Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 31st January 2023

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Finished Hoggets – 2,191 Sold

Top price per kg: 284p – A Denning
Top price per head: £139.00 – Miss A Hedges

A few less hoggets on offer this week and a stronger trade. Bigger and heavier is certainly best now with these types in short supply around the country making the heavyweight bracket of 46-52 kg the dearest in p kg this week at 246p kg. Top on the day was Miss Amy Hedges with a tremendous pen of crossbred lambs at £139 head with other runs from H Rivers and A Jull breaking above the £130 head barrier. Smaller lambs are out in big numbers this week with very little weight on offer across the board. The best meated of these selling around £90-100 head with some superb Beltex lambs from A Denning selling to 284p kg.
Just about 1,000 stores on offer this week and a good quality entry, with several pens of stronger stores. Top on the day were some Suffolk Mule stores at £86.50 from John Hecks with next best price to the same vendor at £81. Several pens of smaller types on the day would look well sold in comparison to the bigger lambs and even the finished trade, but the gamble is when they will be finished, and what will the finished trade be by then?

Top Prices

35kg – £88.00 (251p/kg) – G L Harris
36kg – £89.50 (249p/kg) – I Lucas
37kg – £94.50 (255p/kg) – I Lucas
38kg – £108.00 (284p/kg) – A Denning
39kg – £94.50 (242p/kg) – I Lucas
40kg – £99.50 (249p/kg) – I Lucas
41kg – £109.00 (266p/kg) – L Stevens & Sons
42kg – £104.00 (248p/kg) – A J W Smith & Son
43kg – £119.50 (278p/kg) – Beslee Farms
44kg – £122.00 (277p/kg) – L Stevens & Sons
45kg – £120.00 (267p/kg) – H Rivers
46kg – £116.00 (252p/kg) – H Rivers
47kg – £127.00 (270p/kg) – H Rivers
48kg – £120.00 (250p/kg) – H Rivers
49kg – £132.00 (269p/kg) – A Jull
50kg – £131.50 (263p/kg) – H Rivers
51kg – £132.00 (259p/kg) – H & J Noakes
52kg – £130.00 (250p/kg) – N C & C G Hedges
54kg – £139.00 (257p/kg) – Miss A Hedges
55kg – £130.00 (236p/kg) – C S Cooper
57kg – £133.50 (234p/kg) – D R Thompson

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 402 – Top 284, Average 228.7
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 473 – Top 278, Average 237.5
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 372 – Top 270, Average 246.3
Over 52.1 kgs – 47 – Top 257, Average 240.6

Cull Sheep – 281 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewes: Top £121 – Miss A Hedges, Average £75.39

A similar number of ewes in the pens with trade very much the same throughout. The best ewes regularly £80-£110 and to a top price of £121 from N C & C G Hedges for some quality Texel ewes. Medium sorts generally £60-£80 with leaner sorts £40-£60. Plenty of buyers in attendance for all grades of ewes.

Texels to £121 – Miss A Hedges, Texel cross to £119 – Mount Lodge Farm Ltd, Suffolk cross to £110 – S T Phillips, Mules to £94 – W G Vant & Sons, Romneys to £94 – N A Balcomb & Son

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  55 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Another fabulous trade with the overall Market average in excess of 260p and smart Limousin cross heifers breaking RECORDS. The 300p level initially broken by W G Vant & Sons at 308p only to be broken minutes later by D W Ferguson Ltd at 310p. Great credit to both vendors. A top gross of £1844 for Limousin cross heifer again from W G Vant & Sons. In addition to top prices quoted below other prices worthy of note include Limousin cross heifer £1743 (275p) from P W & P Sim & Son and continental cross heifers £1791 (274p) and £1777 (274p) from W S Furnival Ltd.
Another quality run of well finished Limousin x Friesian steers from A J Down again rang the bell in the 250p to 276p bracket and grossing up to £1811, and an average overall average of £1668.
An increased entry of native bred cattle were well received with Sussex heifers £1436 (257p) from P Ibbot and £1425 (267p) from A H Hoad & Son, Aberdeen Angus cross heifer £1472 (248p) from W S Furnival Ltd, Aberdeen Angus cross steers £1577 (255p) from J S & M D Antrum & Son and £1506 (258p) from Leggat Farming Ltd, Hereford cross steer £1422 (250p) R C & J L Pickering and heifer £1331 (260p) from S Marsh and Friesian heifer £1428 (249p) from T Castle & Son.

