Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 28th July 2026

Sheep Sales Reports

New Season Lambs –1,612 sold.

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top Price Per Kilo – 387p – G H Dean & Co, Kent.
Top Price Per Head – £192.00 – P N & C Burden, Kent.

The two tiers are still standing prominently in the finished sheep section with a large price gap between them of almost £100 in the most extreme cases and like I said lasty week, this is the reason we must not cast any judgement on the levels that the averages are returned at each week. Best finished and well fed lambs are still 350-400p/kg with some good runs on offer from regular supporters G H Dean & Co and C & J Georgetti & Sons who topped both sides of the sale with 387p/kg and £192/hd respectively. These lambs are still very well sold and, in a position, approximately £10 ahead of last year, despite the recent easing in the demand. The second tier in the trade is being made up by a pricing structure that I feel will be more in line with the store trade around the country, and again in comparable terms to last year and times before that, look very well sold for lambs coming off grass (or no grass in some cases).

36 – £117.00 (325p kg) – Lovejoy Farm Partnership
37 – £137.00 (370p kg) – G H Dean & Co
38 – £147.00 (387p kg) – G H Dean & Co
39 – £147.00 (377p kg) – G H Dean & Co
40 – £149.00 (373p kg) – G H Dean & Co
41 – £150.00 (366p kg) – C A Worley Farming Ltd
42 – £159.00 (379p kg) – G H Dean & Co
43 – £152.00 (353p kg) – John Wickham (Cranbrook) Ltd & G H Dean & Co
44 – £165.00 (375p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
45 – £167.00 (371p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
46 – £175.50 (382p kg) – G H Dean & Co
47 – £179.00 (381p kg) – G H Dean & C
48 – £185.50 (386p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
49 – £179.00 (365p kg) – D Isaac & Holly Chandler
50 – £185.00 (370p kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
51 – £177.00 (347p kg) – Mrs H West
52 – £190.00 (365p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
53 – £192.00 (362p kg) – P N & C Burden
54 – £190.00 (352p kg) – D Isaac & Holly Chandler
55 – £191.00 (347p kg) – North School YFC
56 – £177.00 (316p kg) – Master H Lucas
59 – £185.00 (314p kg) – Masters Farm

Averages (p/kg)

Prime NSL SQQ – 367.06

Prime NSL SQQ – 344.05

Light 32.1 to 39kgs – 144 – Top 387, Ave. 351.1
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 444 – Top 379, Ave. 342.1
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 555   – Top 386, Ave. 358.8
Over 52.1 kgs – 149 – Top 365, Ave. 351.9

Cull Sheep – 353 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

Top Price Ewes: £205.00 – N A Balcomb & Son – Ave. £120.28

A much more varied show in the pens with leaner sorts starting to fill a larger percentage of the numbers we are seeing.
The best ewes regularly £150 – £170 and to a top price of £205 for smart Texels from N A Balcomb & Son. Medium sorts £120 – £140 on most occasions with leaner grazing types £90 – £110 throughout with only 5 sold under £90 per head.
Please let me know of any large consignments of ewes you have to sell in the coming weeks in order for us to inform the relevant buyers.

Top Prices Included:

Texels to £205 – N A Balcomb & Son, Charollais to £180 – N A Balcomb & Son, Suffolk cross to £171 – Leconfield Farms Ltd, Suffolks to £170 – N A Balcomb & Son, Texel cross to £168 – Stone Farms Ltd, Mules to £150 – Masters Farms, Romneys to £142 – S G & G T Orpin.

Ear Tags in Sheep
Please be aware of your responsibilities with regard to the tagging of sheep of all ages and in all sections of the market.

Cattle Reports

Finished Cattle –  48 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903.

Another very strong trade in the cattle ring with demand lifting again this week for beef, as the summer is warm, and the barbeques are in full use each weekend. Market topper, shapely cattle are in short supply for us at the moment, but we are seeing good entries of well finished and nice weight bracket cattle which are ideal for the butchers. The best on the day was a smart, overnight lairaged beast from R F & E A Simmons at 388p/kg, showing that the top cattle are wanted and make the money when we see them I the ring. A run of smart, well finished heifers from A J Thompson & Sons topped at 364p/kg and a fraction under £2300 in the lump, weekly supporter Alan Down with his regular entry was up maybe 10p on the week and the top on the day was Dan Mackleden Ltd for a super heavyweight steer at £2,569/hd. Less young bulls on offer this week with the top spot taken by G W Innes at £2109/hd.

Leading steer prices

R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 367p (£2328)
A J Down – Hereford cross – 356p (£2115)
R F & E A Simmons – White Park cross – 356p (£1991)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 351p (£2418)
A J Down – Hereford cross – 350p (£2149)

Leading heifer prices

R F & E A Simmons – Limousin – 388p (£2209)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 368p (£2058)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 368p (£1966)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 368p (£1966)
A J Thompson & Sons – Simmental cross – 365p (£1804)

Average prices

Steers 200 to 550 kgs – 1 – Top 346p, Ave. 346p
Steers 551 to 650 kgs – 7 – Top 367p, Ave. 343p
Steers 651 kgs + – 13 – Top 351p, Ave. 330p
Heifers 300 to 500 kgs – 6 – Top 365p, Ave. 279p
Heifers 501 to 590 kgs – 15 – Top 388p, Ave. 345p
Heifers 591+ kgs – 3 – Top 357p, Ave. 340p

OTM Cattle & Cull Cows – 11 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903.

Not very much to report here this week with a small number of cows on offer, with the dairy types all either side of £2/kg and only natives available in the beef cows. One cull bull on offer from P N & C Burden at 262p/kg.

Dairy Cows – 4 Sold – Top 228, Average 193.5

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, any stock that are incorrectly tagged may not be offered for sale. Local authority inspectors will be taking note as stock comes to market.

Pigs – 41 sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357.

A large show of, generally, heavier weight boar pigs met an easier trade but certainly not as bad as might have been anticipated with all pigs 95kg right up to 125kg and well suited to the hog roast and sausage market.
Would vendors please either do their licences on the Monday, or ring the office, so that we have some idea of numbers coming forward and can contact buyers. This week only 21 out of the 41 were licenced on Monday!
Tidy pigs generally 120-138p, topping for boars from the North School, with a few leaner types or super heavyweights 95p-110p.

 

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