Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 14th February 2023

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Finished Hoggets – 2,110 Sold

Top price per kg: 304p – T Husk
Top price per head: £149.00 – S Wickens

A few more finished hoggets on offer this week and a complete flip in the trade with the heavier sorts now coming forward in greater numbers and priced a little easier. The light -weight export sheep were back in top demand as less were on offer. This is the total opposite to what we have seen for the past few months, but this demonstrates how the market can change so rapidly. The only way to keep up with these changes is to sell live with deadweight pricing often days behind us. Best on the day were some super lambs from local haulier and Ashford market supporter Shaun Wickens at £149 head, with Tom Husk topping the weight ranges at 304p kg for superb Beltex crosses. Despite many commenting that the trade currently isn’t very exciting, there are still good returns available for the best sheep that are well fleshed, presented empty, clean and dry. Lairage facilities are available every Monday from 2pm onwards.
A few less stores on offer with a good number having been sold through the autumn from producers who would often be selling now. Best on offer can reach up to £90 head and topping at £93 from M D Lott but many sheep this week in the £70-85 price range with only the longest term types below these levels.

Top Prices

37kg – £97.00 (262p/kg) – C Saunders
38kg – £104.50 (275p/kg) – N C & C Hedges
39kg – £98.00 (251p/kg) – A J Skinner & Son
40kg – £106.50 (266p/kg) – S Bourne
41kg – £124.50 (304p/kg) – T Husk
42kg – £114.00 (271p/kg) – N A Balcomb & Son
43kg – £108.00 (251p/kg) – T Heathcote
44kg – £128.00 (291p/kg) – T Husk
45kg – £126.00 (280p/kg) – T Husk
46kg – £124.00 (270p/kg) – T Husk
47kg – £119.00 (253p/kg) – C Ballard
48kg – £128.00 (267p/kg) – T Husk
49kg – £129.50 (264p/kg) – T Husk
50kg – £149.00 (298p/kg) – S Wickens
51kg – £119.00 (233p/kg) – D Moss
52kg – £140.00 (269p/kg) – T Husk
53kg – £110.00 (208p/kg) – J D Hickman
54kg – £127.50 (236p/kg) – S Wickens
58kg – £120.00 (207p/kg) – G Lawrence & Son
60kg – £132.00 (220p/kg) – H V Link Ptnsp

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 188 – Top 275, Average 235.0
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 867 – Top 304, Average 234.4
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 608 – Top 298, Average 233.7
Over 52.1 kgs – 58 – Top 269, Average 230.9

Cull Sheep – 601 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewe: Top £195 – T Lyle & Ptns, Average £84.14
Ram: Top £138 – G Lawrence & Son, Average £93.63

A good show in the pens with current demand strong and averages on the up. The best ewes regularly £100 – £120 and to a top price of £195 from T Lyle & Partners for their superb Texels. Medium sorts £70-£90 regularly with fewer leaner types on offer trading between £40-£60. Very few sold under these figures.

Texel to £195 – T Lyle & Ptns, Beltex to £149 – C A Worley Farming Ltd, Texel cross to £128 – Stuart Agnew Trading, Suffolk cross to £126 – R F & E A Simmons, Mules to £109 – O Tilley, Romneys to £116 – H V Link Ptnsp

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  55 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Another great trade for an increased entry of cattle with the best beef bred continental cross cattle in excess of 280p Best dairy and native bred cattle in the 250p to 270p bracket and a favourable overall average of 262p.
Smart Limousin crosses topped both sections with steers to £1797 (300p) and heifers to £1731 (299p), both from M B Farms and a top gross of £2038 for a heavyweight Limousin cross heifer from W S Furnival Ltd.
In addition, to prices quoted below, other top gross prices included Limousin cross heifer £1879 (269p) from P Burgess, Limousin cross steer £1872 from S J Theobald & Sons and dairy bred Limousin x Friesian to £1700 and 268p from A J Down.
A good selection of native bred cattle again, and all well received, with Sussex steers £1723 (274p) and £1660 (260p) from W S Furnival Ltd, Sussex heifers £1560 (265p) from K & P M Sinden & Sons, £1420 (266p) from S Marsh and £1399 (267p) from A H Hoad & Son; and a Hereford cross steer looking well sold at £1670 (248p) from North Kent College.
A young Blonde bull from GL Boulden & Sons to 266p £1898.

