Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 24th January 2023

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Finished Hoggets – 3,140 Sold

Top price per kg: 274p – P G Lewis

Top price per head: £132.50 – W G Vant & Sons

A good entry this week with 3,500 hoggets on offer in total including the stores. More leaner and lighter sheep coming forward as conditions for finishing still proving to be tough, and many producers selling now due to the keep situation as opposed to having the luxury of sitting tight for the trade to, possibly, lift later. Consequently, the trade for the well finished and heavier types is still strong, as there isn’t enough of them to go around. Top on the day was W G Vant & Sons at £132.50 for some heavy sorts, with export weights trading often from 250p kg to 270p kg for the better fleshed types. The trade isn’t as strong as we have seen in recent years but with the feed and weather conditions and the world, we are in now I don’t think this is a surprise. With the flexibility that the live market offers we will always try our hardest to get the best prices possible for your stock.
Just about 1,000 stores on offer today and trade is, again, not as strong as we have seen in recent years but, I would still suggest, not too bad considering all the factors that contribute towards it. Best stores over £80 head and topped at £84 from D Barnwell. Most stores trading from £65-80 but a few very long term sorts below this level.

Top Prices

35kg – £85.50 (244p/kg) – A R Clough
36kg – £89.50 (249p/kg) – S B & A E Martin
37kg – £98.00 (265p/kg) – S B & A E Martin
38kg – £96.00 (253p/kg) – D Barnwell
39kg – £107.00 (274p/kg) – P G Lewis
40kg – £104.00 (260p/kg) – Miss G Jackson
41kg – £104.00 (254p/kg) – D Barnwell
42kg – £108.00 (257p/kg) – M A Piper & Son Farms
43kg – £111.00 (258p/kg) – M A Piper & Son Farms
44kg – £111.00 (252p/kg) – D Barnwell
45kg – £110.00 (244p/kg) – L Atfield
46kg – £120.50 (262p/kg) – N A Balcomb & Son
47kg – £112.50 (239p/kg) – C Ballard
48kg – £123.00 (256p/kg) – Link Bros
49kg – £118.00 (241p/kg) – P R & H R Vellacott
50kg – £132.50 (265p/kg) – W G Vant & Sons
51kg – £127.50 (250p/kg) – R G Hobbs Farms
52kg – £126.00 (242p/kg) – L Atfield
54kg – £132.00 (244p/kg) – W G Vant & Sons 

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 578 – Top 265, Average 232.4
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 1,188 – Top 274, Average 231.1
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 352 – Top 265, Average 234.4
Over 52.1 kgs – 44 – Top 244, Average 239.6

Cull Sheep – 277 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewes: Top £114 – N A Balcomb & Son, Average £69.97
Rams: Top £117 – C B Hope, Average £74.31

Similar numbers penned with trade much the same as recent weeks. The best ewes regularly £80-£100 to a top price of £114 (twice) from N A Balcomb & Son for some cracking Suffolk ewes. Medium sorts generally £55-£75 with the majority of leaner long term types  £30-£50. There are a good number of regular buyers present every week for all grades of ewes at Ashford.

Suffolks to £117 – N A Balcomb & Son, Charollais to £111 – N A Balcomb & Son, Suffolk cross to £110 – S W Mount & Sons Ltd, Texels to £107 – North School, Romneys to £94 – Langrish Farmers, Mules to £81 – R Price & Son

Breeding Ewes – 56 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Our first entry of In-Lamb ewes today kicked off to a good start from J Lukehurst for a run of Texel cross and Beltex cross ewes in lamb to a Charollais cross ram. The strongest of them sold to a top price of £164 with the whole run averaging £152.50.
Do not hesitate to get in contact with any further In-Lamb ewes or breeding sheep you are looking to sell.

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  34 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Record prices for finished cattle at Ashford Market with an overall average of 260p and a top of £1611 (299p) for a superb Limousin cross heifer from D W Ferguson Ltd, closely followed by a British Blue cross heifer at £1611 (291p) from K & P M Sinden & Sons.
Continental steers included a run of Limousin x Friesian which sold exceptionally well in the 250 to 279p bracket and grossed up to £1852 and an overall average of £1630 from A J Down.  Alan can enjoy and relax on his well-deserved cruise to the Middle East!
A few native breeds sold equally well with Aberdeen Angus cross steers £1577 (249p) and £1488 (255p) and heifer at £1495 (254p) from W S Furnival Ltd. A pure bred Sussex steer looking well sold at £1458 (261p) from K & P M Sinden & Sons.

