Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 13th May 2025

Sheep Sales Reports

Finished Hoggets –1,168 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per kilo – 367p kg – R L Pack, West Sussex.
Top price per head – £174.00 – R L Goodman & Son, Kent.

Less on offer with numbers now starting to ease in the hogget department. Trade was at a similar level for the heavier types but the lighter hoggs were improved in price. Saying this, only about 10% of the hoggets on offer yesterday fell below 46 kgs and this shortage has boosted their price. It is, however, pushing some of the buyers towards the new season lambs as an alternative with lighter carcasses. The weight on offer yesterday was probably one of the highest averages we have seen for many years with most sheep over 50 kg, several over 60 kg and, even, quite a number over 70kg which topped at £174  from R L Goodman & Sons. Top amongst the smaller hoggs was Roger Pack at 367p kg for Beltex cross export weight hoggets. Numbers will come under pressure here in the coming weeks and we would advise producers to take the price before the changeover to the new season lambs, as they are going to be out in bigger numbers very soon.

37 – £128.00 (346p kg) – Mrs T Higgins
38 – £90.00 (237p kg) – H & J Noakes
39 – £125.00 (321p kg) – K Bond
40 – £124.00 (310p kg) – R Haydon & Partners
42 – £154.00 (367p kg) – R L Pack
43 – £147.00 (342p kg) – R L Pack
44 – £120.00 (273p kg) – S W Batch
45 – £142.00 (316p kg) – A R Dunlop
46 – £158.00 (343p kg) – T Lyle & Partners
47 – £150.00 (319p kg) – W Pynn Contractors Ltd
48 – £151.00 (315p kg) – A R Dunlop
49 – £160.00 (327p kg) – S J Reeve & Son
50 – £159.00 (318p kg) – J Wayman
51 – £148.00 (290p kg) – A R Dunlop
52 – £160.00 (308p kg) – R L Pack
53 – £155.00 (292p kg) – S J Reeve & Son
54 – £148.00 (274p kg) – R H Smith & Partners
55 – £162.00 (295p kg) – R L Goodman & Son
56 – £148.00 (264p kg) – S J Reeve & Son
57 – £151.00 (265p kg) – S & D Broad
58 – £159.00 (274p kg) – J Wayman
59 – £165.00 (280p kg) – J Wayman
60 – £155.00 (258p kg) – R L Pack
61 – £151.00 (248p kg) – H & J Noakes
62 – £159.00 (256p kg) – J Wayman
63 – £150.00 (238p kg) – J Wayman
64 – £161.00 (252p kg) – J Wayman
66 – £152.00 (230p kg) – J & C Kellett
67 – £154.00 (230p kg) – R L Goodman & Son
70 – £161.00 (230p kg) – R L Goodman & Son
71 – £174.00 (245p kg) – R L Goodman & Son

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 24 – Top 346, Ave. 307.7
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 169 Top 367, Ave.319.5
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 450 – Top 343, Ave. 295.5
Others over 52.1 kgs – 463 – Top 295, Ave.255.5

New Season Lambs – 373 sold. Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903.
These will be sold first from next week, 20^th May

Top price per kilo – 400p kg – S W Mount & Sons Ltd, Kent.
Top price per head – £169.00 – Masters Farms, East Sussex.

A good entry of lambs with the first of the big draws coming in this week with 160 lambs from Masters Farms, one of the best runs of lambs you could wish see this early in the season. Averaging 47 kg they sold to top at £169 head. Handy weights in this section were boosted by the drop in numbers of the hoggets and topped at 400p kg from S W Mount & Sons. Overall, the entry averaged 351p kg and £148 head.