Top Steers 

W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 285p/kg (£1749)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 282p/kg (£1815)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 276p/kg (£1735)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 275p/kg (£1811)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 275p/kg (£1729)

Top Heifers

D W Ferguson Ltd – Limousin – 310p/kg (£1532)
W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 308p/kg (£1814)
W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 298p/kg (£1844)
D W Ferguson Ltd – Limousin cross – 290p/kg (£1708)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 283p/kg (£1582) 

Average Prices

Steers up to 550kg – 6 sold – Top 274p – Ave 258p
Steers 551 to 650kg – 14 sold – Top 285p – Ave 263p
Steers over 651kg – 4 sold – Top 275p – Ave 262p
Heifers up to 500kg – 5 sold – Top 310p – Ave 260p
Heifers 501 to 590kg – 16 sold – Top 308p – Ave 260p
Heifers over 591kg – 9 sold – Top 298p – Ave 262p
Bull – 1 sold – 210p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 106 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Another excellent entry though with a different complexion with a far higher proportion of dairy culls this week. Less Farm Assured beef types on offer, though this is making less impact nowadays.
Trade remaining at outstanding levels with the best beef cows 200-240p, and the best shaped and fleshed dairy culls 170-190p. Gross returns spectacular with South Devons to £1769, Limousins to £1719, Sussex to £1493 whilst 3 dairies saw their Black & White cows top at over £1500. Plenty of activity in the feeding market with yarding and grazing cows keenly contested.
Fleshed beef cows regularly 180-215p with little under 160p whilst younger feeders 180-240p. Older cows obviously less but looking very well sold.
Limousin cross 236p, £1719 Price & Shelbourne, 214p, £1569 Gardners, 190p, 184p, £1270, £1220 A J Bray, 187p (2) £1287 J Berryman, 187p, £1194 R F & E A Simmons; Sussex 230p, 216p, 200p, £1293, £1237, £1125 J Hooker, 216p, 193p, £1482, £1358 (Non FA) A H Hoad & Son, 206p, 197p, £1493, £1305 (Non FA) D Rusbridge, 206p, £1007 Brookside Garden; Hereford cross 219p, 194p, £1377, £1219 J Berryman, 192p, £1178 A J Bray; Simmental cross 204p, £1292 K Graham T/A G R Orpin, 190p,183p, £1270 J Hooker; Beef Shorthorn cross 200p, £1408 K I Lingham & Son; British Blue cross 199p, £1260 K I Lingham & Son; South Devon 197p, 182p, £1769, £1352 Gardners, 188p, £1575 (Non FA) A J Strand & Son; Charolais 196p, 179p, £1486, £1303 (Non FA) A J Strand & Son; Aberdeen Angus cross 190p, £1563 J Berryman.
Best of the dairy cows closing in on 200p and plenty 150-180p with only a few poorer boners down below 120p. A grand run of true British Friesian cows from Debden Court Ltd sold to 189p, £1348 (10 av 178.9p £1192/head.
Holstein heifers 225p, £1560 D Murdoch & Sons; 218p, £1196 R C & J L Pickering; 200p, £1177 J E Scutt & Sons; Holstein Cows 192p, 178p, £1482 J E Scutt & Sons; 181p,179p, £1507, £1383 D Murdoch & Sons; 175p, £1518 J S & M D Antrum & Son; 169p, £1331 P J Forknall; 168p, 158p, £1441, £1315 Goddard & Son; 162p R C & J L Pickering; 160p, 158p, £1324 M S Clifford-Baynes; 159p, 155p, £1228, £1182 A L Betts Ltd; British Friesian 189p, 184p, 181p, 177p (2), 175p (2) £1348, £1335, £1294, £1262, £1208; Brown Swiss 178p, £1429 D Murdoch & Sons; Dairy Shorthorn 173p, £1139 Parrett & Son; 161p, £1156 J Howie; Ayrshire 165p, £1094 J Howie.
Stock Bulls wanted but sadly non forward!
A short show of overage clean and badly wanted. Limousin cross OTM heifers 242p, 230p, £1316; Aberdeen Angus cross OTM heifer 219p, £1136.

