Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 28th February 2023

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Finished Hoggets – 2,777

Top price per kg: 287 – T Husk
Top price per head: £135.00 – T Husk

Again a good number of finished lambs on offer but with greater variation in quality and size which always make the trade a little harder to maintain, even more so when demand is at its current level. The wholesale trade is currently struggling with an influx of cheaper imported lamb so there is a limit as to where we can get the trade to reach. Despite this the best types still making good prices, showing that if you breed the best, the rewards are there. Tom Husk`s run of superbly bred continental hoggets sold this week to £135 and averaged £130 for his run of over 100 head. It isn’t an easy time in the finished sheep section but now it is more important than ever that sheep are presented in their best condition possible. Hoggets need to be fleshed, dry, empty and clean to achieve the best returns.
1,080 Stores penned today; more than expected but a sign that the fodder is running out and many want these sheep away before lambing really gets going. Trade is particularly buoyant in this department given the returns in the finished pens with many buyers having more confidence in the trade later in the season. Decent stores selling to £90, and really only the long term lambs selling under £65.

Top Prices

38kg – £90.00 (237p/kg) – G & A Wood
39kg – £89.00 (228p/kg) – C B Hope
40kg – £97.00 (243p/kg) – Tilley Farm Partnership
41kg – £100.00 (244p/kg) – R L Pack
42kg – £115.00 (274p/kg) – T Husk
43kg – £99.50 (231p/kg) – Bungehurst Farms Ltd
44kg – £114.00 (259p/kg) – R L Pack
45kg – £129.00 (287p/kg) – T Husk
46kg – £120.00 (261p/kg) – T Husk
47kg – £114.00 (243p/kg) – A Denning
48kg – £115.00 (240p/kg) – H Rivers
49kg – £114.00 (233p/kg) – M A Piper & Son Farms
50kg – £129.50 (259p/kg) – T Husk
51kg – £116.00 (227p/kg) – Tilley Farm Partnership
53kg – £120.50 (227p/kg) – Tilley Farm Partnership
54kg – £123.00 (228p/kg) – R L Pack
55kg – £135.00 (245p/kg) – T Husk 

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 123 – Top 246, Average 234.7
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 579 – Top 287, Average 219.7
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 789 – Top 261, Average 219.6
Over 52.1 kgs – 180 – Top 245, Average 214.8

Cull Sheep – 364 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Ewe: Top £112 – Kingswood Farmers Ltd and J Trumper, Average £74
Ram: Top £178 – A Denning, Average £114.86

Best crossbred ewes in excess of £100 with both Suffolk cross and Continental cross ewes to £112 from J Trumper and Kingswood Farmers Ltd, while top price of the day was reserved for a well-shaped Beltex ram at £178 from A Denning. The best of other breeds in the £80’s with Romneys topping at £88 from E J & A I Fenton and Mules to £82 from W J Hurley.
Medium sorts generally in the £70 to £90 bracket and the majority of plain sorts £40 to £60.

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  59 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Prices not quite at last week`s high but still a very decent trade throughout with the best Continental crosses around 290p notably from M B Farms, W Alexander (Shoreham) and W G Vant & Sons, with smart handyweights to 301p from Alastair Boyd & Co.
Well fleshed types most in demand with a few more leaner sorts this week. Simmental cross heifers £1539 (266p) and £1507 (265p) from T Pateman & Sons, and heavyweights grossing up well with the Blonde steers at £1932 (267p) and £1892 (269p) from G L Boulden & Sons and a Beef Shorthorn cross steer £1824 (230p) from P W & P Sim & Son.
Dairy bred Continental crosses around 250p with Limousin x Friesian up to £1552 (255p) from A J Down.
Another good show of native bred cattle with the best in excess of 250p notably Aberdeen Angus cross steer and heifer £1509 (225p) and £1417 (268p) from W S Furnival Ltd, Aberdeen Angus cross steer £1641 (257p) from P W & P Sim & Son and a Sussex steer looking well sold at £1796 (259p) again from W S Furnival Ltd.

