Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 17th March 2026

Sheep Sales Reports

Finished Hoggets – 2,467 sold.

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per kilo – 455p – T Lyle & Partners, Kent.
Top price per head – £228.00 – N A Balcomb & Son, Kent.

It felt like we had gone back in time to the days when big numbers of finished sheep were the norm, with a total finished section of just under 2,500 penned The biggest difference to those old days being the price, which nearly blew the roof off today!!
Prices have been on fire for a couple of weeks now and it felt like we threw some petrol on the those flames with another 15p kg rise on the week, and a huge lift in the price of the heavy hoggets with an amazing 44 lots of hoggets selling in excess of £200 head. The trade has returned to the highs we saw 2 years ago due to a high demand for the end of Ramadan festivities and an overall lack of numbers across the country. There are some big numbers on sale in a small number of markets, but the smaller centres are now seeing a severe drop in numbers. The loud sighs of relief coming from the store lamb finishers can be heard all over the South East, the West Country and East Anglia.
So many top runs and names to mention this week, but top honours went to N A Balcomb & Son at £228, with the full family in attendance to witness the spectacle.  Other superb Charollais hoggets from B J Baker, Battle selling to £225 and averaging £221 for his run of 40 head. Other names well over the £200 mark include James Wayman, R L Goodman & Son, W Pynn Contractors Ltd, St Nicholas Court Farms Ltd, Oliver Tilley and Jamie Watt to name just a few. In price per kilo, for the smartest sheep on offer, top was taken by T Lyle & Partners with some superb Beltex crosses at 455p kg which grossed £214 head, with C B Hope in second place at 442p kg.

Finished Hoggets

32 – £138.00 (431p kg) – Langdon Farms
33 – £139.00 (421p kg) – Miss Ruby Bristow
34 – £130.00 (382p kg) – J Heathcote
35 – £150.00 (429p kg) – R L Pack
36 – £154.00 (428p kg) – A J Strand & Sons
37 – £156.00 (422p kg) – B Perkins
38 – £168.00 (442p kg) – C B Hope
39 – £168.00 (431p kg) – P Ashlee
40 – £169.00 (423p kg) – C B Hope
41 – £177.00 (432p kg) – P Ashlee
42 – £183.00 (436p kg) – R L Pack
43 – £184.00 (428p kg) – R L Pack
44 – £189.00 (430p kg) – T Lyle & Partners
45 – £194.00 (431p kg) – St. Nicholas Court Farms Ltd
46 – £197.00 (428p kg) – W Mandry Ltd
47 – £214.00 (455p kg) – T Lyle & Partners
48 – £205.00 (427p kg) – W Pynn Contractors Ltd
49 – £212.00 (433p kg) – T Lyle & Partners
50 – £208.00 (416p kg) – St. Nicholas Court Farms Ltd
50 – £208.00 (416p kg) – W Pynn Contractors Ltd
51 – £193.00 (378p kg) – J Wayman
52 – £210.00 (404p kg) – St. Nicholas Court Farms Ltd
53 – £215.00 (406p kg) – O Tilley
54 – £199.00 (369p kg) – R F & E A Simmons
55 – £210.00 (382p kg) – St. Nicholas Court Farms Ltd
56 – £211.00 (377p kg) – J Wayman
57 – £208.00 (365p kg) – N A Balcomb & Son
58 – £220.00 (379p kg) – B J Baker
59 – £219.00 (371p kg) – B J Baker
60 – £225.00 (375p kg) – B J Baker
62 – £216.00 (348p kg) – J Watt
64 – £228.00 (356p kg) – N A Balcomb & Son
67 – £222.00 (331p kg) – N A Balcomb & Son
68 – £213.00 (313p kg) – R F & E A Simmons

Averages (p/kg)

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 207 – Top 442, Ave. 405.8
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 790 – Top 436, Ave. 392.2
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 1013 – Top 455, Ave. 391.7
Over 52.1 kg + – 450 – Top 406, Ave. 357.9

Store Hoggets  320 – Sold

Auctioneers: John Rossiter 07557 392903.

Top price per head: £169.00 – P Tampin, Kent.

