Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 2nd August 2022

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

New Season Lambs – 1,694 Sold

Top price per kg: 289p – Link Bros
Top price per head: £141.50 – Link Bros

Trade was harder this week than we have seen all season, but the overall show of quality and meat was still very good which in turn helped to keep prices up, as it always does when times are tougher. Sensibly less lean, store types on offer this week which helped the average price per head to reach £116, which for the time of year is still a very good return. Best lambs selling over £140 hd from Link Bros with other runs from C & J Georgetti & Sons, Mervyn Woodroofe and  L E Humphreys & Sons all sold in excess of £130. Smaller Continental export types were trading from 270-290p kg with the overall average returned at 255p, well ahead of many other auctions centres around the country.

Top Prices

36kg – £85.50 (238p/kg) – P H Hope
38kg – £100.00 (263p/kg) – M J Ashworth
39kg – £104.00 (267p/kg) – J Watt
40kg – £109.50 (274p/kg) – J Watt
41kg – £108.00 (263p/kg) – C Ely
42kg – £119.00 (283p/kg) – Mount Lodge Farm
43kg – £120.00 (279p/kg) – Miss G Jackson
44kg – £118.00 (268p/kg) – L E Humphreys & Sons
45kg – £127.50 (283p/kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
46kg – £133.00 (289p/kg) – Link Bros
47kg – £132.00 (281p/kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
48kg – £135.00 (281p/kg) – Link Bros
49kg – £137.00 (280p/kg) – L E Humphreys & Sons
50kg – £138.00 (276p/kg) – M R Woodroofe
51kg – £125.00 (245p/kg) – M J Ashworth
52kg – £141.50 (272p/kg) – Link Bros
53kg – £135.00 (255p/kg) – L E Humphreys & Sons

Averages (p/kg)

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 188 – Top 263, Average 239.9
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 920 – Top 283, Average 252.1
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 562 – Top 289, Average 271.1
Over 52.1 kgs – 23 – Top – 272, Average 252.8

Cull Sheep – 605 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook O’Connell 07712246474

Ewes: Top £142 – Bocketts Farm Ltd, Average £80.93
Rams: Top £118 – C Bull, Average £94.48

A much larger show of ewes penned with many more lean grazing sorts, as a result of the current drought, now bringing overall average returns down. Best fleshed ewes ranging from £110-£130 with only the very best over this and selling to £142 from Bocketts Farm Ltd for some Charollais ewes. Medium sorts £80-£110 with leaner grazing sorts £50-£70, and very few being sold below these figures. Well fleshed ewes are looking in very short supply and demand for these remains strong.

Top prices included:

Charollais to £142 – Bocketts Farm Ltd, Suffolk cross to £140 – Bocketts Farm Ltd, Texel cross to £140 – C Sparrowhawk, Beltex cross to £139 and £136 – C A Worley Farming Ltd, Mules to £123 – North Frith Farms, Romneys to £124 – Wey Street Farm

Store and Breeding Sheep – 4,190 Sold

Auctioneers: John Rossiter 07557 392903 and Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

The first store lamb sale is always a tricky sale to predict! Where will the trade will be? I wish I had £1 for every call I received last week for predictions! A number of factors come into this determination of trade, unlike in the finished section where just the supply and demand of the meat drives it up and down. In the early store lamb sale last year, we saw an average price of £85 all included and this year we returned an average of £74.50. This does seem a backward step when we have been seeing record prices for all classes of sheep all spring but as I previously mentioned, several other factors affect this trade. The paramount reason for this drop is the drought across the country with a lack of grass and worries over establishment of turnip crops. Another reason is that the overall quality of the sheep on offer this year was not as strong as we saw last year. A major factor to consider is that, historically, several buyers of lambs in July will intensively feed the stronger lambs on concentrates and this year, with the much high prices of hard feed, they have chosen not to take this course of action.

However, despite the doom and gloom of the last paragraph, and all factors considered, the trade was still buoyant with sheep departing Ashford for literally all corners of the country with a spread of over 450 miles from the furthest destinations of our buyers.  In particular, demand was stronger for the continental lambs that were holding slightly more condition than many of the native bred types. A top price of £86 was seen for Charollais cross from Miss J A Biddle, whose well fleshed top pen also topped the sale at £104 hd. Other good Continentals of note from R Mair & Son and H G Tompsett & Sons Ltd sold over £85 hd.  Top price Suffolk Mules to £85 from D Howard Farms Ltd.

