 211p, £1452.

Beef Cows – 38 Sold – Top 255, Average 199.5
Dairy Cows – 19 Sold – Top 216, Average 186.4

Breeding Cattle – 87 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A good day, overall, with something of everything for a strong company around the ring keen to buy cows & calves, maiden bulling heifers and young bulls but limited by the choice on offer.
Too few Sussex on offer, perhaps not surprisingly, as better times with more confidence in the breed and the industry, makes breeders reluctant to reduce numbers. However, with so many commercial beef suckler herds using, or looking to use, the Sussex as a terminal sire the open market must be the place to show case young bulls and quality heifers. L Stevens & Sons showed the way to support their breed with maiden heifers 24 mths to £1520, £1460, £1400 & £1370; J C & C Lewis also know the form with their out wintered heifers 18-20 mths selling to £1360.
Much interest in a run of Aberdeen Angus cross and South Devon cows of mixed ages from W Pynn (Contractors), and though the cows were looking forward to the grass they had done their 2-3 months Aberdeen Angus calves well. 13 Aberdeen Angus or South Devon cows with steer calves sold to £1680, £1650, £1560 etc, averaging £1475, whilst the 11 outfits with heifer calves sold to £1680, £1600, £1500 etc averaging £1412.
A run of purebred Hereford cows from Alpha Farms, mostly with heifer calves, found a lot of interest selling to £1980, £1740, £1700 etc (8 Av £1511).
Sussex cows with Devon calves sold to £1200 and £1180; young Blue Albion heifers with calves sold to £1400 and £1240; Older Aberdeen Angus cross cows and fresh calves to £1200 and £1060; with a good Hereford x Simmental cow and fresh calf made £1410.

Store Cattle – 91 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

A small entry, as usual, following the Easter Bank Holiday but trade was bullish throughout with all regular buyers in attendance competing strongly for all on offer.
Much of the entry comprised native bred cattle with strong Purebred Sussex heifers from J C & C Lewis purchased for breeding and topped at £1360 while yearling Aberdeen Angus cross steers looked well sold at £935 from P H Hope and hard coaty youngsters £855 (314kg) from Wey Street Farm LLP.
A small selection of continental cross cattle on offer topped at £1110 for 14 mths Limousin cross steer from M W Goddard.

Principal Prices include: 

12mths British Blue cross steers – £995 – P H Hope
14mths Limousin cross steers – £1110 – M W Goddard
14mths Limousin cross heifers – £865 – M W Goddard
28mths Limousin cross heifers – £1085 – J B Marshall
10-12mths Aberdeen Angus cross steers – £855 – Wey Street Farm LLP
12mths Aberdeen Angus cross heifers – £625 – Wey Street Farm LLP
12mths Aberdeen Angus cross steers – £935 – P H Hope
13mths Hereford steers – £800 – Mrs S E Ginger
23mths Hereford heifers – £900 – Mrs S E Ginger
12mths Sussex steers – £750 – A Gaddie
12mths Sussex heifers – £575 – A Gaddie
20mths Sussex heifers – £1360 – J C & C Lewis
18-20mths Friesian steers – £880 – J Farrant

Calves –  70 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Calves sold – 43. Trade a little easier this week overall with a mixed entry of calves to match.
Tops of £250, £220 (x2) and £200 for British Blue bulls from T Castle & Son. Limousins from the same home to £240. Aberdeen Angus bulls lacking in numbers with tops of £150 from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd.
Heifers to £230 for British Blues from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd, Aberdeen Angus to £100 from the same home and one single Simmental from R & J Ledger traded at £150.
Dairy bulls to £35 from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd. A lot of other leaner types around with buyers requiring a little more flesh to really be able to give any return on these.
Weanlings sold – 27. An unexpected but welcome entry in the weanling section this week. Plenty of buyers in attendance and all entries very much demanded. Tops of £420 for Simmental heifers from M S Clifford-Baynes who also sold British Blue heifers to £290. W G & T A Manford sold a lovely British Blue heifer to £360 with Mrs T Higgins Aberdeen Angus to £270 and Herefords to £230.
Bulls to £310 for a pen of British Blues from M S Clifford-Baynes with Black and Whites £180 from Plurenden Partnership and £155 from W G & T A Manford. A single Aberdeen Angus steer from W Pynn Contractors Ltd selling for £250 to complete the headlines.
More weanlings required to fulfil demand with trade ready and waiting!

Bull Calves

British Blue cross – 10 – Ave £151 – Top £250 – T Castle & Son
Limousin cross – 2 – Ave £165 – Top £240 – T Castle & Son
Aberdeen Angus – 2 – Ave £115 – Top £150 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd
Hereford cross – 1 Ave £50 – Top £50 – Plurenden Partnership

Heifer Calves

British Blue cross – 8 – Ave £105 – Top £230 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd
Simmental cross – 1 – Ave £150 – Top £150 – R & J Ledger
Aberdeen Angus cross – 3 – Ave £90 – Top £100 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd

Bull Weanlings

British Blue cross – 5 – Ave £310 – Top £310 – M S Clifford-Baynes
Aberdeen Angus cross – 1 – Ave £175 – Top £175 – Plurenden Partnership
Holstein Friesian – 1 – Ave £180 – Top £180 – Plurenden Partnership
British Friesian – 5 – Ave £171 – Top £180 – Plurenden Partnership
Dairy Shorthorn cross – 2 – Ave £157.50 – Top £180 – Plurenden Partnership

Heifer Weanlings

British Blue cross – 6 – Ave £299.17 – Top £360 – W G & T A Manford
Simmental cross – 1 – Ave £420 – Top £420 – M S Clifford-Baynes
Aberdeen Angus cross – 2 – Ave £270 – Top £270 – Tracey Higgins
Hereford cross – 1 – Ave £230 – Top £230 – Tracey Higgins

Steer Weanlings

Aberdeen Angus cross – 1 – Ave £250 – Top £250 – W Pynn Contractors Ltd

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 18th April 2023

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

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