Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 23rd May 2023

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Finished Hoggets – 1,385

Top price per kg: 318p – R J Adams
Top price per head: £159 – R H Smith & Partners

Less on offer today as the end of the hogget season approaches, and numbers of new season lambs increase rapidly each week. The trade is a little easier, admittedly, as the quality is now very variable, and the focus of the demand is switching towards the new season lambs. Trade was about 10p per kg less than we saw last week with the bigger better meated hoggs still often well in excess of £140.

35kg – £94.00 (269p/kg) – P M Langridge
36kg – £98.00 (272p/kg) – I M Kirk
37kg – £113.00 (305p/kg) – L Atfield
38kg – £116.00 (305p/kg) – R J Adams
39kg – £124.00 (318p/kg) – R J Adams
40kg – £112.00 (280p/kg) – A K F Dod
41kg – £120.00 (293p/kg) – A K F Dod
42kg – £127.00 (302p/kg) – L Atfield
43kg – £123.00 (286p/kg) – L Atfield
44kg – £137.00 (311p/kg) – C Ballard
45kg – £138.00 (307p/kg) – R J T Farmlands
46kg – £142.00 (309p/kg) – R J T Farmlands
47kg – £143.00 (304p/kg) – R G Gibson & Son
48kg – £151.00 (315p/kg) – R G Gibson & Son
49kg – £144.00 (294p/kg) – B G & M A Tomsett
50kg – £144.50 (289p/kg) – C Ballard
51kg – £151.00 (296p/kg) – C Ballard
52kg – £147.00 (283p/kg) – W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm
53kg – £156.00 (294p/kg) – R G Gibson & Son
54kg – £156.00 (289p/kg) – R G Gibson & Son
55kg – £154.00 (280p/kg) – N Blake
56kg – £149.00 (266p/kg) – Freshfield Farm
57kg – £140.00 (246p/kg) – S Clout
58kg – £139.00 (240p/kg) – L Atfield
59kg – £159.00 (269p/kg) – R H Smith & Partners

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 110 – Top 305, Average 284.3
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 359 – Top 318, Average 286.4
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 552 – Top 315, Average 277.2
Over 52.1 kgs – 229 – Top 294, Average 260.4

New season lambs – 412 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per kg – 356p – C B Hope
Top price per head – £166 – D J Morphett

More numbers on offer this week and certainly more focus on these from some buyers who have moved away from hoggets to buy a more consistent product, particularly for the lighter end of the weights. Some super Charollais lambs from D J Morphett sold at £166 with loyal market supporter Ben Hope taking top price per kilo at 356p.

Cull Sheep – 541 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewe: Top £173 – M Friend, Average £93.37
Ram: Top £154 – L Atfield, Average £106.13

Another good number on offer with the overall quality of ewes slightly down. Trade a little easier with the best ewes regularly £110 – £130, to a top price of £176 from M Friend for some cracking Beltex ewes. Medium sorts generally £80 – £100 with leaner grazing types £50 – £70, and very few sold under these figures. Ewes are in demand so please do not hesitate to get in contact with me if you have ewes to sell.

Beltex to £173 – M Friend, Suffolk cross to £141 – M Friend, Texel cross to £127 – M Critcher & Partners, Mule to £115 – L Atfield, Romney to £108 – L Atfield

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  26 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

A disappointing entry considering the prolonged period of favourable prices but reflecting how tight supplies are. More are wanted weekly to satisfy strong demand.
A smart Limousin cross heifer topped the market at £1611 (299p) from R F & E A Simmons while best Continental cross steers grossed well at £1927 (286p), again, from R F & E A Simmons, and £1867 (297p) from G L Boulden & Sons.
Dairy bred sorts around 260p, notably well fleshed Limousin x Friesian steers, £1523 (261p) and purebred Friesian steer £1602 (259p) from A J Down.
A small selection of native bred stock on offer with purebred Sussex topping at £1683 (272p) and Aberdeen Angus cross steer and heifer £1501 (264p) and £1442 (258p) respectively from W S Furnival Ltd.
More cattle could be sold at similar favourable prices.
Contact: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901
                  Peter Kingwill 07795 200357
                  Simon Husk 07885 968077

Top Steers

G L Boulden & Sons – Blonde cross – 297p/kg (£1867)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 286p/kg (£1927)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin – 278p/kg (£1512)
W S Furnival Ltd – Sussex – 272p/kg (£1683)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 270p/kg (£1495)

Top Heifers

R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 299p/kg (£1611)
G L Boulden & Sons – Limousin cross – 294p/kg (£1570)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 286p/kg (£1627)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 279p/kg (£1336)
W S Furnival Ltd – Limousin cross – 269p/kg (£1449) 

