Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 21st November 2023

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

New Season Lambs – 781 Sold

Top price per kg: 327p – T Husk
Top price per head: £160 – T Husk

Similar entry, similar strong trade. Best meat rules, consistently, with the trade really very good for all fleshed lambs We, and all others, just cannot seem to find the numbers to satisfy the demand that is present every week. Numbers are bound to start coming off drying forage crops in the coming weeks and it will test the trade, to a degree, to see if we can sustain these prices into the New Year. The best on offer today were a super run of continental crosses from Mr Tom Husk who topped both sides of the sale with £160 head and 327p kg. Others with quality on offer and selling in excess of £3 kg include H V Link Partnership, A J Skinner & Son and Mrs V Wade.

35kg – £84.00 (240p/kg) – G L Harris
36kg – £86.00 (239p/kg) – Mrs S Wilson
37kg – £90.00 (243p/kg) – P M & B J Buss
38kg – £105.00 (276p/kg) – H & J Noakes
39kg – £120.00 (308p/kg) – Mrs V Wade
40kg – £125.00 (313p/kg) – T Husk
41kg – £124.00 (302p/kg) – P N & C Burden
42kg – £134.00 (319p/kg) – A J Skinner & Son
43kg – £140.00 (326p/kg) – T Husk
44kg – £133.50 (303p/kg) – T Husk
45kg – £135.00 (300p/kg) – Mrs V Wade
46kg – £139.50 (303p/kg) – T Husk
47kg – £128.00 (272p/kg) – W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm
48kg – £155.00 (323p/kg) – T Husk
49kg – £160.00 (327p/kg) – T Husk
50kg – £150.00 (300p/kg) – H V Link Partnership
52kg – £125.00 (240p/kg) – J Farrant
53kg – £156.00 (294p/kg) – H V Link Partnership
54kg – £132.00 (244p/kg) – P N & C Burden
60kg – £145.00 (242/kg) – T J Bignell

Averages (p/kg)

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 58 – Top 276, Average 237.2
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 456 – Top 326, Average 273.9
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 207 – Top 327, Average 273.7
Other 52.1+ kgs – 24 – Top 294, Average 253.1

Cull Sheep – 312 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewe: Top £128.00 – N A Balcomb & Son – Ave £72.37

A stronger trade for those better fleshed ewes with a few more on offer on the day. The best ewes regularly £90 – £110 to a top price of £128 for Beltex cross ewes from N A Balcomb & Son. Medium sorts £65 – £80 on most occasions with leaner grazing types £40 – £60 throughout. The leaner grazing types look to be slowly getting fewer every week with the prospect of more better fleshed ewes expected over the coming weeks. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any large consignments of ewes to sell or if you are seeking advice on the current trade.

Top prices included

Beltex cross to £128 – N A Balcomb & Son, Texel cross to £120 – P N & C Burden, Suffolk to £117 – N A Balcomb & Son, Suffolk cross to £114 – P N & C Burden, Charollais to £111 – N A Balcomb & Son, Romney to £103 – N A Balcomb & Son

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  34 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Reduced numbers and a fierce trade with prices again improving by some 5-10p per kg and all buyers keen in the run up to Christmas. Top Continental crosses from W Alexander (Shoreham) topped both the steer and heifer section for the third week running with a run of cattle from R C & J L Pickering also ringing the bell!
The weekly consignment of Limousin x Friesian steers from A J Down attracted prices in excess of 250p with the best £1778 (268p) and £1718 (269p) and a Hereford x Friesian steer looking very well sold at £1605 (268p).
Purebred Sussex took the top price in the native breeds notably steers £1467 (269p) and £1403 (273p) from A H Hoad & Son and heifer £1377 (268p) from W S Furnival.