Charollais cross – £104.00 – Miss J A Biddle
Charollais cross – £94.50 – Miss J A Biddle
Charollais cross – £86.00 – Miss J A Biddle
Charollais cross – £75.20 – J Prior & Son
Texel cross – £86.00 – H G Tompsett & Sons Ltd
Texel cross – £85.50 – R Mair & Son
Texel cross – £85.00 – G & H Bates
Texel cross – £83.00 – K Wheeler & Sons
Texel cross – £73.00 – R Mair & Son
Suffolk cross – £85.00 – D Howard Farms Ltd
Suffolk cross – £81.50 – D Howard Farms Ltd
Suffolk cross – £81.50 – J & C Kellett
Suffolk cross – £81.50 – C H Ellis Ltd
Crossbred – £81.50 – Bungehurst Farms Ltd
Cross bred – £75.50 – C B Hope
Crossbred – £74.00 – Bungehurst Farms
Crossbred – £70.00 – Miss K Davis
Southdown – £70.00 – S Bourne
Romney – £67.00 – R Woods
Romney – £60.00 – Miss K Davis
Lleyn – £52.50 – C & H Theobald

Principal average prices – p per head

Charollais cross – 392 – Top £104.00, Ave £76.83
Texel cross – 2,250 – Top £86.00, Ave £75.33
Suffolk cross – 1,073 – Top £85.00, Ave £75.79
Crossbred – 308 – Top £81.50, Ave £65.15
Southdown – 3 – Top £70.00, Ave £70.00
Romney – 75 – Top £67.00, Ave £62.97
Lleyn – 26 – Top £52.50, Ave £52.50

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle – 59 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A strong trade for a much larger entry, undoubtedly, assisted by the high overall quality of the entry. Mid-summer is often not the easiest of times for the meat trade but the clear national shortage of product is obviously assisting in maintaining overall rates despite the downward pressures of heat and holidays.

Shape and finish on all weights kept the trade on a high level and more customers around the ring added to the atmosphere.

Heavier shaped British Blue cross steers from RJT Farm Lands sold to 268p, £1740, and generally 255-265p. Other quality beef bred types 249p, £1574 from A J Thompson & Sons; 248p, £1710 K Wheeler & Sons and 247p, £1611 D W Page & Son. Native cattle in demand and nicely fleshed with Devons from K Wheeler & Sons to 247p, £1467; Sussex to 237p, £1490 from J M & S M Ogilvy and 235p, £1489 from D W Page & Son.

Well fleshed dairy bred Limousin steers from A J Down a tremendous trade selling to 252p, £1682 and generally 230-248p.

Another short show of heifers and this will remain a feature this year as a higher proportion of females will have been retained for breeding.

Quality beef types to 261p £1559 RJT Farm Lands, 258p, £1700 from W Alexander (Shoreham), 252p, £1290 from R F & E A Simmons and 249p, £1413 from A J Thompson & Sons.

Native heifers eagerly wanted with handyweight Aberdeen Angus to 239p, £1288 from W Alexander (Shoreham) and nice fleshed Sussex to 229p, £1312 (2) from J M & S M Ogilvy.

A pair of leaner Sussex bulls from L Stevens & Sons to 195p kg.

Top Steers

R J T Farm Lands – British Blue cross – 268p/kg (£1709)
R J T Farm Lands – Limousin cross – 266p/kg (£1686)
R J T Farm Lands – British Blue cross – 265p/kg (£1613)
R J T Farm Lands – British Blue cross – 263p/kg (£1599)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 258p/kg (£1700)

Top Heifers

R J T Farm Lands – British Blue cross – 261p/kg (£1511)
R J T Farm Lands – British Blue cross – 256p/kg (£1559)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 256p/kg (£1482)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 252p/kg (£1283)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 249p/kg (£1290)

Average Prices (p/kg)

Steers up to 550kg – 1 sold – Top 227p
Steers 551 to 650kg – 26 Sold – Top 268 – Ave 245.8
Steers over 651kg – 16 Sold – Top 258 – Ave 242.1
Heifers up to 500kg – 1 Sold – Top 249
Heifers 501 to 590kg – 12 Sold – Top 261 – Ave 243.6
Heifers over 591kg – 1 Sold – Top 256
Bulls to 650kg – 2 Sold – Top 195 – Ave 188.3

 

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 44 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Mostly dairy culls this week, with less than a dozen beef crosses on offer as many pastures dry to a crisp and attention turns to preserving winter forage.

As with last week the fleshed cows are holding up very well but the plain types have eased from the high levels of a month ago. More competition around the ring today. These lean cows are still look a fantastic price. Feeding interest still very positive so take advantage if you have empty, dry cows and wean your calves!?

Limousin cross 219p, 213p, 200p, £1306, £1224, £118 Northfields Farm, 218p, 188p, £1425, £1374 R F & E A Simmons, 194p (2), 186p, £1335, £1317, £1267 J Berryman; Sussex 169p, £1003 (Non- FA) A J Sanders.

Beat of the fleshed dairy culls 160-175p kg with the half meat cows 130-150p, whilst the plain types generally 100-130p kg.

