Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 25th October 2022

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

New Season Lambs – 779 Sold

Top price per kg: 277p – Beslee Farms
Top price per head: £129.50 – Beslee Farms

Another small seasonal entry with variable quality on offer. Despite the figures nationally on Monday being less than expected the best meated lambs are selling to a tremendous trade, with the leaner types obviously less. Despite the low averages many lambs were sold over 250p kg with a top price from Beslee Farms for a cracking run of fleshed lambs up to £129.50 and 277p kg. In times when the trade tightens as it has done in all sections, the best quality are always still the easiest to sell which reminds us that lambs on a Tuesday need to be finished, otherwise selling in the store ring is a better option.

Top Prices

34kg – £77.50 (228p/kg) – G Husk
35kg – £84.50 (241p/kg) – D Thompson
36kg – £80.00 (222p/kg) – D Thompson
37kg – £90.50 (245pkg) – A Denning
38kg – £89.00 (234p/kg) – David Clark (Farms) Ltd
39kg – £89.00 (228p/kg) – G L Harris
40kg – £94.00 (235p/kg) – A Denning
41kg – £93.00 (227p/kg) – S Saunders
42kg – £102.00 (243p/kg) – Beslee Farms
43kg – £119.00 (277p/kg) – Beslee Farms
44kg – £114.00 (259p/kg) – R G Hobbs Farms
45kg – £119.00 (264p/kg) – Beslee Farms
46kg – £119.00 (259p/kg) – Beslee Farms
47kg – £115.00 (245p/kg) – S W Batch
48kg – £129.50 (270p/kg) – Beslee Farms
49kg – £120.00 (245p/kg) – S Fagg
50kg – £129.50 (259p/kg) – Beslee Farms
52kg – £114.00 (219p/kg) – David Clark (Farms) Ltd
53kg – £121.00 (228p/kg) – S W Batch
54kg – £120.00 (222p/kg) – M Godden
58kg – £120.00 (207p/kg) – J Metianu & S Aspital

Averages (p/kg)

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 191 – Top 245, Average 211.3
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 320 – Top 277, Average 231.9
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 217 – Top 270, Average 242.4
Over 52.1 kgs – 9 – Top 228, Average 221.7

Cull Sheep – 579 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewes: Top £116 – N A Balcomb & Son, Average £66.53
£116 – L Stevens & Sons
Rams: Top £120 – J Metianu & S Aspital, Average £59.82

A few better fleshed ewes penned in comparison to recent weeks, but the majority still being plainer ewes. The well fleshed ewes regularly £85 -£110 with the best on the day to £116 from N A Balcomb & Son and L Stevens & Sons both for some superb Texel ewes. Majority of medium sorts £65-£85 with plainer grazing sorts generally £40-£60 with plenty of buyer support competing well for these with plentiful grass available.

Top prices included:

Texel to £116 – N A Balcomb & Son, Texel to £116 – L Stevens & Sons, Suffolk cross to £112 – E W Homewood, Mules to £106 – M Hooker & Son, Beltex to £106 – C A Worley Farming Ltd, Romneys to £95 – Langrish Farmers, Goats to £90 – D Meehan

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle – 69 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

A cracking trade for an increased entry of finished cattle with the best beef bred Continental crosses selling readily in excess of 250p while those with less killing out percentage and native bred generally in the 220p to 240p bracket.
A relatively high proportion of native bred cattle on offer with the top Sussex steer and heifer selling at £1579 (238p) and £1410 (228p) respectively from a run of well fleshed cattle from T Masters while other top prices in this section included Aberdeen Angus cross steer £1615 (238p) from W S Furnival Ltd, Aberdeen Angus cross heifer £1302 (249p) from R C & J L Pickering & Sons and Hereford cross heifer £1295 (222p) again from W S Furnival Ltd.

Top Steers 

W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 267p/kg (£1665)
W S Furnival Ltd – Limousin cross – 264p/kg (£1660)
W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 258p/kg (£1555)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 256p/kg (£1686)
W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 252p/kg (£1571)

Top Heifers

A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 258p/kg (£1302)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 257p/kg (£1487)
D W Page & Son – Limousin cross – 254p/kg (£1333)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 251p/kg (£1260)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 250p/kg (£1422)

Average Prices

Steers up to 650kg – 30 sold – Top 267p – Ave 231p
Steers over 651kg – 5 Sold – Top 256p – Ave 243p
Heifers up to 590kg – 22 Sold – Top 258p – Ave 232p
Heifers over 501kg – 5 Sold – Top 228p – Ave 223p
Bulls – 5 sold – Top 232p – Ave 205p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 43 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Disappointing not to be seeing more cattle taking advantage of these extraordinary prices but perhaps not surprising with weaning and scanning on hold, and so much late grass giving some degree of respite.
Rates, once again, exceptional for not one of the greatest entries in terms of quality. Competition fast and furious and more wanted!
Limousin cross 198p £1718 C & J Georgetti & Sons, 188p £1631 (Non FA) T Martin; Aberdeen Angus cross 189p £1291 M & C Farms, 183p £1161 (Non FA) Wey Street Farm; Charolais 175p £1387 (Non FA) N Morgan.
Mixed quality again in the dairy sector with the highlight being a Jersey cow from Hickson Bros selling to 162p £1034, undoubtedly a RECORD!
Holstein heifers 206p £1210 R Torrance & Son; 190p £1004 R C & J L Pickering & Sons; Holstein cows 158p £1103 W F Farms.
Overage wanted with Holstein Friesian steers 3yo+ to 170p £1229
Stock bulls wanted. British Blue 187p £2052; Limousin £1860.

