Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 3rd October 2023

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

New Season Lambs – 542 Sold

Top price per kg: 313p – R G Hobbs Farms
Top price per head: £150 – R G Hobbs Farms

Again a very small entry of sheep for the finished section, whilst the store numbers on offer increase every week. The declining numbers on offer, locally and nationally, has certainly boosted prices with a real fight for the best lambs in the pens with top prices  flying up with the final pens of the day topping the sale at £150 and 313p for a super pen of Charollais cross lambs from R G Hobbs Farms. With the cost of feed and the weather changing we can see a shortage of these best finished sheep in the coming weeks so any lambs you may have nearing this point, it certainly looks like it will pay to get them to good weights and finished. If you would like to discuss this, please do not hesitate to contact me.

37kg – £105.00 (284p/kg) – R J Adams
38kg – £90.00 (237p/kg) – J J Butcher
39kg – £106.50 (273p/kg) – R & S L M Smith
40kg – £120.00 (300p/kg) – R J Adams
41kg – £118.00 (288p/kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
42kg – £117.00 (279p/kg) – A P Friend
43kg – £126.00 (293p/kg) – D Isaac
44kg – £121.00 (275p/kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
45kg – £131.00 (291p/kg) – R G Hobbs Farms
46kg – £131.00 (285p/kg) – D Isaac
47kg – £137.00 (291p/kg) – R & S L M Smith
48kg – £150.00 (313p/kg) – R G Hobbs Farms
50kg – £136.00 (272p/kg) – D Isaac

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 43 – Top 284, Average 234.6
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 311 – Top 300, Average 257.6
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 169 – Top 313, Average 274.3
Other 52.1+ kgs – 10 – Top 269, Average 267.5

Cull Sheep – 517 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewe: Top £121 – R G Hobbs Farms, Average £70.80

A very similar trade throughout will all shapes and sizes on offer. The best ewes regularly £85 – £105 and to a top price of £121 from R G Hobbs Farms for strong Suffolk ewes. Medium sorts £60 – £80 on most occasions with leaner grazing types £40 – £60 throughout with only the very few worst sold below these figures. We have buyers present every week for all grades of ewes, please do inform me of any large consignments of ewes you intend on selling in the coming weeks.

Top prices included

Suffolk to £121 – R G Hobbs Farms, Texel cross to £120 – R G Hobbs Farms, Suffolk rams to £110 – D Lindon, Texel to £106 – G Lawrence & Son, Charollais to £85 – J J Butcher, Mules to £86 – W G Watkins & Sons, Romney to £80 – Lucketts Farm

Ram Monday – Monday 25th September – 188 Sold

John Rossiter 07557 392903 & James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Top price: £800 – Claire Langrish                                                                   Ave £517

A super show of rams with a fantastic trade from start to finish with 84 successful buyers leaving a total clearance of 90%. The MV accredited rams were sold first and topped out at £800 from Claire Langrish for one of many superb Texel shearlings. Other mentions in the MV section were Miss M Friend with Beltex shearlings to £550 and R & N Warnock with Texel shearlings to £660.
The majority of rams were in the Non-MV section which was kicked off with Mr C Fuggle with his smart Suffolk shearlings reaching highs of £760, and topping the Suffolk department. A Suffolk shearling from N A Balcomb & Son was not far behind at £740 with multiple others in the £700’s. Texel shearlings to £780 from both Mr Ed Stretton and Miss Amy Hedges with plenty of strength and quality in both vendors rams. A good run of strong Charollais shearlings to £770 from B J Baker, with N A Balcomb & Son again in close attendance and to £700 for their run of lively Charollais shearlings.
Overall, this was yet another successful Ram Monday with both happy vendors and purchasers.

Store & Breeding Sheep – Friday 29th September – 5,235 Sold

Auctioneers: John Rossiter 07557 392903 & James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Just over 2,000 Romney ewe lambs went through the ring on Romney day last week and the trade, reflecting the quality on offer, was variable. The show was well judged by Mr Tim Ashworth and the very best lambs had no problem in selling in excess of £100 to a top price of £140 from Mr J Lukehurst, second prize in the show class. The champion pen which was shown by Langrish Farmers, sold to a very pleasing £124, with their second pen selling at £112. Third place was taken by W T Kemp and these changed hands at £105.
The general trade for the whole entry was at times a little trickier than we have seen in recent years, but the quality ewe lambs all found new homes to go on for breeding purposes. Lesser types sold at prices in line with the store lamb trade with buyers present to take these types of lambs. Overall, the average was a shade over £85 which is in line with recent years.
A large entry of Romney ewe tegs with a teg to suit a wide variety of buyers preferences. The ewe tegs kindly judged by Mr Tim Ashworth (Romney Marsh) saw 1^st Prize go to Mr G Homewood, 2^nd Prize to G L Boulden & Sons and 3^rd Prize to A J Thompson & Sons. Top price on the day was £198 from H V Link Partnership with their second pen to £190 both pens being Pedigree ewe tegs.
Other top prices:- Lovejoy Farms Partnership to £172, F G Pierce & Sons to £172, Mr G Homewood to £168 (1^st prize winners), N A Balcomb & Son to £158, D W Page & Son to £156, Caleb Rayner to £154 and A J Thompson & Sons to £154. We will have more Romney ewe tegs and other breeds on 6^th October for anyone looking to purchase. Catalogue available to view online. Do not hesitate to get in touch with any further entries for the coming weeks.
The breeding ewes were of much interest as ever with the attendance of regular Romney day buyers as well as some new faces looking to get in on the Romney Day action. A flock dispersal from A J Harrison saw their best to £136 which took the top spot on the day with their next best to £130. Another flock dispersal, this time from Fairtrough Farm topped out at £95 with their 3-4 lamb ewes and £94 with their 2 lamb ewes. Other highlights were Jimmys Farm to £125, T Baker to £120, J Saunders & Son to £110, R Mair & Son to £97 and both Langrish Farmers and G & A Atterton to £96 with many more unmentioned. A good number of ewes are already entered for 6^th October with catalogues available online, if you have any more entries for the coming weeks please get in touch.
Less rams were on offer this year than we have seen in years past, but the number of breeders has certainly declined over the years, even in the relatively short period I have been involved with the breed. However, the overall quality of the rams on offer I feel is increasing every year with some tremendous tups on offer now from some very devoted and passionate breeders, which has been reflected in the prices achieved in recent times. The champion crown was taken by the Balcomb family once again this year and this pure specimen of a ram sold for £1750 to Lovejoy Farm Partnership, we will look forward to seeing his offspring in years to come. Another marvellous run of rams of note from H V Link Partnership sold to £1150 with great competition from local farmers to secure one of their rams. Overall there was a super clearance rate of the sheep on offer on the day with the vast majority of the sheep staying locally, which reflects on the confidence in the future of the breed.

