Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 25th November 2025

Sheep Sales Reports

New Season Lambs – 1,374 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per kilo – 397p – R J Parsons, East Sussex.
Top price per head – £183.00 – C Watkins, East Sussex.

More in the pens this week without any negative effects on the trade. Smaller meated lambs are certainly the dearest in the scheme of things with plenty selling from 350-390p kg and topping at 397p from R J Parsons, Wadhurst. Overall, the averages are sitting around 325p kg which is similar on the week, and very strong for the time of year. Some of the smaller leaner types in the pens are undoubtedly being kept alive and are in line with the booming store trade, but this does still inflate the price of the smaller lambs that are destined for slaughter. Trade looks set to hold firm for the Christmas period with no real big numbers thought to be set to come out to negatively affect this trade.
We will be holding livestock sales each week over the Christmas period, and I will detail the plans below as there are some slight changes to make it work for the best around the holiday dates.

31 – £123.00 (397p kg) – R J Parsons
32 – £119.00 (372p kg) – R J Adams
33 – £126.00 (382p kg) – R J Adams
34 – £125.00 (368p kg) – R J Parsons
35 – £126.00 (360p kg) – Ross Douglas
36 – £132.00 (367p kg) – R J Parsons
37 – £114.00 (308p kg) – T Russell
38 – £140.00 (368p kg) – R J Adams
39 – £139.00 (356p kg) – C B Hope
40 – £134.00 (335p kg) – John Monnington Farms Ltd
41 – £137.00 (334p kg) – C B Hope
42 – £150.00 (357p kg) – S King
43 – £153.00 (356p kg) – W J Waters
44 – £153.00 (348p kg) – S King
45 – £159.00 (353p kg) – S King
46 – £167.00 (363p kg) – M L Wilson & Son Ltd
47 – £159.00 (338p kg) – S King
48 – £169.00 (352p kg) – S King
49 – £169.50 (346p kg) – S King
50 – £171.00 (342p kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
51 – £170.00 (333p kg) – S King
52 – £169.00 (325p kg) – S King
53 – £174.00 (328p kg) – S King
54 – £176.00 (326p kg) – M L Wilson & Son Ltd
57 – £168.50 (296p kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
60 – £183.00 (305p kg) – C Watkins
69 – £175.00 (254p kg) – John Monnington Farms Ltd

Averages (p/kg)

Light 25.6 to 32 kgs – 26 – Top 397, Ave. 389.9
Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 153 – Top 382, Ave. 347.2
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 554 – Top 357, Ave. 317.1
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 582   – Top 363, Ave. 325.3
Others 52.1 + – 59 – Top 328, Ave. 313.3

Cull Sheep – 385 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

Top price ewe: £175.00 – J Funnell, Kent – Ave. £119.15

A super trade for all grades with the best fleshed sorts in short supply and certainly being well rewarded. The best regularly £140 -£170 and to a top price of £175 for Crossbreds from J Funnell. Medium sorts £110 – £140 on most occasions with leaner grazing types £80 – £110 throughout with only very few sold below these figures.
With next week being Primestock Show week do not let this put you off as ewes will still be wanted, and buyers will be in attendance for all grades.

Top prices included:

Crossbred to £175 – J Funnell, Suffolk cross to £174 – C B Hope & Barleybrook Farm, Romneys to £172 – Frederick & Sons, Texel cross to £170 – C Woodhead & M L Wilson & Son, Beltex to £160 – C B Hope, Mules to £140 – Barleybrook Farm.

Cattle Reports

Finished Cattle –  29 Sold
Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357.

