Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 19th September 2023

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

New Season Lambs – 1,060

Top price per kg: 290p – Mrs C Cox
Top price per head: £145 – Miss A Hedges

A few more on offer this week but trade overall just a little flat in general, purely based on the number on offer and also the number of lean lambs in the pens, which was not the case last week. This factor dismisses the accuracy of the averages and as you can see from the top prices that the best finished and heavier sorts are still very well sold upwards of £125 head, to a top price of £145 from Miss Amy Hedges. At this time of year, it is important to let us know of the numbers of lambs you plan to send to market so we can keep buyers informed.

37kg – £105.00 (284p/kg) – G H Dean & Co
38kg – £100.00 (263p/kg) – D Thompson
39kg – £105.50 (271p/kg) – P Ashlee
40kg – £116.00 (290p/kg) – Mrs C Cox
41kg – £114.00 (278p/kg) – N C & C G Hedges
42kg – £121.50 (289p/kg) – C A Worley Farming Ltd
43kg – £123.50 (287p/kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
44kg – £125.50 (285p/kg) – C A Worley Farming Ltd
45kg – £128.00 (284p/kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
46kg – £124.00 (270p/kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
47kg – £127.00 (270p/kg) – Miss J Davies
48kg – £129.00 (269p/kg) – N C & C G Hedges
49kg – £131.00 (267p/kg) – J Saunders
50kg – £134.00 (268p/kg) – P & A Love Ltd
51kg – £134.00 (263p/kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
52kg – £125.00 (240p/kg) – C Ballard
54kg – £145.00 (269p/kg) – Miss A Hedges

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 226 – Top 286, Average 240.6
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 493 – Top 290, Average 246.5
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 262 – Top 284, Average 258.2
Other 52.1+ kgs – 18 – Top 269, Average 244.9

Cull Sheep – 819 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewe: Top £125 – D J Morphett, Average £66.98

A large entry of predominantly grazing ewes were bought to farm on, with very few well fleshed ewes in the pens. The best ewes generally £90 – £110 to a top price of £125 for Charollais ewes from D J Morphett. Medium sorts regularly £65 – £85 with leaner grazing types £40 – £70 throughout with very few sold below these figures. Trade, nationally, has eased off slightly over the past few weeks as numbers coming forward increases seasonally but still remains at a fair level throughout.

Top prices included

Charollais to £125 – D J Morphett, Texel cross to £110 – Eastlands Farm, Beltex to £100 – Miss J Davies, Suffolk cross to £97 – A & H Edmonds, Mules to £80 – M Godden, Romney to £88 – Porchester Farms

 

Store & Breeding Sheep – Friday 15th September – 6,631 Sold

Auctioneers: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901, John Rossiter 07557 392903 & James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

The big entry attracted the buyers from the West Country and Wales, and trade held well at recent levels. The best Crossbred stores sold readily at £90 plus and although a pen of meat lambs topped the market at £105 from J L Hall stores peaked at £99 for a pen of outstanding Charollais cross from Matthew Wickens. Medium stores £83 to £90 and small long keeping stores mainly £75 to £82.
An increased number of Romney wethers sold well with the best £85 plus and up to £95 with a large percentage of smaller long keeping lambs generally £55 to £75.

Principal prices include:

Charollais cross – £105.00 – J L Hall
Charollais cross – £99.00 – M Wickens
Charollais cross – £96.00 – Bocketts Farm Ltd
Charollais cross – £95.00 – E & M E Brundrett
Texel cross – £98.50 – G Lawrence & Son
Texel cross – £97.00 – North Frith Farm
Texel cross – £94.50 – S W Mount & Sons
Texel cross – £92.50 – Maytham Wharf Farm
Beltex cross – £95.00 – S Weeks & Sons
Beltex cross – £92.00 – R George
Bleu du Maine cross – £94.00 – A J Budd
Suffolk x Mule – £96.50 – W J Hurley
Suffolk x Mule – £95.50 – A J Budd
Suffolk x Mule – £94.00 – S C Gammon
Suffolk x Mule – £93.00 – D Howard Farms
Suffolk x Mule – £91.00 – E W & R E Hanks
Suffolk x Romney – £92.50 – West Court Farm
Suffolk x Romney – £85.50 – S G & G T Orpin
Romney wether – £95.00 – A J Thompson & Sons
Romney wether – £88.50 – J Saunders & Son

Average Prices 

Charollais cross – 1,121 sold – Top £105.00 – Ave £86.50
Suffolk cross – 1,694 sold – Top £96.50 – Ave £82.50
Texel cross – 1,540 sold – Top £98.50 – Ave £83.50
Crossbred – 487 sold – Top £90.00 – Ave £82.60
Romney wether – 1,439 sold – Top £95.00 – Ave £72.60
Breeding sheep – 288 sold – Top £110.00 – Ave £76.00

Breeding Sheep

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Top Price: £110 From R W & P A Jury                 Ave. £76

A selection of mainly older breeding ewes were sold today with majority being a flock dispersal on behalf of R W & P A Jury. Top price on the day was £110 from R W & P A Jury for Romneys followed by R H Baker & Son with Romneys sold to £100. There is a large number of both Breeding tegs and ewes expected for 22^nd September so keep your eyes peeled online for catalogues and more information.

