Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 12th September 2023

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

New Season Lambs – 665

Top price per kg: 320p – T R & J R Kirk
Top price per head: £159 – W G Watkins & Sons

A very small number on offer this week with most of the summer lamb feeders now at the end of the 2023 crop, and few early store lamb buyers choosing to feed this year. Lambs off grass have slowed with the very warm weather and these factors all add up to a very small number of finished sheep for Tuesday! 7,500 lambs are entered for the sale on Friday which has had an impact on numbers, also. The reduction in numbers certainly boosted the trade and averages were up 15p on last week with best heavies regularly over £150 head. Numbers dictate the prices all year round but even more so in the autumn months when the supply of well finished types comes under pressure.

Important.
Please keep us informed regarding entries over the coming weeks so we can notify buyers with accurate numbers.

37kg – £97.50 (264p/kg) – H J Brown & Son
38kg – £97.50 (257p/kg) – J H & A H Godden
39kg – £119.00 (305p/kg) – M J Ashworth
40kg – £119.50 (299p/kg) – M J Ashworth
41kg – £120.00 (293p/kg) – M J Ashworth
42kg – £121.50 (289p/kg) – M J Ashworth
43kg – £126.50 (294p/kg) – M J Ashworth
44kg – £130.00 (295p/kg) – E J Clough
45kg – £134.50 (299p/kg) – Monty Head
46kg – £138.00 (300p/kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
47kg – £141.50 (301p/kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
48kg – £153.50 (320p/kg) – T R & J R Kirk
49kg – £140.00 (286p/kg) – S W Batch
50kg – £140.00 (280p/kg) – C B Hope
51kg – £136.00 (267p/kg) – C B Hope
52kg – £138.00 (265p/kg) – J Goffin
53kg – £159.00 (300p/kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
54kg – £155.00 (287p/kg) – K Tucker
55kg – £145.00 (264p/kg) – T R & J R Kirk

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 81 – Top 264, Average 245.4
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 385 – Top 305, Average 261.9
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 179 – Top 320, Average 278.8
Other 52.1+ kgs – 20 – Top 300, Average 276.0

Cull Sheep – 531 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewe: Top £115 – P N & C Burden, Average £69.20
Ram: Top £125 – J R Lilley, Average £95.90

Trade overall very much the same as last week with a large number of plainer grazing types. The best ewes regularly £90 – £110 and to a top price of £115 from Mr Paul Burden for strong Suffolk cross ewes. Medium sorts £70 – £90 on most occasions with leaner grazing types £40 – £60 with very few sold below these figures. Plenty of buyers present for all grades of ewes so please do inform me of any large consignments of ewes that you intend on selling.

Top prices included

Suffolk cross to £115 – P N & C Burden, Texel cross to £110 – Kinnear & Co, Beltex cross to £100 – Denning, Mules to £80 – H G Tompsett & Sons Ltd, Romney to £85 – C B Hope

 

Store & Breeding Sheep – Friday 8th September – 4,390 Sold

Auctioneers: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901 & James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

An entry of some 2,000 store lambs comprising of mainly medium- and longer-term stores.
General trade very much on a par with recent weeks the best medium sized crossbred stores selling readily around £90, an overall average of £82 and only very small long-term sorts below £75.
An increased entry of Romney wethers again comprising mainly long-term stores topped at £85.50 and averaged £76.50 overall.
The show and sale of Suffolk x Mule ewe lambs attracted a similar entry of 1,800 head from regular vendors. The quality on show was superior to last year with all sheep in better condition and this reflected in the prices with overall averages up by some £8 per head. D Howard Farms took top honours with first prize topping at £132 and an overall average of £124 for a superb run of 400. Generally, all the better bred lambs sold in excess of £110 and very few pens below £100.

Principal prices include:

Suffolk x Mule ewe – £132 – D Howard Farms (1^st Prize)
Suffolk x Mule ewe – £123 – H J Hecks & Son (2^nd Prize)
Suffolk x Mule ewe – £122 – W J Hurley (3^rd Prize)
Suffolk x Mule ewe – £119 – R Price & Sons
Suffolk x Mule ewe – £114 – J & C Kellett
Suffolk x Mule ewe – £110 – E & M E Brundrett
Suffolk x Mule ewe – £110 – S C Gammon
Texel x Mule ewe – £101.50 – Hadlow College

