Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 3rd May 2022

Sheep Sales Reports

Finished Sheep – 2,189 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Finished Hoggets

Top price per kilo: 322p/kg – T Husk Top price per head: £168 – O’Neil Smith Ltd

Just over 2,000 penned again this week but perhaps not the overall quality of last week. The top end sheep were of a tremendous standard with a run of Beltex hoggets from O’Neil Smith Ltd selling to a top price of £168 hd and an average of £154. In general, the heavy trade was a bit harder with £120 – £125 hd being the common price achieved, due to a huge number of these being on offer with over 70% of the entry falling into this bracket. In the lighter and medium weights, we certainly saw less quality on offer which impacted the averages considerably, but the best of these are still trading up to and over £3 kg. Numbers of hoggets are expected to come under pressure in the next few weeks which could mean a lift in prices, but this will be dependent on the number of new season lambs that come forward.

Just under 100 new season lambs penned and a similar trade to last week with the average of 328p kg and a top price of £145 hd from Mark Gammons. Demand is there for these new season lambs and it is growing each week, but the numbers on offer are not yet great enough to allow butchers to switch fully to new season lamb on the counters.

Top Prices

37kg – £118.00 (319p/kg) – N Shorter
38kg – £115.00 (303p/kg) – J Pearce
39kg – £111.00 (285p/kg) – E Chantler & Sons
40kg – £95.00 (238p/kg) – R J Adams
41kg – £116.00 (283p/kg) – F de Boer & Partners
42kg – £134.00 (319p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd
43kg – £125.00 (291p/kg) – M A Piper & Son Farms
44kg – £130.00 (295p/kg) – M A Piper & Son Farms
45kg – £145.00 (322p/kg) – T Husk
46kg – £135.00 (293p/kg) – M A Piper & Son Farms
47kg – £135.50 (288p/kg) – M A Piper & Son Farms
48kg – £137.00 (285p/kg) – M A Piper & Son Farms
49kg – £150.00 (306p/kg) – T Husk
50kg – £145.00 (290p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd
51kg – £145.00 (284p/kg) – T Husk
52kg – £166.00 (319p/kg) – T Husk
53kg – £166.00 (313p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd
58kg – £168.00 (290p/kg) – O’Neil Smith Ltd

Averages (p/kg)

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs -133 – Top 319, Average 254.3
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs- 529 – Top 319, Average 261.5
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs- 830 – Top 322, Average 262.4
Others over 52.1 kg – 557 – Top 319, Average 229.8

Breeding Sheep – 118 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook O’Connell 07712 246474

Another good show of couples this week with a total of 118 couples on offer, to average £71.50 per life. Top call on the day included A Town with single couples to £212 (£106 per life), K J Lukehurst selling his crossbreds to a top price of £225 (£84.00 per life) followed by M Hooker & Son selling to £238 (£79.50 per life). Please do inform me of any couples that you intend to sell so we can try and advertise them the best we can.
**  Jim Lukehurst offered a single ewe with two lambs for sale with the proceeds to be donated to the Kent, Sussex and Surrey air ambulance trust. The outfit made £225 and was purchased by Don and Jo Masters, Iden Green.
Please note there will not be a sale on Friday 13th may as previously advertised, if wishing to sell breeding sheep please contact to enter on a Tuesday to suit.

Cull Sheep – 545 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewes: Top £177 – O’Neil Smith Ltd, Average £123
Rams: Top £170 – G McKie, Average £137.50

Yet again trade on a flyer with good numbers continuing to come forward week on week. Highlights to include O’Neil Smith Ltd to £177 and £159, A A Palmer & Sons and Langrish Farmers to £157, P N & C Burden £153, A J W Smith £152, and W G Watkins to £150. All grades of sheep are in strong demand with plenty of competition so if you have ewes to sell now is a good time to do so.

Top Prices include

Beltex to £177 – O’Neil Smith Ltd, Texel to £157 – Langrish Farmers, Suffolk to £157 – A A Palmer & Sons, Charollais to £157 – R & S L M Smith, Mules to £144 – Kingswood, Romneys to £137 – Langrish Farmers, Jacobs to £94 – S J Reeve & Son, Nanny Goats to £66

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle – 39 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

A good attendance at ringside with nine individual successful buyers ensuring strong prices throughout for the well fleshed sorts to the leaner cattle in need of further finish.

Again, the best-bred continental cross took the pick of the trade at 250 p plus with the top steer and heifer £1855 (273p) and £1594 (268p) respectively for smart Limousin cross from W Alexander (Shoreham).

The best of the dairy bred cattle around 230p notably British Blue x Friesian steer £1524 (239p), Hereford x Friesian steer £1480 (230p) and purebred Friesian steer £1304 (229p) from A J Down.

Aberdeen Angus cross cattle were well received with steers attracting 235p plus and up to £1564 (245p) and £1571 (235p) from F Sole & Son while heavy weights sold to £1713 (232p) from Leggatt Framing Ltd and purebred Sussex steer looked well sold at £1248 (236p) from Gillshaw Farms Ltd.

However top price of the day was for a superbly muscled 21 mths British Blue bull at £2068 (280p) from J & S Wareham.

A good attendance at ringside with nine individual successful buyers ensuring strong prices throughout for the well fleshed sorts to the leaner cattle in need of further finish.

Again, the best-bred continental cross took the pick of the trade at 250 p plus with the top steer and heifer £1855 (273p) and £1594 (268p) respectively for smart Limousin cross from W Alexander (Shoreham).