Top Steers 

A Boyd & Co – Limousin – 301p/kg (£1457)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 292p/kg (£1909)
M B Farms – Limousin – 290p/kg (£1838)
M B Farms – Limousin – 290p/kg (£1823)
A Boyd & Co – Limousin – 289p/kg (£1355)

Top Heifers

M B Farms – Limousin cross – 293p/kg (£1828)
M B Farms – Limousin cross – 288p/kg (£1998)
W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 277p/kg (£1811)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 272p/kg (£1710)
P W & P Sim & Son – Limousin cross – 270p/kg (£1522) 

Average Prices

Steers up to 650kg – 26 sold – Top 301p – Ave 256p
Steers over 651kg – 6 sold – Top 292p – Ave 255p
Heifers up to 590kg – 14 sold – Top 270p – Ave 258p
Heifers over 591kg – 10 sold – Top 293p – Ave 259p
Bulls – 3 – Top 264p – Ave 234p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 46 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A continuing challenge to find numbers of these older cattle for the processing market anywhere in the country. Beef farmers are hoping that their spring calving cows are in calf and the dairy sector has kept itself tidy throughout following this long period of rising prices. Keep looking and questioning!
Another very good trade with another good mix of cattle on offer. Very few fleshed Continental cows; plenty of age with 6 over 13 years old; only a small show of dairy culls with Ayrshires representing the majority; whilst the minority breeds were represented by some good fleshed, and horned, Longhorns!
Beef meat cows up over 200p, both native and continental, whilst a few feeders all sold strongly to a top of 250p kg (£1622) for a Blue Limousin cross cow from A G Upton, Crowborough.
Limousin cross 250p, £1622 (Non FA) A G Upton, 224p, £1338 J Berryman; Hereford 237p, 204p, £1414, £1372 M J Burton, 214p, £1366 J Berryman; Sussex 216p, £1562 Sussex Herd Company, 194p, £1219 K & P M Sinden; Aberdeen Angus cross 207p, £1735 (Non FA) V & C Smith; British Blue cross 196p, £1163 J Berryman, 196p, £1056 (Non FA) N A Vincent; Simmental cross 188p, £1303 (Non FA) L Palmer & Sons; Charolais cross 187p, £1306 (Non FA) A & S Woodford & Sons; Longhorn 185p, £1153 C R Cook; Traditional Hereford 176p, £1202 (Non FA) Grace Natural Foods.
Holstein Friesian 188p, £1313 W G & T A Manford; 186p, 178p, £1521 J W Boyd & Sons; Ayrshire 172p, 165p, 164p, £1175, £1053 J Howe.
Overage cattle wanted, whether for slaughter or feeding.Limousin cross OTM steers 244p, 232p, £1522, £1343; Sussex OTM steer 227p, £1087; Sussex 4 years + steer 220p, £1317; Sussex 5 years + steer 212p, £1153.
Aberdeen Angus stock bull 140p, £1527.

Beef Cows – 26 Sold – Top 250, Average 183.6
Dairy Cows – 11 Sold – Top 188, Average 162.3

Store Cattle – 418 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

A big entry of store cattle early in the season attracted a good attendance of buyers and trade was brisk throughout for the range of cattle on offer.
Most of the cattle comprised hard done open yarded sorts with a high percentage dairy bred while well done forward stores were in short supply. A lot of the young cattle attracted prices in the £700 to £900 bracket with yearlings topping at £985 for smart Aberdeen Angus cross from Llewellyn Farms.
Stronger sorts in short supply but those available were keenly sort after notably Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers topping the market at £1450 from F W Hamlyn & Son and quality Simmental cross steers and heifers to £1430 and £1275 respectively from T Pateman & Sons.
The annual consignment of 18 month Aberdeen Angus x Friesian heifers from E J Gribble were again well received with a top of £1090 and a favourable overall average of £970.

