Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 20th June 2023

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

New Season Lambs – 1,781

Top price per kg: 354p – G H Dean & Co
Top price per head: £161 – M J Ashworth

A good entry of 1,800 lambs this week with some bigger runs from the more “intensive” finishers in the area, providing a superb show of quality lambs, which were certainly freshened up a little by the weekend rain. Trade has eased a little around the country with many centres now returning averages under £3 kg, but not in Ashford with a return of 303p kg this week to justify the long journeys many of our vendors undertake to support us. Tremendous quality runs of sheep this week from M J Ashworth, T Masters, G H Dean & Co, C & J Georgetti & Sons, D Isaac & H Chandler to name just a few with top spots taken by M J Ashworth and G H Dean at £161 head and 354p kg. Next week’s Muslim festival will hopefully maintain this demand but please do let us know what numbers you wish to send so we can be in communication with our buyers.

35kg – £123.00 (351p/kg) – Eastlands Farm
36kg – £105.00 (292p/kg) – S W Mount & Sons Ltd
37kg – £122.00 (330p/kg) – Eastlands Farm
38kg – £130.50 (343p/kg) – G H Dean & Co
39kg – £138.00 (354p/kg) – G H Dean & Co
40kg – £128.00 (320p/kg) – D Isaac & H Chandler
41kg – £143.00 (349p/kg) – D Isaac & H Chandler
42kg – £140.00 (333p/kg) – Miss Georgia Jackson
43kg – £145.00 (337p/kg) – H V Link Partners
44kg – £148.00 (336p/kg) – Mrs Katie Tucker
45kg – £143.50 (319p/kg) – T Masters
46kg – £153.00 (333p/kg) – M J Ashworth
47kg – £150.00 (319p/kg) – M J Ashworth
48kg – £158.00 (329p/kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
49kg – £155.00 (316p/kg) – M J Ashworth
50kg – £155.00 (310p/kg) – T Masters
52kg – £160.00 (308p/kg) – T Masters
53kg – £161.00 (304p/kg) – M J Ashworth
54kg – £147.00 (272p/kg) – D J Morphett

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 353 – Top 351, Average 292.4
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 1062 – Top 354, Average 304.9
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 321 – Top 333, Average 306.9
Over 52.1 kgs – 45 – Top 308, Average 303.2

Finished Hoggets – 237 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Really getting down to the end of season now with all sorts on offer but in smaller numbers and in varying quality. Better sorts can still sell well provided they are good meat and have not got erupted teeth but, in June, this becomes harder to find.

Tops of 277p kg from W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm and £155 from Mr Peter Gorringe.

Cull Sheep – 479 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewe: Top £148.00 – N C & C G Hedges, Average £84.57
Ram: Top £99.00 – Ian Lockwood, Average £71.00

Another decent entry however a very mixed entry of ewes on the day with trade a little steadier throughout. The best ewes regularly £90 – £110 and to a top price of £148 from N C & C G Hedges for their superb Texel ewes. Medium sorts £70 – £90 on most occasions with leaner grazing types £40 – £60 throughout with only very few sold below these figures.

Top prices included

Texel to £148 – N C & C G Hedges, Texel cross to £147 Eastlands Farm, Charollais to £145 – N C & C G Hedges, Suffolk cross to £125 – W P New T/A Moorhouse Farm, Romney to £111 – Langdon Farms, Mules to £94 – W P New T/A Moorhouse Farm

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  59 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710803901

Despite some downward pressure on prices Nationally this was a very decent trade for an increased entry comprising a high percentage of dairy and native bred cattle.
While quality beef bred continental cross were in short supply those on offer attracted prices in excess of 280p and topping at £1525 (291p) for a smart Limousin cross heifer from W Alexander (Shoreham). In addition to top prices quoted below other cattle to gross well included a Limousin cross steer at £1838 (265p) from DW Page & Son and a Limousin cross heifer at £1758 (265p) from R F & E A Simmons.
The best dairy bred crosses attracted prices in excess of 250p notably Limousin x Friesian steers to £1607 (264p) and Hereford x Friesian steers to £1679 (255p) from Alan J Down.
A high percentage of native bred cattle on offer with top prices in excess of 260p and grossing well up to £1875 (289p) for Aberdeen Angus cross heifer from R C & J L Pickering & Sons. In addition to leading prices quoted below other favourable returns included Hereford cross steers £1645 (268p) and £1576 (270p), Hereford cross heifers £1438 (262p) and £1382 (259p) all from R C & J L Pickering & Sons.
A small selection of bulls were well received with an Aberdeen Angus bull topping the section at £1558 (256p) from B G & M A Tomsett.

Top Steers

W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 282p/kg (£1576)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 273p/kg (£1485)
R C & J L Pickering & Sons – Hereford cross – 270p/kg (£1576)
R C & J L Pickering & Sons – Hereford cross – 268pkg (£1645)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin – 265p/kg (£1758)

Top Heifers

W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 291p/kg (£1525)
R C & J L Pickering & Sons – Aberdeen Angus cross – 289p/kg – (£1875)
J Batchelor & Partners – Parthenais cross – 289pkg (£1644)
R C & J L Pickering & Sons – Aberdeen Angus cross – 283p/kg (£1624)
W G Vant & Sons – Sussex cross – 282p/kg – (£1520)