A quieter day in the finished ring with a few different personnel present, and active. Quality more variable overall with few of the very best. Trade a little easier overall but the finished market remains in a good place.
Well fleshed continental heifers from John Berryman to 389p, 382p, £2518, £2389 with Limousin heifers from W S Furnival Ltd to 375p, £2303. Blonde steers from Paul Boulden to 369p, £2524, 358p £2270 John Berryman, and 349p, £2614 C R Cook.
Alan Down`s nicely fleshed Limousin x Friesians to 369p, 368p, £2232, £2157 whilst a Limousin x Friesian heifer from George Sim sold to 358p.
Angus steers 370p, 365p, £2162 W S Furnival, 355p, £2246 P Ibbott; Angus heifers to 352p, £2091 W S Furnival. A nice Dexter heifer from Goddard & Son well sold at 338p, £1198.
Young Bulls (4) Sussex 345p twice £1740, South Devon 334p, £1901 C R Cook with another Sussex from John Hickman 332p, £2039.

Top Steers

W S Furnival Ltd – Aberdeen Angus cross – 370p (£2162)
G L Boulden & Sons – Blonde D’Aquitaine cross – 369p (£2524)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 369p (£2156)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 368p (£2168)
W S Furnival Ltd – Aberdeen Angus cross – 365p (£2114)

Top Heifers

J Berryman – Limousin cross – 389p (£2389)
J Berryman – Limousin cross – 382p (£2518)
W S Furnival Ltd – Limousin cross – 375p (£2303)
W S Furnival Ltd – Limousin cross – 361p (£1875)
P W & P Sim & Son – Limousin cross – 358p (£1823)

Average prices

Steers 200 to 550 kg – 2 – Top 330p – Ave. 319p
Steers 551 to 650 kg – 12 – Top 370p – Ave. 353p
Steers 651 kg + – 2 – Top 369p – Ave. 358p
Heifers 300 to 500 kg – 1 – Top 338p – Ave. 338p
Heifers 501 to 590 kg – 3 – Top 361p – Ave. 354p
Heifers 591 kg + – 6 – Top 389p – Ave. 360p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 116 Sold

A terrific entry of cull and overage cattle from throughout the region met another terrific trade from a crammed ring of buyers for all grades.
A little more flesh overall, in both beef and dairy cows, which was well received as well as a substantial number of young and older feeding cows, having scanned empty this month.
Best meat beef cows regularly 280p-330p with some fine continental heavyweights pushing close towards £3000 head. Smart young beef feeders 300-360p. A good show, again, of Sussex cows with the best way past 300p,and plenty of sound older cows regularly 250-280p. Older beef cows taken to feed or graze with only the frail and infirm finding any resistance. Minorities again very dear as niche outlets remain loyal to their breeds.
Sussex 360p, £1852 Campbell Bros, Sevenoaks 324p, 312p, £2165, £1909 A Smith & Son, Horsham, 320p, 280p, 276p, £1901, £1757 D Martin, 302p, £1818 Trenchmore Ltd, Cowfold, 296p, 275p, £1716, £1586 Dr C Ahrens, Etchingham, 288p, 274p, £2099, £2065 C R Cook, Crawley, 282p, £1802 M Moncrieffe, Marden; Angus 354p, £1679 Campbell Bros, 296p, £1980 Llewellyn Farms, Crowborough, 282p, 280p, £1943, £1928 J Bayley Hawkinge, 278p, £2331 Goddard & Son, Ashford, 248p, £2339 C Langridge, Ashford; Limousin 342p, £2169 R Coleman & Sons, Dover, 336p, 310p, 306p, 296p, £1940, £1876 Campbell Bros, 332p, 296p, £2867, £2169 L E Humphreys & Son, Maidstone, 312p, £2274 L Smith, Cranbrook, 312p, £2196 H & J Noakes, Brookland; 294p, £2175 Hawkfibre Ltd, Dorking; Simmental 308p, 300p, £2067, £1814 H & S Nesfield, Marden; British Blue 304p, £1821 Hawkfibre Ltd; Longhorn 289p, £1688 C R Cook, 276p, £1667 Goddard & Son; Beef Shorthorn 286p, 280p, £2040 D Murray, 256p, 244p, 239p, 236p, £2632, £2588, £2473, £2313 A R & J MacDonald, Sevenoaks; Saler 274p, £2311 Seymour Stevens Ltd, Faversham; Hereford 271p, £2475 Goddard & Son; Red Poll 252p, £1471 D Esposito, Ashford.
A few more dry fed cows from the dairy farms but generally leaner working cows straight from the dairies. Trade holding up for the time of year extremely well for all grades and showing how much minced beef on the tray or the ready meal is so fundamental to the nation`s diet. Again a few dry bagged Black & Whites taken for feeding. Plain cows 170p -200p with good competition.
Norwegian Red 260p, £2063 D Murdoch & Sons; British Friesian 257p, £2219 D Murdoch & Sons; Dairy Shorthorn 256p, £2414 Goddard & Son; Jersey 195p, 184p, £914, £908 Hickson Bros, 170p, 168p, £812 SE Lane, 160p, £750 G R Edgar & Son.
Stock Bulls (4) Good trade continues. Limousin 328p, £2391, Limousin 255p, £2583; Friesian 220p, £1756; Dexter 178p, £639.
Overage (12) Another strong trade for all classes and ages. Limousin OTM steer 386p, £2564, Limousin heifers OTM 375p, 371p, £2668, £2565, Limousin 3+ steer 329p, £2316 J Berryman, Redhill; Sussex OTM heifers 351p, 334p, 331p, £1822, £1634 Earl de la Warr, Hartfield; Limousin OTM heifer 340p, £2326 Hawkfibre Ltd; Angus OTM heifer 339p, £1896, OTM steer 336p, £2130 K Vincent, Elham; Galloway 3+ heifer 324p, £1634 P Ibbott, Farnham; Longhorn OTM steer 294p, £1629 T Offen, Tonbridge.