Store Lambs

Charollais cross – £90.50 – Hadlow College
Charollais cross – £87.00 – Miss L Chantler
Charollais cross – £86.50 – A W Vincent
Texel cross – £90.50 – Hadlow College
Texel cross – £90 – H G Tompsett & Sons Ltd
Texel cross – £89 – Lovejoy Farm Partnership
Texel cross – £87 – East Hill Farm
Romney wether – £79 – Hampshire Sheep & Forestry Enterprises

Average Prices 

Suffolk x Mule ewe lamb – 1845 sold – Top £132 – Ave £108.50
Mule ewe lamb – 50 sold – Top £94
Texel x Mule ewe lamb – 132 sold – Top £101.50
Charollais cross – 486 sold – Top £90.50 – Ave £80.50
Texel cross – 513 sold – Top £90.50 – Ave £83.70
Crossbred – 372 sold – Top £88 – Ave £82
Romney wether – 608 sold – Top £85.50 – Ave £76.50

Breeding Ewe Tegs

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Top price: £180 – Dan Mackelden Ltd – Ave £165

This was our first breeding sale of any quantity with NC Mule tegs to a top price of £180 from Dan Mackelden Ltd for well bred, strong Mules though generally vendors expectations were higher than purchaser`s plans! However, it is safe to say that Suffolk x Mule tegs were in strong demand with plenty of buyers present topping out at £174 from Stone Farms. There will be breeding ewes and tegs present every week going forward so do keep your eyes peeled.

Principal prices include: 

Mule – £180 – Dan Mackelden Ltd
Mule – £178 – Dan Mackelden Ltd
Mule – £168 – West Meston Farms
Suffolk x Mule – £174 – Stone Farms
Suffolk x Mule – £171 – JPM Rural Services
Suffolk x Mule – £170 – Stone Farms and JPM Rural Services
Other – £170 – Mount Lodge Farm

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  47 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Cattle trade a little dearer coinciding with the end of the holiday period and relatively tight supplies nationally. The best beef bred Continental crosses in excess of 260p with a smart Limousin cross steer topping the market at £1734 (297p) from A J Thompson & Sons.
Dairy bred cattle in the 240 to 260p bracket with Limousin x Friesian steers grossing well to £1615 and Hereford x Friesian steers to £1613 from A J Down, and Aberdeen Angus cross steers and heifers to £1497 (242p) and £1515 (249p) respectively from W S Furnival Ltd.
A small selection of bulls looked well sold grossing up to £1814 (244p) for a Limousin cross from G L Boulden & Sons and 17 mths Beef Shorthorn to £1441 (249p) from Emily Wood.

Top Steers

A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 297p/kg (£1734)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 282p/kg (£1745)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 272p/kg (£1683)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 270p/kg (£1549)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 270pkg (£1886)

Top Heifers

W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 266p/kg – (£1261)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 263p/kg – (£1680)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 260p/kg – (£1323)
F S Husk – Charolais cross – 258p/kg – (£1236)
A J Strand & Sons – Limousin cross – 252p/kg – (£1194)

Average Prices

Steers up to 650kg – 22 sold – Top 297p – Ave 258p
Steers over 651kg – 7 sold – Top 270p – Ave 260p
Heifers up to 590kg – 11 sold – Top 266p – Ave 241p
Heifers over 591kg – 3 sold – Top 263p – Ave 251p
Bulls – 4 sold – Top 249p – Ave 242p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 49 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Another small show in the cull section with more overage types forward than actual cull cows. Trade certainly moving forward, and flesh really is wanted by the trade for the processing and export markets. Confidence also growing amongst the feeding men recognising that cattle are short and that there is more food about.
Highlight, undoubtedly, a marvellous run of overage Sussex x bullocks from M B Burgess. Generally 4-5 year old and weighing up to 995kg they sold from 170 – 197p and grossed up to £1796.
Meat beef cows to 216p and a tidy Blonde feeding cow to 224p but too few and more wanted each week.
Blonde x 224p, £1375 (Non FA) R Murtagh; Limousin x 216p, £1282 R F & E A Simmons; Angus x 177p, £1465 (Non FA) Gallagher Farms; Hereford x 176p, £1035 D J Miles, 161p, £1356 (Non FA) Homewood YFC.
Little real flesh amongst the dairy culls but all strongly contested.
Guernsey 164p, £1218 W G & T A Manford; Lean Holstein Friesian 163p, 156p, £1203 J E Scutt & Sons, 152p, £1174 W G & T A Manford; Jersey 135p, 110p, £686, £569 S E Lane & Ptnrs.
Limousin stock bull 156p, £1182