28 – £107.00 (382p kg) – M Friend
34 – £120.00 (353p kg) – M Critcher & Partners
35 – £140.00 (400p kg) – S W Mount & Sons Ltd
36 – £115.00 (319p kg) – M Critcher & Partners
37 – £140.00 (378p kg) – S W Mount & Sons Ltd
38 – £148.00 (389p kg) – S W Mount & Sons Ltd
39 – £136.00 (349p kg) – A J Down
40 – £148.00 (370p kg) – S W Batch
41 – £144.00 (351p kg) – A J Down
42 – £140.00 (333p kg) – T R & J R Kirk
43 – £149.00 (347p kg) – David Clark (Farms) Ltd
44 – £155.00 (352p kg) – Masters Farms
45 – £158.00 (351p kg) – C Moss & Sons
46 – £158.00 (343p kg) – David Clark (Farms) Ltd
47 – £162.00 (345p kg) – Masters Farms
48 – £160.00 (333p kg) – C Moss & Sons
49 – £166.00 (339p kg) – Masters Farms
50 – £169.00 (338p kg) – Masters Farms
51 – £168.00 (329p kg) – D J Morphett
52 – £168.00 (323p kg) – Masters Farms
57 – £167.00 (293p kg) – Masters Farms

Averages (p/kg)
Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 74 – Top 400.0 – Ave. 367.2
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 130 – Top 370.0 – Ave. 342.0
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 137   – Top 351.0 – Ave.336.2
Others over 52.1 kgs – 23 – Top 342.0 – Ave.316.6

Cull Sheep – 328 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

Top price ewe: £218.00 –  Link Bros, Kent. – Ave. £140.01

A super trade again with demand stronger due to numbers looking short nationally. The best ewes regularly £150 – £180 to a top price of £218 from Link Bros for Texels, followed by A Boyd & Co with Texels cross to £210. Medium sorts £110 – £140 on most occasions with leaner grazing types £70 – £100 throughout with only very few sold below these figures. Keep these ewes coming forward with regular buyers every week for all grades.

Top prices included:

Texels to £218 – Link Bros, Texel cross to £210 – A Boyd & Co, Suffolk cross to £216 – Masters Farms, Romney to £180 – H V Link Partnership, Mules to £165 – S C Gammon.

Ear Tags in Sheep
Please be aware of your responsibilities with regard to the tagging of sheep of all ages , and in all sections of the market.

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  46 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A decent seasonal entry with plenty of flesh on offer found a stronger trade overall at a time when the big Anglo-Irish processors are talking the trade down. They are, of course, under instructions from their supermarket paymasters but it does anger many in the industry that it is not reflecting current market forces, particularly supply, but rather a talking down of future expectations for beef to satisfy their own sector by stirring up negatives such as the US/UK beef deal and European FMD to weaken producer confidence. We have a good product; many people want to eat it in many forms; there is a shortage which will remain, so let us remain positive and support those trying to take the industry forward.
Best beef bred types 370-400p with an outstanding Charolais x steer from Dan Mackelden Ltd topping at 427p, £2666, whilst their Limousin x heifer took female honours at 400p, £2477. Colin Leggat`s Limousin x steers grossed to £2715 (394p) whilst the Sinden family had homebred Blue x heifers to £2531 (370p).
Dairy bred steers from Alan Down saw Limousin x to 378p, £2416 whilst Friesian steers sold to 366p, £2184. Blue x Friesian steers from George Sim to 374p, £2418. Hereford x Friesian heifers to 358p, £2306 from R C & J L Pickering.
Sussex very much in demand amongst the natives with Stephen Furnival selling steers to 383p, £2276, heifers to 377p. Angus x steers from Leggat Farming to 366p, £2595.
A good trade for bulls with smart Limousin x Friesian from Alan Down at 394p, £2282; a strong Friesian 329p, £2513 B J Goodsell & Son.

Leading steer prices

Top Steers

Dan Mackelden Ltd – Charolais cross – 427p (£2666)
Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 394p (£2715)
Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 392p (£2603)
Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 390p (£2571)
W S Furnival Ltd – Sussex – 383p (£2276)

Top Heifers

Dan Mackelden Ltd – Limousin cross – 400p (£2477)
G L Boulden & Sons – Blonde Aquitaine cross – 385p (£2134)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 379p (£1930)
W S Furnival Ltd – Sussex – 377p (£1977)
K & P M Sinden & Sons – British Blue cross – 370p (£2531)