FINISHED CATTLE ARE SHORT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND MORE COULD BE SOLD AT VERY FAVOURABLE PRICES AT ASHFORD MARKET.

Top Steers 

A J Down – Limousin cross – 279p/kg (£1768)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 275p/kg (£1688)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 267p/kg (£1852)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 265p/kg (£1573)
K & P M Sinden & Sons – Sussex – 261p/kg (£1458)

Top Heifers

D W Ferguson Ltd – Limousin – 299p/kg (£1611)
K & P M Sinden & Sons – British Blue cross – 291p/kg (£1597)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 286pkg (£1670)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 283p/kg (£1680)
K & P M Sinden & Sons – British Blue cross – 279p/kg (£1559) 

Average Prices

Steers up to 650kg – 9 sold – Top 279p – Ave 263p
Steers over 651kg – 4 sold – Top 267p – Ave 257p
Heifers up to 590kg – 13 sold – Top 299p – Ave 267p
Heifers over 500kg plus – 6 sold – Top 283p – Ave 261p
Young bulls – 2 sold – 230p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 65 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Sadly, only half the numbers of last week but that is just a reflection of just how short numbers are and will remain for some time to come!
Another outstanding trade for flesh and feeding types, and fully maintained on the week.
Another RECORD with British Blues from Price & Shelbourne to 279p and 267p – just a few pence in front of last week!
British Blue 279p, 267p, £1950, £1945; British Blue cross 217p, £1191 Birt Bros, 193p, 192p, £1117, £1111 K I Lingham & Son; Limousin cross 210p, £1582 Gardners, 205p, 203p, £1671, £1319 P N & C Burden, 205p, 201p, 193p, £1674, £1493, £1425 G Bates, 193p £1328 Birt Bros; Simmental cross 198p, 193p, £1471, £1415 G Bates, 192p, £1178 W J Hurley; South Devon 198p, 186p, £1442, £1438 Gardners; Sussex 196p, £1134 C E & W S Millson, 193p, £1290 Birt Bros, 187p, £1203 W J Hurley; Aberdeen  Angus cross 190p (2) £1222 K I Lingham & Son, 175p,  £1256 (Non FA) P A Mummery.
A small show from the dairy this week but again rates fully maintained.

178p, 169p, 168p, £1340, £1281, £1226 Huddlestone Farmers; 177p, 174p, £1377, £1241 J W Boyd & Sons Ltd; 165p (2) £1242, £1127 Goddard & Son.
Overage wanted. Sussex OTM heifer 258p, £1313; Holstein OTM steer 207p, £1301; Hereford OTM heifer 198p; Aberdeen Angus cross 3yo+ steers 180p (2) £1149, £1122; Holstein 3yo+ steer 186p, £1465.
Stock bulls (2) Aberdeen Angus 146p, £1266; Sussex 129p, £1208.

Beef Cows – 39 Sold – Top 279, Average 187.2
Dairy Cows – 12 Sold – Top 178, Average 159.7

Store Cattle – 16 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Just a handful this week but plenty of buyers out each week looking to buy stock.
Belted Galloway bulls of mixed ages £160-£240; Aberdeen Angus cross steers 22 mths £990; Limousin cross steer 12 mths £800; British Blue cross heifer 24 mths £1010; Hereford cross steer 18 mths £1200; Hereford cross heifers 20-24 mths £1110.
A few more stores(100) booked in for next Tuesday 31^st January.

 

Pigs – 107 sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A bit brighter in the finished pig sector with customers looking to buy positively this week. Not enough weight in the pigs with too few good pigs over 80 kg. Nevertheless, tidy pigs 120-145p with the lesser sorts remaining more difficult, but not impossible!
Fryern Farms sold a good run of lighter pigs to 147p whilst East Sutton Park sold a good, shaped boar pig to £145 (142p)
Sows better, but weight wanted. Best young types to 77p £169, but more generally 48p-60p.
Store pigs remain very difficult with coloured, small pigs £1-£20 head.

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 31st January 2023

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here