Beef Cows – 12 Sold – Top 224, Average 162.0
Dairy Cows –9 Sold – Top 164, Average 133.4

Breeding Cattle – 19 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

A nice run of, largely, in calf cows found good interest from farming customers.
Smart strong Angus x cows with steer calves from Boty Farms sold well at £1640 and £1360, with a pure Hereford with younger Hereford heifer from Ken Perkins at £900.
A run of autumn calving cows from Robert Wade saw Limousin to £1590, £1310 (2), British Blue x to £1330, £1180 & £ 1060, and Simmental x to £1150 & £1060.  Served South Devon heifers sold to £805(2).
More Cattle entered for a fortnights time with a nice run of 18 pure Angus cows with calves from East Sussex.

Store Cattle – 240 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

A decent entry of stores to start the Autumn sale period were well received with all regular and seasonal buyers in attendance keen to replenish empty yards.
Smart beef bred Continental cross youngsters sold particularly well notably from D G & J W Gore with a 10 month Limousin cross steer topping the run at £1270 with heifers to £1065.  Aberdeen Angus cross steers 6-8m looked well sold at £830 from Boty Farms Ltd.
Strong cattle to finish short term were particularly sought-after attracting prices in excess of £1200 and up to £1435 for Limousin cross steers from R & H Vincent.  Aberdeen Angus cross steers topped the native section at £1380 for a quality run consigned by J S & M I Tilley.
Next sale Tuesday 26^th September – 200 already entered and further entries now invited.

Principal Prices include:

Continental Cross 

10mths Limousin cross steers – £1270 – D G & J W Gore
10mths Limousin cross heifers – £1065 – D G & J W Gore
11mths Blue cross steers – £930 – P R Lanham
17mths Limousin cross steers – £1190 – P J & P B Wade
17mths Limousin cross heifers – £1045 – P J & P B Wade
24mths Limousin x Friesian steers – £1375 – B J Goodsell & Son
24mths Limousin x Friesian heifers – £1250 – B J Goodsell & Son
24mths Limousin cross steers – £1435 – R & H Vincent
22mths Limousin cross bulls – £1000 – A J Miller

Native Bred 

6-8mths Angus cross steers – £830 – Boty Farms Ltd
7mths Beef Shorthorn heifers – £830 – D R Thompson
13mths Sussex steers – £840 – Henry Moorhead & Co
17mths Sussex x Limousin steers – £1315 – B Luck Ltd
17mths Sussex x Limousin heifers – £1000 – B Luck Ltd
16mths Hereford steers – £1080 – C Goldsmith
16mths Beef Shorthorn steers – £1220 – A J Strand & Sons
20mths Beef Shorthorn heifers – £920 – A J Strand & Sons
18mths Angus cross steers – £1380 – J S & M I Tilley
18mths Angus cross heifers – £1165 – J S & M I Tilley
24mths Angus x Friesian steers – £1250 – B J Goodsell & Son
24mths Angus x Friesian heifers – £900 – B J Goodsell & Son

Calves – 24 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Calves – 22

A small entry today of fairly mixed sorts, a good selection of Channel Island crosses included. Strongest calves a flyer but in short supply; younger calves harder work which is no surprise given the high costs of inputs combined with winter approaching.
Best bulls to £350, £335, and £320 for British Blues from W G & T A Manford. Younger Angus from J W Boyd & Son to £190 with average types to £140. Heifers lacking the same quality as the best bulls with tops of £240 for Blues from W G & T A Manford and £115 for Angus from P J Forknall.
More size to the dairy calves generally today with tops of £90 for Holsteins from W G & T A Manford.
Weanlings – 2
Two Jersey cross bulls 3 mths selling to tops of £130.

A polite request to all vendors, please do advise of entries on the Monday morning before a sale to ensure we can communicate numbers to buyers!

Bull Calves

British Blue cross – 4 – Ave £267.50 – Top £350 – W G & T A Manford
Aberdeen Angus cross – 4 – Ave £113.75 – Top £190 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd
Holstein – 2 – Ave £75 – Top £90 – W G & T A Manford

Heifer Calves

British Blue cross – 5 – Ave £123 – Top £240 – W G & T A Manford
Aberdeen Angus cross – 3 – Ave £73.33 – Top £115 – P J Forknall

Bull Weanling

Jersey cross – 2 – Ave £72.50 – Top £130 – E Emmanuel

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 19th September 2023

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here