Beef Cows – 26 Sold – Top 198, Average 139.6
Dairy Cows – 7 Sold – Top 190, Average 144.6

Store cattle – 341 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

A good entry of cattle with plenty of interest and competitive bidding for quality beef bred store of all ages and strong dairy bred in forward condition. As recently and nationally younger dairy bred, and plainer sorts are discounted at prices reflecting the associated wintering costs.
Several runs of beef bred youngsters and more customers present. Good cattle were well received with the very best steers up around £950, notably from Goodwin Bros, Price & Shelbourne and Messrs Gardners. The best of the heifers in excess of £700. The top Continental cross yearlings sold readily around £1000 and strong cattle to finish short term in excess of £1200. The top run of the day included 82 16 mths Limousin cross steers from E W & R E Hanks off the North Kent Marshes with regular buyers taking the top pen to £1150 and a favourable overall average of £1057.
Similarly, the native bred cattle were keenly sought after particularly the quality and stronger end. Smart 7m youngsters £715 for Aberdeen Angus cross steers from Campbell Bros and strong Hereford x Friesian steer with frame looking well sold at £1270 from Mrs B P Britton.

Principal Prices

Continental cross

7mths Limousin cross steer – £940 – Goodwin Bros
7mths Limousin cross heifer – £640 – Goodwin Bros
7mths Limousin cross steer – £940 – Price & Shelbourne
7mths Limousin cross steer – £700 – Will Agri
11mths Limousin cross steer – £955 – Gardners
11mths Limousin cross heifer – £760 – Gardners
12mths Limousin cross steer – £1000 – W G Watkins & Sons
13mths Limousin cross heifer – £1060 – R A Wade
16mths Limousin cross steer – £1150 – E W & R E Hanks
20mths Charolais cross heifers – £980 – R Murtagh
23mths British Blue cross steer – £1170 – P R Lanham
24mths Limousin cross steer – £1230 – J Berryman
24mths Limousin cross heifer – 1200 – J Berryman

Native Bred

7mths Aberdeen Angus cross steers – £715 – Campbell Bros
18mths Lincoln Red steer – £1025 – Stone Farms Ltd
26mths Hereford x Friesian steer – £1270 – Mrs B P Britton
26mths Friesian steer – £1130 – Mrs B P Britton

 

Calves – 139 sold

Auctioneer:Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Still very much a two tier trade with the best and biggest seeing high levels of demand and prices to match. The other side to the market is the smaller and younger calves which are more difficult to place with numbers nationally significantly inflated. This combined with the rising input costs makes harder work of the trade than we have become accustomed to.
Continental bulls led by a grand run of strong Charolais selling to £370, £350 £320 from the Falconhurst Estate; younger Charolais to £160 from J Gormley. British Blues topped at £290 from W F Farms with others to £250 from J W Boyd & Sons, and £230 from both R & J Ledger and W F Farms. A super Simmental from H O Champneys Ltd exchanged for £260 whilst the single Limousin forward from J Gormley made £160. Blonde bulls a little harder to place and offering value with a top of £65 from I Bowman. Native bulls seem to have found their level with a tops of £145 from J Gormley, £130 from Kingcott Dairy and £115 (x2) from J W Boyd & Sons.
Heifers generally harder to place on the day with the odd exception. British Blues topped at £190 from R & J Ledger and £160 (x3) from R C & J L Pickering & Sons and P J Forknall. Simmentals from H O Champneys Ltd to £185, Limousins to £160 and Charolais to £75 both from J Gormley. Blonde heifers again offering value with tops of £70 from I Bowman. Native heifers finding homes at a price; Aberdeen Angus to £115 from J Gormley and £105 from H O Champneys Ltd, Sussex to £48 from R C & J L Pickering & Sons.
Dairy bulls generally harder work than previous weeks; strongest looking well followed with Flekvieh topping at £160 from J Gormley and strong Holstein Friesians from J Torrance to £120. Young calves not such a strong trade with rearing types £20-£40, and second grade/bobbies £2-£10.

Bull Calves

British Blue cross – 19 – Top £290 – Average £143.16
Charolais cross – 10 – Top £370 – Average £180.50
Limousin cross – 1 – Top £160 – Average £160
Simmental cross – 1 – Top £260 – Average £260
Flekvieh – 4 – Top £160 – Average £110
Aberdeen Angus cross – 18 – Top £145 – Average £84.44
Hereford cross – 2 – Top £105 – Average £105
British Friesian – 11 – Top £90 – Average £28.36
Blonde cross – 8 – Top £65 – Average £48.75

Heifer Calves

British Blue cross – 20 – Top £190 – Average £116.25
Charolais cross – 2 – Top £75 – Average £75
Limousin cross – 2 – Top £160 – Average £147.50
Simmental cross – 1 – Top £185 – Average £185
Aberdeen Angus – 15 – £115 – Average £54.40
Blonde cross – 6 – Top £70 – Average £48.67

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 1st November 2022

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here