Average Prices

Steers to 550kg – 5 sold – Top 273p – Ave 254
Steers 551 to 650kg – 21 sold – Top 282p – Ave 255
Steers over 651kg – 3 sold – Top 265p – Ave 262
Heifers to 500kg – 3 sold – Top 249p – Ave 242
Heifers 501 to 590kg – 18 sold – Top 291p – Ave 263
Heifers over 591kg – 6 sold – Top 289p – Ave 267
Young bulls – 3 sold – Top 256p – Ave 248

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 62 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Strong numbers with a wide variety of qualities on offer. Trade remaining at very high levels but, as with the prime beef, just a few signs that there is a slight easing in prices perhaps driven by the major retailers looking to exert their pressure on suppliers! With numbers remaining tight nationally there is little likelihood of any major change but seasonal factors will also bring a degree of change, and summer holidays are one such occasion.
Best fleshed beef cows 220-250p; plenty of commercial meat cows around 200p; and little below 170p. Some fleshed lightweight cows sold very well in advance of the festival.
Limousin x 248p, 230p, 224p, £1535, £1469, £1363 J Berryman, 200p, £1257 (Non FA) L Smith; British Blue x 228p, 226p, £1454, £1445 J Berryman, 203p, £1367 L & L Colbourne, 204p, £1506 (Non FA) J Batchelor & Sons; Parthenais x 225p, £1313 (Non FA) J Batchelor & Sons; South Devon 202p, £1541 Horton Park, 196p, £1359 (Non FA) J Marshall; Angus x 199p, 184p, £1211, £1161 Scaynes Farm; White Park 157p, £892 M Purves; Dexter 144p, 134p, 133p, £631, £627, £517.
Contrasting qualities amongst the dairy cull with an outstanding run of British Friesians from Debden Court to 210p (8 av 195p) but the majority of Holstein Friesians coming off grass in working clothes! Still a very strong trade.
British Friesian 210p, 200p, 195p, 193p, 192p, £1381, £1328, £1301, £1254, £1247; Holstein Friesian 187p, 179p, £1392, £1195, J E Scutt & Sons;178p, £1260 PJ Forknall.
Stock Bulls (4) good bulls, good trade. Angus 182p, £1152; Angus 143p, £1796; Limousin 141p, £1602; Hereford 137p £1037.
Overage (17) A good show in our successful ‘misfit’ section under the stairs! Holstein OTM steers 232p, 229p, 224p £1655, £1588, £1430; Guernsey OTM steer 214p, £1238; Jersey OTM steer 208p, £851; Sussex OTM grazing heifers 230p, 228p; Hereford 3yo+ grazing steers 228p, 212p, £1121.

Beef Cows – 25 Sold – Top 225, Average 169.6
Dairy Cows – 18 Sold – Top 210, Average 174.2

Store Cattle – 92 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710803901

A good selection of stores for the time of the year comprising mainly stronger older dairy bred cattle. Trade was brisk throughout with the regular buyers at ringside competing well for all on offer.
A run of Aberdeen Angus and British Blue cross Friesian 20 mths stores were well received from M A & F W Owen with the Angus cross steers and heifers topping at £1465 & £1195, respectively, and British Blue cross steers and heifers to £1340 & £1310, respectively.
Other cattle which looked well sold included 20 mths Swedish Red and Montbeliarde steers to £1270 and Holstein Friesian steers to £950 from Burnt Oak Farm & Kennels Ltd. Smart Limousin heifers sold to £1420 from R J Husk.

 

Calves – 69 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Calves sold: 63

A better than expected entry this week with a few more numbers starting to come forward. Trade a little stickier than a fortnight ago with buyers just a touch more cautious.
Continental bulls to £170 for Blues from W G & T A Manford and £160 from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd. A wider selection of Native and Asian bred calves saw Angus topping at £215 from J E Scutt & Sons and £210 and £200 from A & W J Hitchcock. Herefords to £160 from Goddard & Son with Sussex to £150 from W G & T A Manford. The Asian contingent topped at £125 for Wagyu from J E Scutt & Sons.
Heifers, arguably, more sought after than bulls this week with tops of £250 for Blues from W G & T A Manford with younger types to £175 from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd. Angus heifers to £155 & £150 from A & W J Hitchcock with smaller Herefords and Sussex harder work hitting £55 and £92, respectively. Some of the smaller native heifers would appear value from where I was standing, perhaps worth a punt?
Dairy bulls with a better entry forward and more spark in the trade to £85 from A & W J Hitchcock. Bobbies this week £15 – £25.

Weanlings: 6
6 British Blue cross bulls 6 mths TB Low from Hickson Bros looking well sold at £400. There will be an entry of heifers from the same vendor next time out.

Bull Calves

British Blue cross – 10 – Ave £106.50 – Top £170.00 – W G & T A Manford
Wagyu cross – 5 – Ave £97.00 – Top £125.00 J E Scutt & Sons
Aberdeen Angus cross – 18 – Ave £149.72 – Top £215.00 – J E Scutt & Sons
Hereford cross – 2 – Ave £122.50 – Top £160.00 – Goddard & Son
Sussex cross – 1 Ave £150.00 – Top £150.00 – W G & T A Manford

Heifer Calves

British Blue cross – 9 – Ave £144.44 – Top £250.00 – W G & T A Manford
Aberdeen Angus cross – 7 – Ave £108.14 – Top £155.00 – A & W J Hitchcock
Hereford cross – 1 – Ave £55.00 – Top £55.00 – Goddard & Son
Sussex cross – 2 – Ave £87.00 – Top £92.00 – W G & T A Manford

Bull Weanlings

British Blue cross – 6 – Ave £400.00 – Top £400.00 – Hickson Bros

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 27th June 2023

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

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