Top Steers

W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 293p/kg (£1842)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 291p/kg (£1917)
R C & J L Pickering – Limousin cross – 280p/kg (£1844)
R C & J L Pickering – Limousin cross – 274p/kg (£1750)
A H Hoad & Son – Sussex – 273pkg (£1403)

Top Heifers

W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 307p/kg (£1731)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 270p/kg (£1307)
W S Furnival – Sussex – 268p/kg (£1377)
F Pearce & Sons – Stabiliser cross – 268p/kg – (£1310)
F Pearce & Sons – Stabiliser cross – 255p/kg (£1374)

Average Prices

Steers up to 550kg – 6 sold – Top 273p – Ave 256p
Steers 551 – 650kg – 14 sold – Top 293p – Ave 264p
Steers over 651kg – 5 sold – Top 291p – Ave 267p
Heifers up to 500kg – 3 sold – Top 270p – Ave 263p
Heifers over 501kg – 4 sold – Top 307p – Ave 256p
Young bulls – 2 sold – Top 165p – Ave 158p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 118 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A large show of cattle of all shapes, sizes and ages met a decent trade at the lower rates prevailing. A strong company of buyers keener on the feeders and the best fleshed cows but remaining steady over the older plainer killing types. Competition positive throughout with no let-up in the confidence being shown for the New Year where supplies must be seen as tight.
Best young feeders still topping 200p with plenty of feeders 160-200p. Sound commercial feeders without too much age 130-160p. Meat cows with yield 150-180p but the older lesser types hard work.
Limousin x 208p, 199p, 198p, £1185, £1161, £1131 (Non FA) Mrs L Townsend, 194p, £1093 R C & J L Pickering; Charolais x 186p, 180p, 174p, 161p, £1400, £1242, £1240, £1172 Seymour Stevens Ltd; Saler x 180p, £1104 Seymour Stevens Ltd; Angus x 174p, £1414 (Non FA) R J & C M Greengrow; Beef Shorthorn x 168p, £1240 (Non FA) J B Marshall; Sussex 168p, £980 West Court Farm, 156p, £1221 (Non FA) J B Marshall, 150p, £927 A Sills; Simmental x 160p, 144p, £1205, £1053 W J Hurley; British White 153p, £946 (Non FA) Woodland Farm Trust; Hereford x 148p, £1062 J B Marshall, 145p, £1221 Mrs L Townsend.
A small show from the dairies but cows beginning to carry a little more cover. No real best heavyweights but decent cows 130-145p; plain cows look a good trade for what they are.
British Friesian 143p, 141p, 138p, 137p, £1124, £1085, £1019, £1011 G D & E E Field, 139p, 136p, £1003, £921 R & J Ledger; Holstein Friesian 139p, £935 R C & J L Pickering
Stock Bulls (2) Limousin 124p, £1013, Hereford 118p, £1152.
Overage (45) Record numbers in this section this week with an amazing variety of stock finding customers at good strong rates. Plenty of fleshed killing types remain a strong trade whilst the interest in the overage feeders for the New Year shows a great deal of confidence.
Simmental x 3+ heifer 216p, £1422; Sussex OTM steer 212p, £1407; Hereford x OTM heifer 188p, £1406; Simmental x 3+ heifer 188p, £1181; Angus x 3+ heifers 188p, 180p, £1284, £1189; Holstein UTM heifer 185p, £1107; Friesian UTM heifer 179p, £1125; British Blue 3+ steer 174p, £1379; Holstein 3+ steers 157p, 147p, 146p (2) £1222, £1164, £1099, £1064. Sussex steers 15 yr old 123p, £1127.

