Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 20th May 2025

Sheep Sales Reports

New Season Lambs –658 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per kilo – 391p kg – Mr C Field, East Sussex.
Top price per head – £155.00 – M J Ashworth, Kent.

More lambs on offer this week and, inevitably, this is the same all around the country, which made maintaining last week’s prices very difficult. However, the averages today in Ashford do look very favourable in comparison to other centres, with the overall average 323p kg, down on last week but still acceptable on the trade. Lighter lambs are coming out now off grass systems which will certainly increase numbers on offer but this maybe short lived this season unless we get the rain that we so desperately need. Some very light lambs topped the charts from Mr C. Field at 391p/kg and top price in the lump was taken by M J Ashworth at £155 head.

30 – £116.00 (387p kg) – C Field
32 – £125.00 (391p kg) – C Field
34 – £119.00 (350p kg) – Messrs P H Hope
35 – £113.00 (323p kg) – Messrs P H Hope
36 – £124.00 (344p kg) – S W Batch
37 – £122.00 (330p kg) – Messrs P H Hope
38 – £140.00 (368p kg) – C Field
39 – £128.00 (328p kg) – Luandy Farming Ltd
40 – £130.00 (325p kg) – M J Ashworth
41 – £131.50 (321p kg) – M J Ashworth
42 – £136.50 (325p kg) – M J Ashworth
43 – £144.00 (335p kg) – M J Ashworth
44 – £144.00 (327p kg) – S W Mount & Sons Ltd
45 – £131.00 (291p kg) – S Wimble
46 – £144.00 (313p kg) – A J Down
47 – £155.00 (330p kg) – M J Ashworth
48 – £138.00 (228p kg) – P & E Anreozzi
49 – £139.00 (284p kg) – S Pierson

Averages (p/kg) 

Light 25.6 to 3.2 kgs – 21 – Top 387, Ave. 387.0
Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 200 – Top 391, Ave. 332.0
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 313 Top 335, Ave.314.8
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 124 – Top 330, Ave. 301.5

Finished Hoggets – 1,257 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per kilo – 332p kg – C Higgins, Kent.
Top price per head – £174.00 – J Smith, East Sussex.

Still a good few on offer in the hogget section despite getting quite late into the season with all sorts of quality, shapes, and sizes in the pens. Several sheep also with erupted teeth in the entry which do decrease averages but most of these are changing hands at £110-£140, a reduction of about £20 head. The weight keeps on growing each week with the top of the heavies now breaking £200 for the first time in a while to a top price of £213 from Mr J Smith. Out of 1,250 hoggets this week, only 260 of them weighed less than 46 kg which will push purchasers of the smaller carcase types to the new season types instead.

38 – £126.00 (332p kg) – C Higgins
39 – £100.00 (256p kg) – Langdon Farm
40 – £95.00 (238p kg) – A J Thompson & Sons
41 – £122.00 (298p kg) – R Douglas
42 – £116.00 (276p kg) – J & P Carr (Farms) Ltd
43 – £134.00 (312p kg) – J Watt
44 – £144.00 (327p kg) – Dan Mackelden Ltd
45 – £130.00 (289p kg) – K & P M Sinden & Sons
46 – £146.00 (317p kg) – S J Reeve & Son
47 – £132.00 (281p kg) – K Loveridge
48 – £143.00 (298p kg) – R Douglas
49 – £141.00 (288p kg) – K Loveridge
50 – £158.00 (316p kg) – S J Reeve & Son
51 – £155.00 (304p kg) – S J Reeve & Son
52 – £135.00 (260p kg) – S J Reeve & Son
53 – £152.00 (287p kg) – A C Ellett
54 – £139.00 (257p kg) – K Loveridge
55 – £158.00 (287p kg) – S J Reeve & Son
56 – £142.00 (254p kg) – R Douglas
57 – £150.00 (263p kg) – J Hooker & Son
58 – £150.00 (259p kg) – R H Smith & Partners
59 – £141.00 (239p kg) – R Douglas
60 – £155.00 (258p kg) – J Hooker & Son
61 – £165.00 (270.p kg) – J Smith
62 – £150.00 (242p kg) – R L Goodman & Son
63 – £133.00 (211p kg) – C Watkins
64 – £158.00 (247p kg) – R L Goodman & Son
74 – £174.00 (235p kg) – R H Smith & Partners
78 – £213.00 (273p kg) – J Smith

Averages (p/kg)

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 46 – Top 332.0 – Ave. 291.2
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 260 – Top 327.0 – Ave. 268.5
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 553   – Top 317.0 – Ave. 272.6
Others over 52.1 kgs – 261 – Top 287.0 – Ave. 247.9

Ewes & Lambs –  56 Sold

Auctioneer James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678.

Just a few pens of couples on offer which were older short term ewes with Texel lambs topping at £160 per outfit and £75 per life from P J & P B Wade. The lack of grass is creating a resistance in the trade for the couples however the right types remain well sold.

Cull Sheep – 654 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

Top price ewe: £210.00 – J Hooker & Son, Kent. – Ave. £144.96

A good show with the increased numbers in the pens having no effect on the trade at all. The best fleshed ewes were plentiful and regularly £150 – £180 topping at £210 per head from J Hooker & Son for strong Texel cross ewes. Medium sorts generally £110 – £140 with the leaner grazing types scarce and £70 – £100 throughout. Only a very few sold below these figures. Take advantage of this current trade with buyers present every week for all grades of ewes and the upcoming festival Eid al-Adha fast approaching.

Top prices included:

Texel cross to £210 – J Hooker & Son, Charollais to £208 – M & K Butchers, Crossbred to £196 – P Ashlee, Suffolk cross to £194 – H & J Noakes, Mules to £190 – C Watkins, Romneys to £181 – I Strang.