Average prices

Steers 200 to 550 kg – 7 – Top 371p – Ave. 337p
Steers 551 to 650 kg – 21 – Top 427p – Ave. 369p
Steers 651 kg + – 5 – Top 394p – Ave. 383p
Heifers 300 to 500 kg – 2 – Top 356p – Ave. 348p
Heifers 501 to 590 kg – 4 – Top 385p – Ave. 374p
Heifers 591 kg + – 5 – Top 400p – Ave. 365p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 60 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Another outstanding trade and it does not seem likely that there will be any let up in these rates as processing beef remains in short supply, and demand is unstoppable! More buyers around the ring today. A decent entry with some good meat and feeding beef cows balanced with a few more from the dairies.
Andrew Price`s British Blue clearly stood out at 364p, £2581 but plenty of others 300-345p and top grossing cow to Robert Hanks with Herefords to £2595 (304p). Clearly the right time to look at those in your herd without a calf this spring and ask whether they should be carried for another 12 months?
British Blue 364p, £2581 Price & Shelbourne, 299p, £1985 Boty Farms; Limousin x 346p, £2315 J Berryman, 330p, £1400 Will Agri, 326p, 317p, £2295, £2136 A J Thompson & Sons; Sussex 340p, 313p, £1884, £1750 Chandler & Dunn, 285p, £2162 A H Hoad & Son; Angus x 311p, £2189 T Lyle & Ptnrs, 300p, 288p, £2171, £1955 A J Thompson & Sons, 283p, £1935 Boty Farms; Hereford x 304p, £2595 E W & R E Hanks, 274p, £1860 Miss W Howland, 268p, £1806 J Prior & Son.
Quite some variety amongst the dairy culls but the trade on fire for all grades. Clearly big heavily fleshed cows most sought after but in a time of shortage they have to take all they can get. A bigger show of Jerseys well sold to 220p, £1065 from James Edgar.
British Friesian 270p, 268p, £1980, £1873 Plurenden Ptnrs, 265p, 258p, £2073, £1971 B J Goodsell & Son; Holstein Friesian 252p, 230p, £1761, £1942 Goddard & Son, 248p, 230p, £1559, £1538 J W Boyd & Sons; Danish Red 290p, £1404 R C & J L Pickering; Ayrshire 244p, £1364 J Howie; Jersey 220p, 196p, £1065, £988 G R Edgar & Son, 186p, 170p, £807 Hickson Bros, 179p, £910 S E Lane & Ptnrs.
Stock Bull (1) Strong outwintered Beef Shorthorn at 225p, £2604.
Overage (13) A very strong trade for a good quality mix of meat and feeders.
Angus x Friesian OTM steers 354p, 347p, 335p, £2542, £2528, £2477, OTM heifers 348p, 344p, £2696, £2346 E & J H Maylam; Limousin x 3+ heifers 373p, 360p, £2319, £2030 R Martin; Sussex 3+ heifers 326p, 321p, 317p, £1676, £1635, £1519 Mrs S S Gibb; Sussex 3+ heifer 302p, £2141 A H Hoad & Son.

Beef Cows – 24 Sold – Top 364, Average 282.3
Dairy Cows – 22 Sold – Top 290 Average 223.9

 

Store & Breeding Cattle – 325 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

As we start to wind down with store cattle sales we have found ourselves again with over 300 head in the pens, and what an absolute flyer they were.  A few breeders to start saw a Pedigree Angus bull 26 mths from B G & M A Tomsett to £3250 and Angus cows and calves from Boty Farms Ltd to £2550. Top call of the day went to Gallagher Farms for marvellous Limousin cross steers 16 mths to £2280. Long term types from A & N Bullen saw their Stabiliser steers 12 mths to £910, and rough coated types from M Godden to £1010 for 9 mth Limousin heifers. Sussex heifers from Mrs S.S Gibb 24 mths to £1480 and Devon steers 13 mths from G Husk to £990. Well done Blue x Friesian heifers 15 mths from T Castle & Son to £1370 while Angus steers 12 mths from T Lyle & Partners topped at £1500 and saw 21 mth old heifers to £1750 from the same home. Angus heifers 11 mths from R Brown to £1270 and smart Limousin cross heifers 12 mths from S & D Broad to £1720. A Boyd and Co saw Limousin heifers 12 mths to £1410 and G W & B Bridges had a run of Limousin cross steers 9 mths to £1450 and Sussex heifers 11 mths to £1360. Strong Angus steers 15 mths from M Goddard to £1930 and Limousin cross steers 15 mths from C Watkins to £2000. Charolais steers 23 mths from M Wickens to £1610 and Simmental cross heifers 12 mths from the same home to £1400. A J Strand had a run of Limousin and Shorthorn crosses 12-14 mths which topped at £1520 for the steers and heifers 16 mths to £1780. A run of out wintered Limousin crosses 22 mths from E W & R E Hanks topped at £2020 for the steers with the heifers to £1780. If you have store or breeding cattle to sell then next week 20^th May is the date to be getting them booked in for with cattle already entered for this date.