Top Steers 

M B Farms – Limousin cross – 300p/kg (£1797)
S J Theobald & Sons – Limousin cross – 289p/kg (£1803)
P Burgess – Limousin cross – 276p/kg (£1556)
W S Furnival Ltd – Sussex – 274p/kg (£1723)
P Burgess – Limousin cross – 269p/kg (£1758)

Top Heifers

M B Farms – Limousin – 299p/kg (£1731)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 298p/kg (£1755)
M B Farms – Limousin – 296p/kg (£1773)
W S Furnival Ltd – Limousin cross – 296p/kg (£2038)
W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 296p/kg (£1625)

Average Prices

Steers up to 650kg – 12 sold – Top 300p – Ave 266p
Steers over 651kg – 10 sold – Top 269p – Ave 255p
Heifers up to 500kg – 6 sold – Top 261p – Ave 235p
Heifers 501 to 590kg – 12 sold – Top 299p – Ave 273p
Heifers over 591kg – 12 sold – Top 296p – Ave 274p
Bulls – 3 – Top 266p – Ave 234p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 57 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Shortening numbers in this category at a time when the trade is on fire is a sure sign that product is in very tight supply throughout the country. Many have tidied herds throughout recent years, and particularly this last Autumn and Winter. With the beef sector just into calving and the dairy herds, at least in the West Country, now going out to grass in the day this position can only get worse in the short and midterm.
Another tremendous trade with the overall entry certainly more mixed with less flesh, and more cold outdoor types.
Good fed beef cows well over 200p and up to 250p kg for well-shaped types with the feeding market pushing any leaner types well up in price terms. A few very hard cold outdoor types 130-180p looking very well sold.
Charolais cross 249p, £1392 S Marsh, 197p, £1552 T Turner (Non FA); Limousin cross 217p, 195p, £1645, £1556 M J Ashworth, 195p, 188p, £1163, £1100 J Berryman; Blonde cross 203p, £1549 T Turner (Non FA); Sussex 199p, £1330 Priors Byne Farm, 189p, £1235 Collick & Sons; Aberdeen Angus cross 194p, £1151 (Non FA) Miss J Biddle, 191p, £1029 (Non FA) J Prior & Son; South Devon 187p, £1511 Gardners.
A very small show from the dairy sector this week. All wanted. Dairy Shorthorn 199p M Elphick; Ayrshire 196p, £1144 D James; Holstein 176p, £1386 P Forknall.
Stock bulls (1) A lean Limousin bull at 145p, £1354.
Overage clean (16) Mostly OTM outdoor long term grazing types at 165-185p, £750-£1100 but any meat badly wanted. Aberdeen Angus cross OTM heifer 241p, £1780; Limousin cross OTM heifer 238p, £1805; British Friesian OTM steer 214p, £1238; Swedish Red cross OTM steer 212p, £1195.

Beef Cows – 33 Sold – Top 249, Average 183.8
Dairy Cows – 7 Sold – Top 199, Average 153.3

Store Cattle – 306 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

A fabulous trade to begin the new season with a completely different atmosphere at ringside compared to the latter part of last Autumn. The buyers were in a bullish mood throughout taking store cattle prices to a new level and reflecting the recent record prices achieved for finished cattle.
Beef bred Continental cross yearlings sold readily around £1000 with smart yearling steers topping at £1120 from L Palmer & Sons while stronger stores to finish short term up to £1400 for Limousin cross steers from A J Strand & Sons.
A good selection of native bred cattle on offer and again these were keenly sought after with the best youngsters around £1000 and the pick of the prices including 14 months Aberdeen Angus cross steer and heifer selling at £1320 and £1035 respectively from W Pynn Contractors, and 23 month Angus steer and heifer £1540 and £1360 from A R Dunlop.