Obviously, an out and out flying trade for all on offer following the finished trade but nowhere near enough to satisfy the demand that was present and prices hitting wild levels and topping at £169 head for genuine stores, which were not sent to slaughter, as is so often mis-reported in other centres. Plenty of pens over £140 head, and even over £150 on many occasions.

Cull Sheep – 267 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

Top price ewes: £238.00 – B J Baker, East Sussex. – Ave. £153.50

Less numbers forward as is to be expected this time of year with a large percentage already sold and lambing now well underway for many.
The best regularly £150 – £180 and to a top price of £238 from B J Baker for super Charollais and £229 for Blue Face Leicester ewes from the same home. Medium sorts £120 – £150 on most occasion with these in the highest of demands. Leaner grazing types barely present in the pens and £80 – £110 throughout, with only 13 sheep sold under £110 on the day.
More ewes in the pens would be of no concern with buyers present for all grades so do not hesitate to get in touch if you have ewes to sell.

Top prices included:

Charollais to £238 – B J Baker, Blue Faced Leicester to £229 – B J Baker, Beltex to £210 – N A Balcomb & Son, Texel to £200 – T Lyle & Partners, Suffolk cross to £196 – J Wayman, Mules to £177 – D Howard Farms Ltd, Romneys to £170 – N A Balcomb & Son, Southdown to £169 – J Heathcote.

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 Reports

Finished Cattle –  31 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357.

Less UTM finished cattle but balanced with a strong offering of flesh and weight in the overage section. Trade remains very similar to recent weeks with the sharp bite of the Autumn still missing. Supermarkets and their large processors continuing to try and drag prices down but the open market, with tight supply still a major factor, prevents any major change. Easter ought to help and the dramatic lift in sheep prices goes to show what can happen when concern exists over sufficient supply.
No showstoppers this week but again quality fleshed beef bred types 370-385p topping with British Blue heifers from Birt Bros at 386p, £2332, the steers led by Blondes from G L Boulden & Sons at 371p, £2408.
Alan Down`s Limousin x Friesian steers to 363p, £2377, consistently 355-360p whilst strong Angus x Friesian heifers from B G & M A Tomsett to 332p, £2486. Angus x Jersey steers to 300p, £1902 from S E Lane & Partners showing what can be done with good management and good food. A little harder for those lacking shape behind or carrying a bit too much in the middle.
Leggat Farming sold Angus steers to 365p, £2424; Birt Bros Angus heifers to 368p, £2407.

Leading steer prices

G L Boulden & Sons – Blonde D’Aquitaine cross – 371p (£2408)
Birt Bros – British Blue cross – 367p (£2694)
Leggat Farming Ltd – Aberdeen Angus cross – 365p (£2424)
W S Furnival Ltd – Limousin cross – 363p (£2538)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 363p (£2211)

Leading heifer prices       

Birt Bros – British Blue cross – 386p (£2332)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 382p (£2194)
Birt Bros – Limousin cross – 381p (£2416)
Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 378p (£2416)
Birt Bros – Aberdeen Angus cross – 368p (£2407)

Average prices

Steers 200 to 550 kg – 2 – Top 358p – Ave. 347p
Steers 551 to 650 kg – 12 – Top 371p – Ave. 349p
Steers 651 kg + – 9 – Top 367p – Ave. 353p
Heifers 501 to 590 kg – 2 – Top 382p – Ave. 352p
Heifers 591 kg + – 6 – Top 386p – Ave. 355p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 49 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357.