Principal prices include:
Continental breeds:

Limousin steers 16 mths – £2280 – Gallagher Farms
British Blue cross steers 27 mths – £2080 – B G & M A Tomsett
Limousin cross steers 26 mths – £2040 – R J Husk
Limousin steers 23 mths – £1980 – E W & R E Hanks
Charolais cross steers 22 mths – £1610 – M Wickens
Limousin cross steers 16 mths – £1530 – A J Strand & Sons
Limousin cross heifers 16 mths – £1780 – A J Strand & Sons
Limousin cross heifers 35 mths – £1780 – E W & R E Hanks
Limousin cross heifers 12 mths – £1720 – S & D Broad
Simmental cross heifers 17 mths – £1570 – E Chantler & Sons
Limousin cross heifers 14 mths – £1470 – G W & B Bridges

Native breeds:
Aberdeen Angus steers 15 mths – £1930 – M Goddard
Aberdeen Angus cross steers13 mths – £1730 – A Gray
Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers 25 mths – £1640 – Ross Farms
Aberdeen Angus cross steers 13 mths – £1500 – T Lyle & Partners
Sussex cross steers 20 mths – £1870 – J G W Warner
Aberdeen Angus cross heifers 25 mths – £2100 – B G & M A Tomsett
Aberdeen Angus cross heifers 22 mths – £1750 – T Lyle & Partners
Aberdeen Angus heifers 15 mths – £1600 – M Goddard
Aberdeen Angus heifers 26mths – £1520 – G D Venner
Sussex heifers 25 mths – £1480 – Mrs S.S Gibb

Calves – 71 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Another very successful day in the calf section with a good number forward of variable quality finding a strong attendance of buyers recognizing that beef is short in supply, and that it all starts with the calf! More, best bred calves would certainly sell to good advantage. British Blues dominated the entry this week with a high proportion coming from crossbred herds or the Channel Island sector.
Top call for a good Limousin x Friesian bull from Tom Castle at £465. Tidy Black and white bred Blue bulls and heifers from T Castle & Son, Appleton Farms and J W Boyd & Sons £350-£430, whilst the crossbred types still an excellent trade at £200-£300. Sussex, particularly the heifers, well followed with Richard Manford selling to £275. A few Limousin x young beef bred calves £320-£350 from A J Thompson & Sons.

Bull Calves
British Blue cross – 24 – Ave £326.67 – Top £430.00 – T Castle & Son
Limousin cross – 1 – Ave £465.00 – Top £465.00 – T Castle & Son
Aberdeen Angus cross – 2 – Ave £160.00 – Top £200.00 – G R Edgar & Son
Sussex cross – 3 – Ave 180.00 – Top £205.00 – W G & T A Manford
Heifer Calves
British Blue cross – 27 – Ave £244.44 – Top £410.00 – T Castle & Son
Limousin cross – 3 – Ave £293.33 – Top £325.00 – A J Thompson & Sons
Aberdeen Angus cross – 5 – Ave £161.00 – Top £270.00 – Freshfield Farms
Sussex cross – 5 – Ave £238.00 – Top £275.00 – W G & T A Manford
Steer Calves
Limousin cross – 1 – Ave £350.00 – Top £350.00 – A J Thompson & Sons

Cattle Passports
We remind producers that on no occasion should the details on a cattle passport be changed other than by returning it to BCMS.
If details are incorrect return and advise BCMS or advise the auctioneers on market day without writing on the passport.

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 20th May 2025

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

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