Cull cows, for feeding or slaughter, will be wanted next week as the wheels of commerce continue to rotate.

Beef Cows – 75 Sold – Top 360, Average 266.0
Dairy Cows – 24 Sold – Top 260, Average 187.5

Store & Breeding Cattle – 526 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

What a day in the store and breeding cattle section with the biggest entry of cattle seen for many years. Stock penned in all corners of the market and every gap around the ring was full of buyers from far and wide.  THE TRADE WAS ON FIRE.
To start off in the breeding section we had Angus cows and Angus calves from Gallagher Farms to £3200, others £2850 and £2550 from the same home. A herd Dispersal on behalf of D & J Murray saw their pedigree Sussex cows in calf to an Angus to £1800, their Sussex cross cows in calf to £1750.
Strong demand for the bulls and rigs on offer selling to £1300 for Limousin x 7m from Alastair Boyd & Co. Carefully check your male calves at weaning and sell your bulls and rigs NOW, not next spring or summer!
On with the stores from A R Ambrose, Guildford selling Hereford steers 7 mths to £820, the heifers to £840. Hereford cross steers 8 mths from D & J Murray to £1200. Smart Angus steers 9 mths from A K F Dod to £1380 with strong Angus steers 9 mths from A Smith & Son, Horsham to £1380. Shorthorn steers 7 mths from V E & M A Britton to £1280; Limousin steers 7 mths from Hope Bros to £1240 whilst Sussex cross steers 8 mths from R J Stickland, Billingshurst also to £1240. A super run from D G & J W Gore, Rochester saw their Limousin cross steers 8 mths to £1470 and heifers to £1460 followed by their Sussex steers 8 mths at £1000. Cracking Limousin heifers 7 mths from F S Husk to £1500, and a smart run of Limousins 7 – 9 mths from A Boyd & Co saw the steers to £1590 and heifers to £1340, with their Angus x Limousin steers 9 mths to £1490. Wey Street Farm Blonde x Angus steers 7 – 8 mths topped at £1450 with their heifers to £1280. Gardners, Basildon had their quality run of Limousin cross heifers 8 mths to £1520, £1450 and £1440 with the whole run looking well sold. Well put together Simmental heifers from L Townsend 9 mths to £1600 and 21 mths Simmental heifers from E Chantler & Sons to £1650.
A few more runs of TB Edge cattle this week and well followed. Llewellyn Farms, Crowborough sold their 9 mth Angus steers to £1290; Angus steers 13 mths from N & A Irwin, Alresford to £1470 with their heifers to £1420. Sussex steers from Earl de la Warr, Hartsfield 19 mths to £1420 with Stone Farm, Winchelsea selling Charollais steers 19 mths to £1770, heifers to £1730 and Angus steers 22 mths to £2020.
Back to TB Fours and C E & W S Millson sold 20 mths Sussex steers to £1700.A hard run of well-bred cattle from Seymour Stevens Ltd, Faversham saw their Saler x Charollais 18 – 20 mths top at £2180 for the steers, the heifers to £1700. Powerful Limousin steers 17 mths from Hawkfibre Ltd, Dorking to £2380 and very smart Limousin cross heifers 22 mths from C & J Georgetti topped at £2480, taking top spot in the store section on the day!!! Angus steers 20 mths from G Hosmer to £2050 and forward Sussex steers 26 mths from Trenchmore LLP, Henfield topped at £2160 for the steers with their heifers to £1900.
A super trade throughout proving large numbers penned is no issue and that the live market system is the way forward.
Next week is our Primestock Show week with no store cattle however there are already good numbers of cattle entered for Tuesday 9^th December so if you have any store or breeding cattle to sell this side of Christmas this is the week to be aiming for.