A day with nearly as many overage clean beef as cull cows and bulls. Cow numbers are certain to tighten even more as calving is well underway and the first cattle are going out on to drier ground. Trade again excellent for a not very polished offering with meat in short supply and plenty of age amongst the cows. Keep seeking out those not pulling their weight or getting in the way at this busy time.
Good feeders remain well over 300p topping with well-shaped Blue cows from Messrs Gardners at 330p, £2389. With no beef cows under 240p, and several over 15 years old, it is clear that trade is strong.
British Blue 330p, 289p, £2389, £2005 Gardners, 270p, £1577 D G & J W Gore; Limousin 308p, £2076 J D Hickman; Simmental 310p, £1934 E Chantler & Son, 272p, £1466 R Martin; Sussex 297p, £2120 K & P M Sinden, 280p, 262p, £1634, £1551 D G & J W Gore, 278p, £2220 J D Hickman, 257p, £1937 A Welsh; Angus 297p, 279p, 265p, £2066, £1944 A C Hulme & Sons; South Devon 269p, £1893 Gardners.
Just a few dairy culls but a marvellous trade. Holstein Friesian to 253p, £2045 J W Boyd & Sons with Friesians from R & J Ledger to 249p and 245p, £1789, £1700. Lighter weight Jersey cows just under 200p but selling up close to £1000.
Stock Bulls (4) Good fleshed heavyweight bulls forward and selling very well indeed. Limousin 297p, £3380; Angus 248p, 241p, £2908, £2573; Sussex 216p, £2511.
Overage (23) A larger show of overage with a wide range of ages and qualities on offer. Trade, as with the prime beef, remaining consistent with a slightly cheaper commodity finding plenty of customers.
Limousin OTM steer 370p, £2051, OTM heifers 379p, 350p, £2027 R F & E A Simmons; Angus x Holstein OTM steers 324p, 310p, £2523 E & J A Maylam; Black & White OTM heifers 299p, 296p, £1743, £1701 D Murdoch & Sons; Longhorn OTM steer 305p, £2071 Charrington Farms; 3+ Black & White steers 288p, 283p, 280p, £2076, £2056, £2043 R Scott; 3+ Hereford heifer 288p, £2372 A J Bray; Wagyu 5+ steers 277p, 268p, £2087 Charrington Farms; OTM Angus feeding heifers 290-330p £1806; OTM Sussex feeding heifers 302p, 290p, £1628.

Beef Cows – 16 Sold – Top 330, Average 281.7
Dairy Cows – 6 Sold – Top 253, Average 219.8

Calves – 26 Sold

Auctioneers: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357 & Tristan Howell 01223 502222.

A new face welcomed on the rostrum this week to share in selling a small but good quality entry.
Perhaps a slight reduction in faces around the ring as lambing gets under way but the trade remained unaffected and determined with a good standard quality of calves on offer. J W Boyd & Sons regular consignment of good, strong calves topping the sale at £555 for a shapely British Blue cross bull calf with their other just behind at £550. Their British Blue heifer calves selling to £495 and their Aberdeen Angus heifer presented at £290. Hickson Bros’ Jersey x British Blue bulls at £220 and £180 with their British Blue cross heifer standing at £205, and Wagyu heifer crosses from the same home to £225. Aberdeen Angus cross calves from J Warnock & Sons to £425 for the bulls and £280 for the heifers. Aberdeen Angus cross calves from P J Forknall saw the top Angus price of £475 for a sprightly bull calf, alongside £320 for a slightly older heifer on the day. Averaging well was Parrett & Son of Hollingbourne to close the sale with their Aberdeen Angus cross calves to £400 for the bulls, £345 for an older heifer and £350 for a strong Black & White calf.

Bull Calves
British Blue cross – 3 – Ave. £441.67 – Top £555.00 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd.
Aberdeen Angus cross – 6 – Ave. £395.83 – Top £475.00 – P J Forknall.
British Friesian – 1 – Ave. £350.00 – Top £350.00 – Parrett & Son. Wagyu cross – 1 – Ave. £225.00 – Top £225.00 – Hickson Bros
Heifer Calves
British Blue cross – 5 – Ave. £365.00 – Top £495.00 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd.
Aberdeen Angus cross – 8 – Ave. £261.88 – Top £345.00 – Parrett & Son.
Wagyu cross – 2 – Ave. £160.00 – Top £170.00 – Hickson Bros.

Ear Tags

Producers are reminded that all cattle require two ear tags with at least one large distance readable tag. Please inspect stock in good time to order replacement tags as, regrettably, any stock that are incorrectly tagged may not be offered for sale. Local authority inspectors will be taking note as stock comes to market.

 

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