Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 30th April 2024

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Finished Hoggets -970

Top price per kg: 466p – O’Neil Smith Ltd
Top price per head: £236.00 – Anita Head-Hickson

A smaller entry of hoggs this week as we come towards the end of the season. It is beginning to look like we will have a short supply of finished sheep, be that hoggets or new season lambs, in the coming weeks. Trade has stabilised after the roller coaster couple of weeks we have had in the sector, but the averages do not represent the real depth of the trade at present due to the number of lean and mixed quality sheep now on offer. Best hoggets are still well above £4 kg and a superb run of hoggets from O’Neill Smith Ltd topped out at 466p kg, and averaged 426p kg This shows that fantastic prices are still available for the best goods on offer, despite the overall averages being down on the week.

38kg – £130.00 (342p/kg) – T Husk
39kg – £110.00 (282p/kg) – K & E Dean
40kg – £160.00 (400p/kg) – T Lyle & Partners
41kg – £183.00 (446p/kg) – T Husk
42kg – £135.00 (321p/kg) – Beslee Farms
43kg – £196.00 (456p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd
44kg – £205.00 (466p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd
45kg – £191.00 (424p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd
46kg – £209.00 (454p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd
47kg – £120.00 (255p/kg) – S T Phillips
48kg – £207.00 (431p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd
49kg – £228.00 (465p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd
50kg – £200.00 (400p/kg) – W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm
51kg – £197.00 (386p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd
52kg – £215.00 (413p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd
53kg – £216.00 (408p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd
54kg – £206.00 (381p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd
55kg – £184.00 (335p/kg) – Peter Gorringe
56kg – £196.00 (350p/kg) – T Lyle & Partners
57kg – £186.00 (326p/kg) – Robert Earey
58kg – £193.00 (333p/kg) – C Watkins
59kg – £174.00 (295p/kg) – K H W Hammerton
60kg – £199.00 (332p/kg) – Robert Earey
61kg – £200.00 (328p/kg) – C Watkins
62kg – £166.00 (268p/kg) – C Watkins
65kg – £195.00 (300p/kg) – C Watkins
92kg – £236.00 (257p/kg) – Anita Head-Hickson

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 20 – Top 342, Average 269.1
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 258 – Top 466, Average 328.7
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 402 – Top 465, Average 357.2
Other 52.1+ kgs – 265 – Top 413, Average 324.7

Store Sheep -290 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

A few more on offer this week and a good trade despite the late stage of the season that we are now entering. Top price £132 from Darren Napthine with several pens of stronger stores selling over £120 head.

Cull Sheep – 511 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewe: Top £250 – T Husk – Ave £126.65
Ram: Top £132 – K Lukehurst – Ave £127.25

A super trade once again with increased numbers and a better quality show of ewes in the pens. The best ewes regularly £130 – £160  to a top price of £250 from T Husk for superb Beltex bred ewes. Medium sorts £90 – £120 on most occasions with the leaner grazing types £60 – £80 throughout. There are regular buyers every week for all grades of ewes and with demands high I would have no hesitation in getting your ewes to us in the coming weeks.

Top prices included

Beltex cross to £250 – T Husk, Texel cross to £214 – T Husk, Charollais to £191 – G W Fuller & Son, Suffolk cross to £179 – G Lawrence & Son, Dorset to £165 – H F & J Glover, Mules to £139 – W J Hurley, Romneys to £143 – G Lawrence & Son

Ewes & lambs – 189 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

A much larger show of couples as to be expected for the time of year with a strong demand throughout. The best couples topped at £102.50 per life with for Suffolk x Mule ewes with Texel lambs at foot. Majority of the others were £85 – £95 per life for crossbred ewes continental lambs at foot with Romney ewes and lambs £75 – £80 throughout.
There is a strong demand for couples currently and we already have 350 plus commercial couples entered for the Spring Fair on Saturday 11^th May along with a number of other breeding sheep and rare breeds.

Sock Lambs – 45 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

A large entry of lambs saw trade top at £25 for several vendors with an overall average of £19.33 for all sold.