British Friesian 176p, 166p, £1597, £1293 R & J Ledger, 172p, £1320Parrett & Son; Holstein Friesian 166p, 163p, £1471, £1233 W G & T A Manford, 164p, 163p, £1341, £1233 M A & F W Owen; Guernsey’s 151p, 136p, £1106 W G & T A Manford; Jersey’s 107p, £469 Falconhurst Estate.

Just one overage steer forward with a fleshed Devon steer 222p kg, £1227.

Beef Cows – 11 Sold – Top 219p/kg, Average 194.0p/kg
Dairy Cows – 32 Sold – Top 176p/kg, Average 133.2p/kg

 

Store Cattle – 40 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A seasonal entry, in terms of numbers and quality, this week with a predominantly dairy theme to the entry. Demand for store cattle remains positive despite the dry conditions and vendors selling stock today were well rewarded. Steers topped at £1,115 for strong fleshy Devon Steers from Mount Lodge Farm. Dairy cross steers topped at £810 from A Farris. Younger grazing Sussex steers from P & A Butler were well sought after and topped at £675.

Heifers showing more size, overall, than the steer entry with a top of £1,160 for a strong British Blue cross from P & G & J Carden. Aberdeen Angus cross heifers from the same home traded hands at £1,105. Beef Shorthorn cross from C Kearl made £940. Younger Sussex grazing heifers again from P & A Butler topped at £625.

Calves – 108 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

A significant lift in numbers this week aided by missing a sale due to the extremely hot weather a fortnight ago. Trade, certainly, a little easier than we have become accustomed to in the past 12 mths but this comes as no surprise with buyers reporting concerns over margins as a result of high input costs and uncertainty over winter forage stocks as the drought continues. This is certainly not an isolated problem and other regional and national centres have been reporting similar trades for several weeks now. Stronger types still well enough sought after but smaller and second grade calves harder to place.

Bulls to £365 from J E Scutt & Sons for British Blues with further calves to £320 from the same home; £295 from Hickson Bros & good to see J Warnock & Sons back with Blues to £250. Aberdeen Angus Bulls to £240 form J W Boyd & Sons Ltd, £230 from Kingcott Diary and £220 from J W Boyd & Sons. Sussex harder work all round topping at £90. Herefords found a little more spark with a top of £220 from Goddard & Son.

Heifers a similar story with a top of £340 for Blues from W G & T A Manford who also sold to £310, J E Scutt & Sons Blue heifer run topped at £280; Limousins to £240 from D J Miles and Simmentals to £180 from R &J Ledger. Angus topped at £160 (x2) from J W Boyd & Sons. Hereford heifers harder to place than the bulls with a top of £150 from Goddard & Son. Dairy bulls seemingly riding high today with demand strong and trade buoyant for the goods on offer. Tops today of £140 for strong Holsteins from W G & T A Manford with second graders £75 – £100. Bobbies easier between £10 – £20.

Weanlings – 8 sold

More than expected and selling well given the keep situation and certainly not a vintage entry in terms of quality. Tops of £390 for a smart Blue bull at 3mths from D Murdoch & Son who also sold a nice Blue heifer at 3mths for £350.

Bull Calves

British Blue – 23 – Top £365 – Average £221.30
Simmental – 1 – Top £200 – Average £200
Sussex – 5 – Top £90 – Average £82
Aberdeen Angus – 13 – Top £240 – Average £172.31
Hereford – 5 – Top £220 – Average £184
British Friesian – 5 – Top £105.00 – Average £72

Heifer Calves

British Blue – 19 – Top £340 – Average £201.84
Simmental – 1 – Top £180 – Average £180
Limousin – 1 – Top £240 – Average £240
Aberdeen Angus – 9 – Top £160 – Average £112.22
Hereford – 4 – Top £150 – Average £105

Bull weanling

British Blue – 1 – Top £390 – Average £390

Heifer weanlings

British Blue – 1 – Top £350 – Average £350
Aberdeen Angus – 1 – Top £200 – Average £200

Steer weanlings

British Blue – 1 – Top £200 – Average £200
Aberdeen Angus – 1 – Top £200 – Average £200

 

Notices – John Lowings, Ashford

John Lowings – Former Secretary and Director of Ashford Cattle Market Co Ltd.
We are sad to learn of the death of John Lowings earlier last month.
John was a director of Ashford Cattle Market for 27 years and served as the Company Secretary for 23 years before his retirement in 2014.
John’s contribution to the efficient management and development of the business was of enormous value. This was especially the case in the late 1990’s during the sensitive and complex negotiations relating to the relocation of the Market from the old town centre site to its current location on Orbital Park.
John will be remembered fondly by all at the market company for his wise counsel and sound advice, which he provided in his own cheerful and helpful way.

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 9th August 2022

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here