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

Decent numbers and a decent trade with rates very similar to recent weeks, and a little higher in the averages reflecting some very good quality on offer.
Some outstanding heifers today with Colin Leggat taking top place with Limousin to 432p, 414p, 407p, £2564, closely followed by Lawrence Smith at 420p, 409p, £2594 and Colin Watkins at 404p, £2784. Smart Limousin x steers from Dan Mackelden to 387p, £2609.
Dairy bred saw Alan Down`s Limousin to 380p, £2291, Dairy Shorthorn x to 356p, £2133 and British Friesian to 342p, £2133. British Friesian heifers to 330p, £2059 from Tom Castle. Angus x Jersey steers to 335p, £2358 S E Lane & Ptnrs.
Some very good Sussex again forward. Steers to 387p, £2469 W S Furnival, 379p, £2073 J Taylor; heifers to 373p, £2012 W S Furnival.
A good Limousin x Friesian young bull at 381p, £2264 from A J Down.

Leading steer prices

Top Steers

Dan Mackelden Ltd – Limousin cross – 387p (£2609)
W S Furnival Ltd – Sussex cross – 387p (£2377)
Dan Mackelden Ltd – Charolais cross – 382p (£2594)
W S Furnival Ltd – Sussex – 380p (£2353)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 380p (£2239)

Top Heifers

Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 432p (£2416)
L Smith – Limousin cross – 420p (£2559)
Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 414p (£2564)
L Smith – Limousin cross – 409p (£2594)
Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 407p (£2378)

Average prices

Steers 200 to 550 kg – 5 – Top 379p – Ave. 364p
Steers 551 to 650 kg – 18 – Top 387p – Ave. 362p
Steers 651 kg + – 9 – Top 387p – Ave. 369p
Heifers 300 to 500 kg – 3 – Top 432p – Ave. 404p
Heifers 501 to 590 kg – 10 – Top 420p – Ave. 383p
Heifers 591 kg + – 1 – Top 381p – Ave. 381p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 67 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Excellent numbers for the time of year and rates holding very strong indeed. Buyers for feeders and grazers, as well as the meat men remaining full of confidence. Best young meat cows selling to prime levels with 372p for an Angus x from Campbell Bros, Sevenoaks while tremendous British Blue x cows from Colin Watkins, Wadhurst sold to £2406.
Angus x 372p, 336p, £1950, £1929 Campbell Bros, 298p, £2023 T Lyle & Ptnrs, 294p, £1834 B G & M A Tomsett; British Blue x 332p, 313p, £2406, £2387 C Watkins, 283p, 276p, 275p, £1653, £1592 T Lyle & Ptnrs; Simmental x 322p, 294p, 270p, £2341, £1994, £1720 Betchworth Estate; Sussex 304p, 294p, 286p, 280p, £2033, £1957, £1927, £1864 J C & C Lewis, 283p, £1907 Torry Hill Farms; Limousin x 279p, £1810 A Boyd & Co, 278p, £1568 G F Hawkins; White Park 180p (2), 170p, £808, £780.
Strong trade for all grades from the dairy sector with quality heavy British Friesian from Tom Castle to 282p, £2059.
British Friesian 282p, 281p, 275p, 274p, 271p, £2059, £2048, £1987, £1872, £1805 Debden Court; Holstein Friesian maiden heifer 322p W F Farms; Holstein Friesian cows 235p, £1501 J W Boyd & Sons; Jersey 200p, 194p, 188p, £1067, £947, £929 Hickson Bros.
Stock Bulls (3) Fleshed bulls a terrific trade. Longhorn 264p, £2477; Angus 240p, £2934; Sussex 172p, £1741.
Overage (9) Mostly leaner feeding types this week with Angus x Friesian OTM heifers to 330p, £1598 and Sussex 3+ heifers to 326p, £1693.

Beef Cows – 39 Sold – Top 372, Average 263.5
Dairy Cows – 16 Sold – Top 322, Average 244.8

 

Store & Breeding Cattle – 158 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

A larger show than anticipated with a high percentage of the cattle penned longer term grazing types as opposed to short-term feeding types. Grass is looking short and although rain is forecast this has caused a very slight negative impact on grazing stock. However, the beef trade remains at a good enough level to overcome this worry.
Traditional Hereford steers 12 mths from Great Malgraves Farm to £1040 followed by a run from M E Wrout with Blue x Friesian steers 11 mths to £1260 and Blue x Friesian heifers 10 mths to £1090. Stronger cattle from B Foy Ltd topped at £1920 for 30 mths Blue x Friesian steers while 18 mths Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers 18 mths topped at £1820 and the heifers £1850. Smart Sussex heifers 12 mths to £1400 from L Stevens & Sons and well put together Limousin x steers 14 mths to £1490 from T Martin. Late cut red poll steers 10 mths from R Moxon looked well sold to £1000 and White Park steers 46 mths from Dr A Martin to £1180. Price & Shelbourne saw a pair of sharp 24 mth Limousin heifers to £1730. Strong Aberdeen Angus steers 20 mths from G Stokes to £2070.
Please do inform us of any store or breeding cattle you intend on selling in the coming weeks in order for us to inform potential buyers.

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.

Store & Finished Pigs 23 – Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

A better show forward with smart pigs from P J & P B Wade to 180p pk (twice) and topping at £157.50 per head. Top call went to Brooker & Son with 110 kg white pigs to £190 per head and 79 kg gilts from C K Guest to £135 per head and 170p pk. Please do inform me of any pigs that you intend on selling in the next sale on Tuesday 3^rd June with better breeding and 80 – 100 kg coming to the best money.

 

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 27th May 2025

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here