Average Prices

Steers up to 650kg – 16 sold – Top 297p – Ave 262p
Steers over 651kg – 2 sold – Top 286p – Ave 275p
Heifers up to 590kg – 7 sold – Top 299p – Ave 277p
Bull – 1 sold – Top 202p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 41 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Predictably, as the weather improves, so numbers of culls from all sectors will fall away. Trade remains incredibly strong and our cows, excluding the overage clean, averaged over 200p kg! Nothing particularly startling about the overall quality this week but we did have a high proportion of Sussex cows which are always popular, whether fleshed or for feeding.
Sussex 237p, 228p, £1479, £1419 (Non FA) H W Richards, 225p, 223p, 219p, £1437, £1377, £1279 Chandler & Dunn, 208p, £1390 W J Hurley; Limousin x 224p, £1341 W J Hurley; Hereford x 219p, £1453 (Non FA) G C Kirby & Son; British Blue x 208p, £1401 G C Kirby & Son.
Just two dairy culls with lean Holstein types to 175p £1256
A few more overage cattle this week and mostly feeding/grazing types which are in strong demand as confidence holds so firm. Simmental x OTM steer 269p, £1141; Simm x 3+ steers 238p, 234p, 233p, 230p, £1179, £1060, £1023; Here x OTM hfrs 230p, 225p, £1377, £1224; Friesian OTM steer 227p, £1484.
Stock Bulls (3) Wanted. Limousin 158p, £1457, 150p, £1316; Angus 148p, £1645.

Beef Cows – 19 Sold – Top 237, Average 203.8
Dairy Cows – 2 Sold – Top 175, Average 172.5

Breeding Cattle – 27 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Plenty of interest and more would sell to advantage.
A grand run of Limousin x cows from Lucketts Farm with Blonde or Angus autumn calves, and back in calf, were much admired with the steer couples to £1830, £1810, £1750, £1700 (2); the heifer couples to £1680, £1600, £1630, £1600. A nice Angus cow and steer calf from Wey Street Farm sold at £1550.

Store Cattle – 107 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

A mixed selection of store cattle were very well received with regular customers at ringside and trade was brisk throughout with prices as good as we have seen all Spring.
A run of dairy bred youngsters from M E Wrout & Son looked well sold at £620 plus with Simmental cross steers to £880 and British Blue cross heifers to £820 while yearling Charolais cross heifers topped at £960 from Goodsell Farm Partnership.
Native bred cattle dominated the stronger end with 24 mths Aberdeen Angus cross steers topping the market at £1345 from P C Coleman; 20 mths Aberdeen Angus cross steer £1180 from Kirk Vincent; Angus heifers to £1200 from Oliver Wass; and Sussex heifers to £1000 from Derek Martin.

Calves – 49 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Just lacking a few of the very best calves today which will be reflected in the averages. Lots of interest in all types with a few more farmer buyers back out looking to restock.
Bulls to £230 for Simmentals from R & J Ledger whose smart run of the same breed also sold to £220 and £200. Only a handful of Blue bulls with tops of £175 from W G & T A Manford and £155 from Hickson Bros. Angus leading the native sections with £170 from J E Scutt & Sons and £165 from A & W J Hitchcock. A handful of Sussex to £130 from J Warnock & Sons and £110 from W G & T A Manford.
Heifers a little better followed than bulls this week with tops of £200 from Hickson Bros for Blues with others from W G & T A Manford to £185 and £160. Angus heifers offering a little more value with £125 the top call from P J Forknall and £120 from J E Scutt & Sons. Sussex a little harder work with tops of £80 from W G & T A Manford.
More strength in the dairy entry this week with Holstein Friesians to £90 from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd with smaller but equally well shaped calves from A & W J Hitchcock to £62.

Bull Calves

British Blue cross – 3 – Ave £153.33 – Top £175 – W G & T A Manford
Simmental cross – 3 – Ave £216.67 – Top £230 – R & J Ledger
Wagyu cross – 1 – Ave £125 – Top £125 – J E Scutt & Sons
Aberdeen Angus – 13 – Ave £123.85 – Top £170 – J E Scutt & Sons
Sussex cross – 4 – Ave £97.50 – Top £130 – J Warnock & Sons

Heifer Calves

British Blue cross – 6 – Ave £154.17 – Top £200 – Hickson Bros
Aberdeen Angus cross – 9 – Ave £78.89 – Top £125 – P J Forknall
Sussex cross – 4 – Ave £71.25 – Top £80 – W G & T A Manford

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock -30th May 2023

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

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