Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 12th July 2022

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

New Season Lambs – 1,981 Sold

Top price per kg: 326p – C A Worley Farming Ltd
Top price per head: £151.00 – Link Bros

A smaller entry this week, partly through choice due to the fact the demand was going to decrease in the aftermath of the festival, with a most fridges and freezers now being full of meat. When the trade reaches the highs that we have been seeing in recent months a 20-30p kg swing is not as big a movement as it once was, and it can soon recover and move back up again. The quality of lambs on offer this week was also very variable, with a number of grass lambs that were generally trading at almost store levels. Despite this, the concentrate finished lambs at the other end of the scale were still selling on a very good trade with these reaching up to £150 hd and topping at £151 form Link Bros. Leaner grass types traded from £90-£110 with these prices still very appealing without knowing what the coming weeks will bring in terms of weather and grass growth.

Top Prices

34kg – £100.00 (294p/kg) – J Cook
35kg – £100.00 (286p/kg) – Catherine Cox
36kg – £110.00 (306p/kg) – A J W Smith & Son
37kg – £114.50 (309p/kg) – G H Dean & Co
38kg – £123.00 (324p/kg) – G H Dean & Co
39kg – £127.00 (326p/kg) – C A Worley Farming Ltd
40kg – £124.00 (310p/kg) – P D Denne
41kg – £131.50 (321p/kg) – C Ely
42kg – £134.00 (319p/kg) – Carina Cox
43kg – £133.00 (309p/kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
44kg – £137.50 (313p/kg) – Link Bros
45kg – £143.00 (318p/kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
46kg – £144.00 (313p/kg) – Priors Byne Farm
47kg – £148.00 (308p/kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
48kg – £148.00 (308p/kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
51kg – £150.00 (294p/kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
55kg – £151.00 (275p/kg) – Link Bros

Averages (p/kg)

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 652 – Top 324, Average 272.9
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 1040 – Top 326, Average 292.2
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 279 – Top 318, Average 311.9
Over 52.1 kgs – 8 – Top – 312, Average 306.6

 

Cull Sheep – 167 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook O’Connell 07712246474

Ewes: Top £164 – Kingswood Farmers, Average £103.79
Rams: Top £136 – R F & E A Simmons, Average £132.33

A much smaller entry this week with a slight ease in the trade. The best ewes were £120-£135 with the very best up to £164 from Kingswood Farmers Ltd for some flashy Texel’s. Medium sorts £80-£110 and leaner/grazing sorts £60-£80 and very few being sold under these figures. Although trade has taken a slight step down following the huge festival demand, it remains at a very respectable level for the time of year.

Top prices included:

Texel to £164 – Kingswood Farmers Ltd, Charollais to £143 – N A Balcomb & Son, Suffolk to £143 – N A Balcomb & Son, Suffolk cross to £134 – S W Mount & Son, Mules to £125 – S W Batch, Romney to £125 – N A Balcomb & Son

 

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle – 57 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Trade not quite at the high levels achieved a few weeks ago but still a very decent trade with the best 250p plus with quality Limousin cross steer topping at £1482 (270p) and Charolais cross steer grossing £1804 both from W Alexander (Shoreham) and smart Limousin cross heifer £1393 (261p) from A J Thompson & Sons.

The best dairy bred cattle generally in the 230 to 240p bracket with a run of well fleshed Limousin x Friesian steers topping at £1662 (246p) from A J Down.

A relatively high percentage of native bred cattle on offer with the pick including Aberdeen Angus cross steer £1485 (246p) W Alexander (Shoreham), £1423 (248p) and £1494 (234p) from W S Furnival Ltd, and £1387 (238p) G Stokes while smart Aberdeen Angus cross heifer looked well sold at £1305 (254p) from G Stokes.

A few purebred Sussex on offer with steer at £1286 (227p) E T Ledger & Son Ltd and heifer £1151 (229p) J Hooker & Son.

Top Steers

W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 270p/kg (£1482)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 266p/kg (£1482)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Charolais cross – 264p/kg (£1804)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 259p/kg (£1432)
W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 258p/kg (£1609)

Top Heifers

A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 261p/kg (£1393)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Aberdeen Angus cross – 254p/kg (£1305)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 250p/kg (£1110)
W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 242p/kg (£1388)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 240p/kg (£1278)

Average Prices (p/kg)

Steers up to 650kg – 28 Sold – Top 270 – Ave 239
Steers over 651kg – 6 Sold – Top 264 – Ave 243
Heifers up to 590kg – 20 Sold – Top 261 – Ave 235
Heifers over 591kg – 2 Sold – Top 240 – Ave 233
Bulls – 1 Sold – Top 188

 

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 30 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A reduced entry with other work taking priority on the farm nevertheless a strong trade with Charolais cows having the pick of the trade at £1835 (219p) and £1748 (219p) from Jan Boomaars and purebred Sussex to £1491 (212p) from Sussex Herd Co Ltd.

A small selection of dairy cows to £1088 (168p) and £1082 (178p) from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd.

A run of 40 mths steers sold well up to £1292 (174p) from D T Meadows and OTM to £1284 (232p) for Limousin cross heifer from Fergus Henderson.

Beef Cows – 9 Sold – Top 219p/kg, Average 197.8p/kg
Dairy Cows – 5 Sold – Top 178p/kg, Average 116.8p/kg
OTM – 15 Sold – Top 232p/kg, Average 169.0p/kg

 

Pigs – 39 Sold

Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07741 845230

As reported a fortnight ago comments are very similar. We report a strong summer demand is continuing to produce prices which bring a smile to producers faces even if we have not yet reached a level to cover “cost of production”. The cull trade is still sticky and off levels of a month ago. Strong stores with “hog roast” potential also found plenty of bidders.

The entry of finished pigs saw the best price achieved for a pen of saddleback boars from M Wilson which made 142p per kg and grossed £122. C Higgins again sold various weight pigs from £75 to £114.50. Large Black pigs from new vendor Hadlow Hideways made 110p and grossed to £102.30.

The cull pens saw one butchers sow make 34p and £68 and other light models 19 and 29p.

The one pen of 50kg store pigs made £61 for C Higgins.

Finished good-p per kg – 5 – Top 142 – Average 142.0
£ per head – Top £122.12 – Average £122.12
Finished other-p per kg – 25 – Top 140 – Average £111.8
£ per head – Top £137.20 – Average £95.65
Sows-p per kg – 4 – Top 34 – Average 27.1
£ per head – Top £68.00 – Average £34.84
Boars-p per kg – 1 – Top 5 – Average 5
£ per head – Top 15.50 – Average £15.50
Strong stores-£ per head – 4 – Top £61.00 – Average £61.00

 

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 19th July 2022

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

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