Principal Prices include: 

Continental Bred

8-10mths Limousin cross steer – £805 – M Twinley
10mths Charolais cross heifer – £900 – Vexour Pedigree Cattle
10mths Limousin cross steer – £865 – Goodsell Farm Partnership
12mths Simmental cross steer – £925 – Pig Knoll Farm
18mths British Blue cross steer – £1260 – K M Goddard Agri
20mths Simmental cross steer – £1430 – T Pateman & Sons
20mths Simmental cross heifer – £1275 – T Pateman & Sons
20mths Limousin cross steer – £1210 – E W & R E Hanks

Native Bred 

11mths Hereford cross heifers – £775 – Vexour Pedigree Cattle
23mths Hereford cross heifers – £1290 – High Chimney Farms
22mths Sussex heifers – £960 – Mrs G Henty
24mths Sussex cross steer – £1060 – Ross Farms
10mths Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers – £745 – L Nicholson
11mths Aberdeen Angus cross heifer – £930 – Vexour Pedigree Cattle
12mths Aberdeen Angus cross steer – £985 – Llewellyn Farms
15mths Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steer – £830 – Darren Manser & Son
17mths Aberdeen Angus cross steer – £1325 – K M Goddard Agri
18mths Aberdeen Angus cross steer – £1100 – H & S Nesfield
18mths Aberdeen Angus cross heifer – £855 – H & S Nesfield
18mths Aberdeen Angus cross heifer – £1090 – E J Gribble
20mths Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steer – £1450 – F W Hamlyn & Son

Calves –  102 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

A better trade all round today with several additional buyers present and helping to firm up the averages. Best calves a stronger trade but second grades benefiting most which will be reflected in the averages.
Bull calves to a top of £300, £290 and £250 for British Blues from Hickson Bros. Younger continental bulls to £225 from Falconhurst Estate and £190 from R & J Ledger. Native bulls wanted today with tops of £290 and £285 from J E Scutt & Sons for Aberdeen Angus, Herefords topped to £125 from Goddard & Son.
Heifers in strong demand with tops of £250 (x2) and £220 for British Blues from Hickson Bros, younger Blues from R & J Ledger topping at £170 & £165. Limousins to £135 from Falconhurst Estate. Aberdeen Angus selling to £255 from H O Champneys Ltd and £240 from J E Scutt & Sons.
Dairy bulls selling on a better trade but, arguably, a better entry as well which always helps. Tops of £130 for British Friesians from H O Champneys Ltd; best younger rearing types £30-£50 with bobbies £5-£20.
Weanlings – 10: A selection of Blue heifers from W G & T A Manford topped the trade selling to £320. As the weather begins to warm up so the trade for weanlings will also firm. Please do call to discuss if you have any to sell.

Bull Calves

British Blue cross – 13 – Ave £193.08 – Top £300 – Hickson Bros
Aberdeen Angus cross – 15 – Ave £199.33 – Top £290 – J E Scutt & Sons
Sussex cross – 1 – Ave £140 – Top £140 – J Warnock & Sons
Hereford cross – 3 – Ave £91.67 – Top £125 – Goddard & Son
British Friesian – 2 – Ave £110 – Top £130 – H O Champneys Ltd

Heifer Calves

British Blue cross – 19 – Ave £142.37 – Top £250 – Hickson Bros
Limousin cross – 1 – Ave £135 – Top £135 – Falconhurst Estate
Aberdeen Angus cross – 15 – Ave £137.67 – Top £255 – H O Champneys Ltd

Bull Weanlings

Holstein – 1 – Ave £180 – Top £180 – W G & T A Manford
Aberdeen Angus cross – 3 – Ave £175 – Top £175 – Plurenden Partnership

Heifer Weanlings

British Blue cross – 5 – Ave £304 – Top £320 – W G & T A Manford

 

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Tuesday Livestock – 7th March 2023

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

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