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  37 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Two quality runs of Limousin cross took top honours, notably, smart heifers topping the market at £1851 (309p) from W G Vant & Sons and top draw steers from A J Thompson & Sons attracting 270p plus with the pick grossing £1859 (272p), £1840 (288p) and £1781 (295p).
A similar trade for native bred with best Stabiliser cross and Angus cross heifers £1628 (257p) and £1540 (253p) respectively from W S Furnival Ltd. Angus cross steer £1603 (238p) from R L Brown and Limousin cross heifer £1229 (244p) from Langrish Farmers.
Heavy weight Angus cross bull grossed well at £1960 (208p) from R C & J L Pickering.

More cattle wanted every week at these improved prices.

Top Steers

A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 295p/kg (£1781)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 292p/kg (£1603)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 289p/kg (£1586)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 288p/kg (£1840)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 287pkg (£1547)

Top Heifers

W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 309p/kg (£1851)
W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 296p/kg (£1832)
W S Furnival Ltd – Stabiliser cross – 257p/kg (£1628)
W S Furnival Ltd – Aberdeen Angus cross – 253p/kg – (£1540)
Langrish Farmers – Limousin cross – 250p/kg (£1409)

Average Prices

Steers up to 550kg – 6 sold – Top 292p – Ave 275p
Steers over 551kg – 11 sold – Top 295p – Ave 270p
Heifers up to 590kg – 11 sold – Top 250p – Ave 240p
Heifers over 591kg – 6 sold – Top 309p – Ave 255p
Bulls – 3 sold – Top 208p – Ave 185p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 56 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A few nice feeding cows forward today but overall quality was very mixed with very little flesh on bones and a high proportion of minority breeds and plainer cows from the dairy. Trade remains very strong for all grades and is likely to remain so with little likelihood of significant numbers nationally.
Best feeders 225p – 250p with feeders looking to target the New Year market when demand always strengthens after the Christmas period. Best meat cows would be 200p with commercial types 170p – 190p. Older feeders 140p – 160p.
Limousin x 254p 194p £1420 £1219 D G & J W Gore, 189p £980 R F & E A Simmons; British Blue x 227p 186p £1291 £1057 D G & J W Gore; Piemontese 190p £1374 (Non FA) T Turner; Sussex 184p 176p 170p £1028 £941 £869 D G & J W Gore; Hereford x 170p £1263 (Non FA) C Yarnold; Galloway 150p £695 (Non FA) C Ovenden; British White 149p £1158 (Non FA) D Light; Longhorn 145p £867 (Non FA) N Hutley.
Too few meat cows coming out of the dairies (not surprisingly!) but all grades look a remarkable trade for the time of year.
British Friesian 174p 166p £1249 £1134 B J Goodsell & Son; Holstein Friesian 156p 150p £1089 R C & J L Pickering; Jersey 97p (2) £458 £357.
Stock bulls (3) wanted. Charolais 158p £1638; Limousin 127p £1284; Longhorn 125p £984.
Overage (12) – A few more on offer and all eagerly taken up. Limousin x heifers 3yo+ 242p £1521; British Blue x heifers 3yo+ 223p 210p £1391 £1383; Angus OTM heifer 244p £1278; Holstein Friesian OTM steers 221p 215p 208p 200p £1544 £1474 £1466 £1370 (2).
Good trade more wanted.

Beef Cows – 27 Sold – Top 254, Average 163.3
Dairy Cows –11 Sold – Top 174, Average 129.4

Store & Finished Pigs –  26 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Finished (20) – A better overall standard of pigs forward this week but we would be missing the real top end of a fortnight ago. That said, trade remains strong with several new orders competing for all classes. An entry of mainly porkers topping at 235p or £195.05 from regular vendor C K Guest, with averages 209.15p or £167.18 per head. Cutting pigs to 200p or £186 from Miss Judge with averages of 186.69p or £173 per head. Saving the best until last with Bacon pigs from M Dallaway racing away to hit the top prices today. A lovely pair of Duroc pigs forward weighing 112.5kgs and selling to 232p or £261 per head.
Cull (3) – Just the 3 today with 2 native bred sows and a boar. More spark in the trade again with tops for sows of 72p or £194.40 from Kingswood. M Newell selling his boar to 52p or £179.40. Sows averages £180 per head.
Stores (3) – A pen of Berkshire weaners forward selling well with strong demand at £54 per head.

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 – 10th October 2023

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here