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  60 Sold

Auctioneer:Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Good numbers again with quality remaining more commercial, as in recent weeks, as the fire has eased for the very best cattle. Trade similar throughout with a strong balance of 12 buyers to take both slaughter and feeding cattle.
Very best beef bred cattle still up over 300p, to 308p for both Limousin steers and heifers from M B Farms. Quality types generally 270-295p and a good commercial trade for all grades particularly for the well fleshed cattle. Leaner feeders a very firm trade.
Dairy bred cattle remain strong and positive particularly when well covered. Hereford x Friesian steers from Alan Down to 266p, £1513, Limousin x Friesian steers 262p, £1674, heifers 261p; Dairy shorthorn steers to 256p, £1559.
A few more natives forward and well received. Angus x steers to 278p, £1499 M J Ashworth, heifers to 260p, £1583 W S Furnival Ltd. A fit strong Angus steer from B G & M A Tomsett to £1922. Sussex steers to 267p, £1546 Dan Mackelden Ltd, heifers to 260p £1583 W S Furnival Ltd.

Top Steers

M B Farms – Limousin – 308p/kg (£1737)
M B Farms – Limousin – 295p/kg (£2032)
W Alexander (Shoreham)- Limousin cross – 284p/kg (£1814)
Dan Mackelden Ltd – Limousin cross – 278p/kg (£1776)
M J Ashworth – Aberdeen Angus cross – 278p/kg (£1499)

Top Heifers

M B Farms – Limousin – 308p/kg (£1614)
M B farms – Limousin – 306p/kg (£1787)
M B farms – Limousin – 304p/kg (£1882)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin – 295p/kg (£1576)
R F & E A Simmons – White Park cross – 289p (£1500)

Average Prices

Steers 200 to 550kg -2 Sold – top 278p – Av 276p
Steers 551 to 650kg – 21 Sold – top 308p – Av 262p
Steers 651kg + – 2 Sold – top 295p – Av 274p
Heifers 300 to 500 kg – 5 Sold – top 280p – Av 268p
Heifers 501 to 590 kg – 20 Sold – top 308p – Av 268p
Heifers 591 kg + – 7 Sold – top 304p – Av 264p
Bulls – 2 Sold – top 211p – Av 198p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 59 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A terrific show of cows and overage, not only in terms of numbers but also regarding quality, saw plenty of flesh, and many younger, empty cows for feeding.
Trade superb from start to finish with more buyers around the ring for feeders and those looking for slaughter cows desperate to secure numbers at this stage of the year when numbers everywhere are falling.
Best end of the beef cows 210-240p with young feeding slips to 267p, £1492. Heavyweight meat cows often over £1500 selling to £1857. Few older grazing cows and little under 160p.
Limousin x 267p, £1492 (Non FA) L Palmer & Sons; 233p, 232p, 224p, 204p, £1407, £1383, £1354, £1296 (Non FA) C Goodwin; 212p, £1396 A J Thompson & Sons; 208p, £1857 (Non FA) Mrs G West; 205p, £1595 (Non FA) J Loveridge; 195p, £1459 M J Ashworth; British Blue x 205p, £1779 (Non FA) Mrs G West; 200p, £1507 (Non FA) J Loveridge; 186p, £1252 J Berryman; Angus x 197p, 186p, 184p, £1680, £1623, £1596 (Non FA) Boty Farms; 182p, 180p, 179p, £1303, £1180, £1086 (Non FA) Swanley Farms; 178p, £1163 (Non FA) P J S Farms; South Devon 180p, £176p, £1553, £1360 (Non FA) H & S Nesfield; Simmental x 180p, £1310 (Non FA) R J Southey; Traditional Hereford 174p, 173p, £1070, £989 (Non FA) Grace Natural Foods; 170p, £1051 (Non FA) J Newington; Sussex 170p, £1068 (Non FA) Mrs G West.
A small show of dairy culls this week but some very good cows amongst them.
Holstein Friesian 186p, £1539 W F Farms; 185p, 175p, £1614, £1352 M A & F W Owen; British Friesian 183p, 174p, £1414, £1397 R & J Ledger.
Stock Bulls (1) Just the one younger sharp Limousin at 168p, £1206.
Overage (6) Consistently strong in this section.
Charolais x OTM heifer 267p, £1532; Limousin x 3+ heifer 266p, £1633; Charolais x OTM heifer 240p, £1209; Sussex OTM heifers 238p, 226p, £1318, £1206; Limousin x 3+ steer 220p, £1383.