Principal Prices include: 

Continental Bred

8-9mths Limousin cross steer – £1010 – E Chantler & Son
10mths Limousin cross steer – £970 – F S Husk
10mths Limousin cross heifer – £1080 – F S Husk
11mths Limousin cross steer – £1000 – Goodsell Farm Ptnsp
11mths Charolais cross heifer – £935 – Goodsell Farm Ptnsp
12mths Limousin cross steer – £1120 – L Palmer & Sons
12mths Limousin cross heifer – £990 – L Palmer & Sons
14mths British Blue x Friesian steer – £1030 – F W Hamlyn & Sons
17mths British Blue x Friesian steer – £1030 – N J & A M Howlett
22mths Limousin cross teer – £1400 – A J Strand & Sons

Native Bred

8mths Stabiliser cross steer – £855 – A & N Bullen
8mths Stabiliser cross heifer – £780 – A & N Bullen
10mths Friesian steer – £445 – N E & V S Velvick
10mths Hereford cross steer – £1010 – High Chimney Farm
15mths Hereford cross steer – £1180 – P Ashlee
15mths Hereford cross heifer – £965 – P Ashlee
9mths Aberdeen Angus cross steer – £1010 – Miss J A Biddle
14mths Aberdeen Angus cross steer – £1320 – W Pynn Contractors
14mths Aberdeen Angus cross heifer – £1035 – W Pynn Contractors
18mths Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steer – £1195 – E J Gribble
19mths Aberdeen Angus x Friesian heifer – £1280 – Miss E Ashlee
23mths Aberdeen Angus cross steer – £1540 – A R Dunlop
23mths Aberdeen Angus cross heifer – £1360 – A R Dunlop
18mths Beef Shorthorn cross steer – £1150 – A J Strand & Sons
25mths South Devon cross steer – £1320 – E Chantler & Sons
18mths Dairy cross steer – £970 – M Gammons

Breeding Cattle – 7 sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A run of nice in-calf Sussex cows from Pip Collick met a lot of interest. Due in 4-6 weeks’ time to an Aberdeen Angus bull they sold to £1380, regularly £1100 to £1300. Many enquiries now coming for all classes of breeding cattle.

Calves – 59 sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

A firmer trade for calves today with buyers recognising the opportunity with calves now at a lower price level. Biggest and strongest calves, with work part done, are in highest demand but smaller types, also, on an upward trend.
Continental bulls most in demand topping at £310 for a very smart British Blue with age on his side from W G & T A Manford; the same vendor also selling British Blues to £240, £225 and £200. A quality British Blue from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd topped the younger trade at £190. A better selection of native bulls this week with strong Aberdeen Angus to £260 from J Warnock & Sons; some lovely Beef Shorthorns from M Elphick topping at £150; and Herefords to £115 from Goddard & Son.
Heifer calves seeing an uplift in demand this week. British Blues to £160 from J Warnock & Sons, and £140 from both J W Boyd & Sons Ltd, and W G & T A Manford. A strong run of Aberdeen Angus from J Warnock & Sons sold to £160 three times and £150. Hereford from Goddard & Son topped at £165 with Beef Shorthorns from M Elphick to £130.
Dairy calves selling on an improved trade for the strongest with tops of £85 for British Friesians from the Plurenden Partnership. Stronger types generally £40-£60, smaller calves lacking flesh still discounted with £5- £20 their level.

Bull Calves

British Blue cross – 5 – Ave £233 – Top £310 – W G & T A Manford
Limousin cross – 1 – Ave £100 – Top £100 – Plurenden Ptnsp
Beef Shorthorn cross – 2 – Ave £127.50 – Top £150 – M Elphick
Aberdeen Angus cross – 4 – Ave £151.25 – Top £260 – J Warnock & Sons
Hereford cross – 4 – Ave £61.25 – Top £115 – Goddard & Son

Heifer Calves

British Blue cross – 5 – Ave £131 – Top £160 – J Warnock & Sons
Beef Shorthorn cross – 1 – Ave £130 – Top £130 – M Elphick
Hereford cross – 5 – Ave £102 – Top £165 – Goddard & Son

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 21st February 2023

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here