Principal prices include:

Native:
Sussex steers 26 mths – £2160 – Trenchmore LLP
Aberdeen Angus cross steers 20 mths – £2050 – G Hosmer & Son
Aberdeen Angus cross steers 22 mths – £2020 – Stone Farms Ltd
Aberdeen Angus cross heifers 24 mths – £1900 – Trenchmore LLP
Aberdeen Angus cross heifers 22 mths – £1790 – Stone Farms Ltd
Shorthorn cross heifers 23 mths – £1750 – Goddard & Sons
Continental:
Limousin cross steers 17 mths – £2380 – Hawkfibre Ltd
Charollais cross steers 19 mths – £2180 – Seymour Stevens Ltd
Limousin cross steers 25 mths – £1940 – P M Langridge
Limousin cross heifers 22 mths – £2480 – C & J Georgetti & Sons
Limousin cross heifers 24 mths – £1800 – P M Langridge
British Blue x Friesian heifers 27 mths – £1740 – C Kearl

Calves – 17 Sold
Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357.

Very disappointing to have so few calves on offer but with few dairies now left in Kent, perhaps not surprising! Private arrangements often work for both parties but remember it is the open market that sets the rate and seeing really is believing!
Outstanding today with enough customers, successful and otherwise, to have sold a hundred more. But that is where the trade is; and with some horror scanning stories coming forward in the beef sector we are not going to see more stock in the country for a long while yet.
Smart British Blue bulls from Peter Boyd £480, £470 & £460, heifers £470, £440, £430. Their Angus bull £470, heifer £310. Peter Forknall saw his Charolais heifer sell at £480, his Angus heifer at £370. A Wagyu steer from Hickson Bros at £190; Angus x from S E Lane & Ptnrs £195 & £130.
Three very well reared calves set the ring alight with Cathy Sugden`s Angus heifer 3 mths £650 whilst Susannah Garrett`s Blue Albion bull 4 mths £725 and her Shorthorn steer 3 mths £610.

Ear Tags

Producers are reminded that all cattle require two ear tags with at least one large distance readable tag. Please inspect stock in good time to order replacement tags as, regrettably, the local immediate option at Denimex no longer exists. Local authority inspectors will be taking note as stock comes to market.

 

Monday 1st & Tuesday 2nd Ashford Livestock Market Primestock Show

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here