Beef Cows – 46 Sold – Top 267, Average 186.3
Dairy Cows – 6 Sold – Top 187, Average 175.7

Store & Breeding Cattle – 323 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

A good selection of breeding stock on offer. Bulls topped at £4,000 from Messrs. Vaughan (Pembrokeshire, Wales), for a superb 24 mths Limousin bull. Others to £2,900 from A Boyd & Co, and A W Vincent had a 5yr old proven Limousin bull at £2,700. A larger number of cows and calves with a genuine reduction of older cows from Gallagher Farms saw an autumn calving Limousin cow and calf to £2,220 and Angus cow and calf to £2,000.
Numbers still coming forward in force but with a much larger number of vendors in the catalogue, with smaller consignments, having now seen most of our bigger store cattle vendors already successfully sold. Trade remains very firm for all grades with plenty of customers for younger cattle to turnout at this stage.
Top spot was taken by Gallagher Farms with 14 mths Limousin cross steers to £1590, followed closely by R & H Vincent with Limousin steers to £1540. Heifers topped at £1550 from J S & M D Antrum & Son for strong 21 mths Blue x Friesian, followed by Angus heifers from J Farrant to £1295. Good interest in heifers for bulling with Sussex from Wright Farm Partners to £1205
Demand is strong for the harder out wintered sorts with a run of 24 mths Sussex and Angus heifers from K Loveridge topping at £1195.
Please do get in contact if you have any queries or if you have store cattle to sell. We expect to have a larger sale on the 14^th May however can sell all grades every week.

Principal Prices include: 

Native:

Angus x steers 11 mths – £1065 – T Lyle & Partners
Angus x heifers 12 mths – £940 – T Lyle & Partners
Sussex steers 12 mths – £785 – Wright Farm Partnership
Hereford steers 14 mths – £1040 – B C Ginger
British Shorthorn steers 14 mths – £1155 – I M Symonds
Angus x steers 15 mths – £1390 – Gallagher Farms
Angus x steers 14 mths – £1140, £1130 – J & A Lyon
Angus x heifers 14 mths – £1090 – J & A Lyon
Sussex heifers 24 mths – £1205, £1005 – Wright Farm Partnership
Angus x Fr heifers 16 mths – £1085 – P J Forknall

Continental:

Simmental x steers 12 mths – £1170 – M & M L Goodwin
Limousin x steers 12 mths – £1005 – F S Husk
Limousin x heifers 10 mths – £820 – G W Bridges
Blue x Fr heifers 11 mths – £735 – Hall Place Farms
Limousin x steers 14 mths – £1590 – Gallagher Farms
Limousin x steers 18 mths – £1220 – F W Hare & Sons
Limousin x heifers 22 mths – £1260 – J Prior & Son

Store & Finished Pigs – 25 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Finished (7) – A very limited entry which is disappointing given the high demand we are now seeing; more pigs could certainly have been sold to sellers advantage today. Best finished all to 142p pk with top price in the lump to C Higgins at £132.06.
Cull (8) – Much sharper trade for culls today with tops of 60p pk or £153 from P R Esposito, with sows averaging 44p pk or £100 per head. Just two white boars forward from R G Gibson & Son both selling for 29p pk or £94.98. More sows needed to fulfil demand.
Stores (10) – Demand for stores from a variety of accounts with 7 young Berkshire weaners from J Boggia selling for £20 whilst some forward Berkshires from E Matebalavu traded hands at £76.

A polite request to all vendors to please pre enter all pigs on the Monday morning prior to a pig sale. This is to help us to help you by ensuring that buyers are kept up to date with entries.

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 7th May 2024

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

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