Beef Cows – 55 Sold – Top 208, Average 143.8
Dairy Cows –17 Sold – Top 179, Average 113.6

Store Cattle – 223 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

A very mixed quality entry of cattle and while the best attracted strong prices on a par with recent weeks, second quality and leaner sorts proved more difficult.
A quality run of 28 Limousin cross heifer youngsters sold exceptionally well up to £920 (av £822) from Messrs Gardners and smart steers of same age and breed topped at the same from R Coleman & Sons. Stronger sorts £1200 plus notably 18 mths Charolais cross steer £1340 from D T Marden and 22 mths Simmental cross steer topping the Continental section at £1390 from R & J Ledger.
In the native section the best of the youngsters ranged in the £800 to £920 bracket while stronger cattle to finish this winter £1100 to £1270.
The annual consignment of Purebred Sussex cattle off the North Kent Marshes for West Court Farm attracted the usual keen interest with the steers up to £1040 and heifers to £770.

Next sale Tuesday 28^th November – 100+, further entries invited.

Principal Prices include: 

Continental cross

7-8 mths Limousin cross steers – £920 – R Coleman & Sons
7-8 mths Limousin cross heifers – £920 – Messrs Gardners
16 mths Limousin cross heifer – £940 – A & H Edmonds
18 mths Charolais cross steers – £1340 – D T Marden
21 mths Limousin cross steers – £1040 – P M Langridge
21 mths Limousin cross heifers – £995 – P M Langridge
22 mths Simmental cross steer – £1390 – R & J Ledger

Native Bred

8 mths Angus cross steers – £800 – A K F Dod
11 mths Angus cross steers – £825 – I M Symonds
13 mths Sussex steer – £920 – J D Hickman
17-18 mths Sussex steers – £1040 – West Court Farm
17-18 mths Sussex heifers – £770 – West Court Farm
14-18 mths Hereford cross steers – £1070 – A G Dodd
14-18 mths Hereford cross heifers – £980 – A G Dodd
18 mths Stabiliser cross steers – £1270 – F Pearce & Sons
18 mths Stabiliser cross heifers – £1050 – F Pearce & Sons
24 mths Friesian steers – £640 – R Scott

Calves & Weanlings – 54 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Calves sold – 44. A firmer trade all round today particularly for the second grade calves.
Best bulls to £330, £270, and £250 for a lovely run of Blues from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd with Angus topping at £240 from J E Scutt & Son and £230 from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd. A single Hereford from Goddard & Son topped at £160 with a good run of Simmentals from H O Champneys Ltd to £325 and £320.
Heifers selling well with Blues to £290 from H O Champneys Ltd and Angus from the same home to £200.
Dairy bulls an improved trade for the goods on offer with the best today from H O Champneys Ltd to £90 with most in the rearing bracket around the £80 mark, a good £20 plus on last time out. No bobbies forward today.
Weanlings – 10. A small selection of Bassett’s finest in the weanling section today with some lovely 4 mths Blonde suckled calves from Mrs L Townsend to £420. The dairy breeding represented by W G & T A Manford with Blue bulls to £280. A pen of British Friesians with plenty of age about them from Parrett & Son topped at £230. Despite no real runs of anything to get the teeth into the weanling buyers are still keen and out in force if you have them to sell!

Bull Calves

British Blue cross – 9 – Ave £186.67 – Top £330 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd
Simmental cross – 2 – Ave £325 – Top £330 – H O Champneys Ltd
Aberdeen Angus cross – 12 – Ave £186.67 – Top £240 – J E Scutt & Sons
Hereford cross – 1 – Ave £160 – Top £160 – Goddard & Son

Heifer Calves

British Blue cross – 7 – Ave £173.29 – Top £290 H O Champneys Ltd
Aberdeen Angus cross – 8 – Ave £132.50 – Top £200 – H O Champneys Ltd

Bull Weanlings

British Blue cross – 2 – Ave £270 – Top £280 – W G & T A Manford
Blonde cross – 2 – Ave £420 – Top £420 – Mrs L Townsend
British Friesian cross – 4 – Ave £190 – Top £230 – Parrett & Son

Heifer Weanlings

British Blue cross – 1 – Ave £2300 – Top £230 – W G & T A Manford
Blonde cross – 1 – Ave £400 – Top £400 – Mrs L Townsend

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 28th November 2023

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here