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  52 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Another good entry of finished cattle with a predominance of steers while top grade heifers were in short supply. A fine run of Limousin cross steers from A J Thompson & Sons took the pick of the trade at 260p plus and grossing mainly over £1725, and up to £1911.
Well fleshed dairy bred looked well sold on the week at 250p plus with Limousin x Friesian steer to £1513 (266p) and Hereford x Friesian steer £1453 (249p) from A J Down.
An improved show of native bred cattle with the highlight including a lightweight White Park cross heifer looking well sold at £1442 (292p) from R F & E A Simmons, Sussex steer £1479 (241p) from W S Furnival Ltd. A strong run of Aberdeen Angus steers 260p plus and grossing up to £1881 (260p) and up to 277p £1783 from A C Hulme & Sons.
Two strongly muscled British Blue bulls well sold to 326p £1758

Top Steers

A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 293p/kg (£1652)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 288p/kg (£1911)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 285p/kg (£1806)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 282p/kg (£1737)
A C Hulme & Sons – Aberdeen Angus cross – 277pkg (£1783)

Top Heifers

R F & E A Simmons – White Park cross – 292p/kg – (£1442)
D J Miles – Limousin cross – 261p/kg – (£1133)
W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 260p/kg – (£1634)

Average Prices

Steers up to 650kg – 26 sold – Top 293p – Ave 259p
Steers over 651kg – 11 sold – Top 288p – Ave 258p
Heifers up to 500kg – 10 sold – Top 292p – Ave 225p
Heifers over 501kg – 3 sold – Top 260p – Ave 250p
Bulls – 2 sold – Top 326p – Ave 315p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 69 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A tremendous entry with a trade to match with all grades of beef and dairy cows, and overage cattle in demand and moving forward in price.
Nothing outstandingly smart on offer but strong fleshed commercial, fed, beef cows to 213p, £1636 from A J Thompson & Sons with plenty of good cows 170-190p kg. Feeders in demand but in short supply.
Angus cross 213p, 193p, £1636, £1242 A J Thompson & Sons; Limousin cross 188p, 185p, £12082, £1172 G L Boulden & Sons, 182p, 177p, £1180, £1138 A J Thompson & Sons; White Park cross 188p, £1191 R F & E A Simmons; Hereford 178p, £1500 Uphill Farming; South Devon 190p, 188p, 177p, 176p £1402, £1280, £1256, £1211 S M Scott; Blonde 180p, £1319 G L Boulden & Sons.
A few better fleshed housed cows, but the majority leaner steakers straight from grazing. Trade strengthening with strong competition for all grades. Better meat cows 160-175p whilst plain cows look well sold at 135-155p. Holstein Friesian cows 174p, 170p, 169p, 167p, 163p (2), £1626, £1515, £1414, £1387, £1365, £1356 Appleton Farms, 164p, £1104 M S Clifford-Baynes, 163p, £1227 Huddlestone Farmers.
Overage (16) A very strong trade for some nice quality. Smart OTM Sussex steers 258p, 253p, 242p, £1455, £1389, £1326 D A Innes. Fleshed Holstein OTM steers 197-225p, £1425 – £1588 E T Ledger & Son Ltd; Feeding OTM Angus heifers and Friesian steers 180-220p kg.
Stock bulls (2) Wanted! Two good bulls forward and well sold. Limousin 165p, £1423, Sussex 153p, £1563.

Beef Cows – 26 Sold – Top 213, Average 173.4
Dairy Cows –26 Sold – Top 174, Average 144.6

 

Store and Finished Pigs – 24 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Finished (16) – An absolutely phenomenal trade for all weights and grades today with records smashed here at Ashford.
Porkers to 188p or £150.40 from Miss J Judge averaging 171p or £136.96. Cutting pigs, a sensational trade with tops of 308p or £277.20 again from Miss J Judge, with averages of 277.63p or £247.09! Bacon pigs to 222p or £255.30 from Homewood School. Heavy pigs well enough sold with tops of 150p or £195 from Homewood School averaging 117.59p or £162.28.
Cull (8) – Much more spark in the sow trade today with a decent entry to match. Trade topped at 71p from Miss Judge, and £190.50 from K & P M Sinden & Sons with averages of 61p or £165.89 in the lump. 

A polite request to all vendors to please pre enter all pigs on the Monday morning prior to a pig sale. This is to help us to help you by ensuring that buyers are kept up to date with entries.

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 26th September 2023

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here