Beef Cows – 50 Sold – Top 236, Average 185.7
Dairy Cows – 53 Sold – Top 218, Average 154.5

Store Cattle – 78 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Although a small entry there were clear signs of what we can expect in the store cattle ring over the forthcoming months.
Competition at ringside is fierce and a reflection of the prices achieved in the finished market and the tight supplies of cattle throughout the UK.
Despite few top quality stores on offer the majority of Continental cross youngsters ranged in the £700 to £980 bracket and stronger cattle £1100 plus and topping at £1190 for a Beef Shorthorn cross steer from A L Betts Ltd.

Principal Prices include: 

Continental Bred

7mths Limousin cross steer – £750 – J Bower
14mths Blonde cross steers – £980 – R M Christie
16mths British Blue cross steer – £1010 – N J & A M Howlett
18mths Limousin bull – £1080 – Miss H Dent
23mths Limousin cross heifer – £965 – J H & A H Godden

Native Bred

5mths Sussex steers – £515 – D Rusbridge
5mths Sussex heifer – £500 – D Rusbridge
14mths Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steer – £835 – R Winstone
19mths Aberdeen Angus cross steer – £1130 – N J & A M Howlett
19mths Beef Shorthorn steer – £1190 – A L Betts Ltd
19mths Beef Shorthorn heifer – £1100 – A L Betts Ltd

Calves – 92 sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Calves 88 – A mixed entry today made up of a significant amount of younger calves which are being sold earlier than they perhaps have been for a while. Trade remains harder work with an air of caution remaining amongst buyers despite the strong trade at the other end of the market.
Best bulls on offer today to £155 for British Blues from R & J Ledger, and P J Forknall. A single Simmental from R C & J L Pickering topped at £110. A greater selection of natives this week with Aberdeen Angus to £200 and £150 from J E Scutt & Sons Ltd, Beef Shorthorns to £120 from A L Betts Ltd and Herefords to £240 from Goddard & Son.
Heifers this week offering value with British Blues to £100 from R & J Ledger, £95 from P J Forknall and £90 from A L Betts Ltd. Simmentals to £155 and £145 from R & J Ledger, Aberdeen Angus to £85 from A L Betts Ltd and £70 from Goddard & Son. Herefords not as well followed to £65 from Goddard & Son.
Purebred dairy calves much the same as the beef crossbreds this week with tops of £80 for Norwegian Red crosses from J E Scutt & Sons. Most stronger calves £50-£80 with the plainer smaller and younger types much harder work with most below £30.
Weanlings 4 – A pen of 3-4 months dairy bulls from R C & J L Pickering sold to £100. Stronger calves and weaned calves in demand with buyers looking on.

Bull Calves

British Blue cross – 13 – Ave £108.85 – Top £155 – P J Forknall
Simmental cross – 1 – Ave £110 – Top £110 – R C & J L Pickering
Aberdeen Angus cross – 12 – Ave £84.58 – Top £200 – J E Scutt & Sons
Hereford cross – 5 – Ave £110 – Top £240 – Goddard & Son
Beef Shorthorn cross – 2 – Ave £107.50 – Top £120 – A L Betts Ltd

Heifer Calves

British Blue cross – 4 – Ave £92.50 – Top £100 – R & J Ledger
Simmental cross – 2 – Ave £150 – Top £155 – R & J Ledger
Aberdeen Angus cross – 13 – Ave £35.46 – Top £85 – A L Betts Ltd
Hereford cross – 4 – Ave £41.75 – Top £65 – Goddard & Son 

Weanling Bull
Holstein Friesian – 2 – Ave £100 – Top £100 – R C & J L Pickering

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 7th February 2023

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

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