The best of the dairy bred cattle around 230p notably British Blue x Friesian steer £1524 (239p), Hereford x Friesian steer £1480 (230p) and purebred Friesian steer £1304 (229p) from A J Down.

Aberdeen Angus cross cattle were well received with steers attracting 235p plus and up to £1564 (245p) and £1571 (235p) from F Sole & Son while heavy weights sold to £1713 (232p) from Leggatt Framing Ltd and purebred Sussex steer looked well sold at £1248 (236p) from Gillshaw Farms Ltd.

However top price of the day was for a superbly muscled 21 mths British Blue bull at £2068 (280p) from J & S Wareham.

Top Steers

W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin Cross – 273p/kg (£1855)
Gillshaw Farms Ltd – Limousin Cross – 254p/kg (£1417)
A J Down – Limousin Cross – 250p/kg (£1484)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin Cross – 249p/kg (£1600)
Gillshaw Farms Ltd – Limousin Cross – 248p/kg (£1398)

Top Heifers

W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin Cross – 268p/kg (£1594)
Gillshaw Farms Ltd – Limousin cross – 253p/kg (£1594)
G L Boulden & Sons – Blonde Cross – 250p/kg (£1384)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin Cross – 250p/kg (£1384)
W Alexander – Limousin Cross – 248p/kg (£1546)

Average Prices (p/kg)

Steers up to 650kg – 18 Sold – Top 254 – Av 238.50
Steers over 651kg – 6 Sold – Top 273 – Av 240.60
Heifers up to 590kg – 10 Sold – Top 253 – Av 231.20
Heifers over 591kg – 4 – Sold Top 268 – Av 247.60

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 46 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795200357

Whilst only a short entry after the Bank Holiday we were blessed with some of the best Continental cows we have seen in the cull section for some time. Limousin from J & S Wareham sold to 254p and 246p, grossing up to £1959 and £1724, whilst their fleshed Black Herefords sold to 198p and 194p, £1500 and £1329. No stopping this trade with numbers certain to remain tight over the coming months. Keep asking that difficult question and take advantage of current extraordinary rates.

Limousin cross 254p, £1724 Tottingworth Farms; Limousin 246p, £1959 J & S Wareham; Aberdeen Angus cross 207p, 202p, 201p, 196p, 192p, £1525, £1446, £1303 P Parkes; Sussex 203p, £1043 J Hooker & Son; 196p, £1134 (Non FA) J Muscat; 195p, £1449 Montreal Estate; 189p, £1263 (Non FA) Bosney Farm; Hereford cross 198p, 194p, £1500, £1329 J&S Wareham; 191p, £1267 (Non FA) J P J Wanstall; Lincoln Red 189p, £1263 (Non FA) N Morgan; Simmental cross 181p, £1119 J Hooker & Son.

Only a few culls from the dairy section and all leaner cows this week. Trade again fantastic.

Holstein Friesian 180, 170p, £1246, £1264 H O Champneys; 176p, £1281 W F Farms; Flekvieh cross 176p, £1237 (Non FA) A R G Cyster & Sons.

Stock bulls very much wanted, Limousin £1257, 148p.

Overage Sussex steers to 215p and 208p, £1158.

Beef Cows – 28 Sold – Top 254p/kg, Average 191.6p/kg
Dairy Cows – 14 Sold – Top 180p/kg, Average 150.9p/kg

Store Cattle – 55 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

A very small entry but regular buyers in attendance ensuring competitive prices throughout.

The few strong stores on offer sold exceptionally well with a quality Hereford cross steer topping the market at £1450 from Bocketts Farm. A Simmental steer sold at £1190 from P C Coleman. Other prices included yearling Beef Shorthorn steers at £835 from Kinnear & Co, and 14 mths Hereford cross steers £870 from Bocketts Farm Ltd.

Breeding Cattle – 92 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

A well supported sale of breeding cattle today with strong demand for all classes.

A total of 5 bulls forward with a top of £3,400 for a February 2019 born Limousin from A J Britton. Blondes sold to £2,600 and £2200 from G L Boulden & Sons and a British Blue from Tilley Farm Partnership sold for £1,360.

Cows & Calves to suit most budgets today with a keen trade throughout. Stronger units most sought after though smaller framed cows still seeing strong demand and looking well sold. Outfits forward as part of the Herd Dispersal from P T & S J A Beale topped the trade at £1,600 for a 6 Year old Limousin cow with a strong 5mths registered sire Aberdeen Angus bull calf at foot. A J Britton’s entry topped at £1,560 for a Sussex cross cow with Angus registered sire bull calf at foot. Mrs H Edmonds pen topped at £1,490 for a 6 year old Angus cross cow with Limousin heifer calf at foot.

A handful of maiden Sussex heifers again today with strong demand seen for all. Trade topped at £1,000 for a 34 mths heifer from Brookside Garden Centre with other pairs to £980 and £940 from the same vendor. Younger 12 mths old Pedigree Sussex heifers from Kinnear & Co topped at £740 after keen bidding. The second pen looked well sold with strong demand again at £700.

Pigs – 30 Sold

Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07741 845230

Bank holiday and a short week – need we say more!! For 2 sales in a row, we have had this problem accentuated by the large numbers of pigs still “in the system” and being offered to slaughter. Again, we had only a small entry.

The entry of finished pigs saw 2 heavy gilts make 102p per kg and handy Oxford, Sandy and Blacks from Bocketts Farm making 80p per kg and grossing to £60.

The cull trade was non-existent with the one boar offered returning home!

A consignment of coloured stores sold to £20.

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 10th May 2022

Regular Weekly Market with a catalogued sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

320 Store and Breeding Cattle will be catalogued for this sale.

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here