Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 4th April 2023

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Finished Hoggets – 2,123

Top price per kg: 311p – M B Farms

Top price per head: £159.00 – R H Smith & Ptns

Another good entry of over 2,000 hoggs this week and a huge number of heavies now on offer, with over 1,600 in that bracket. Trade was on a similar level to last week, in terms of the averages per kilo, but the prices per head were considerably higher with all the weight on offer. Top headline taken by Jason Smith this week with a tremendous run of heavies that topped out at £159 head. Another superb run of sheep came from Peter Gorringe who sold over 200 hoggets up to £156 head, to average £144 all included. Despite these high gross prices for the heavy hoggets, some of the dearest sheep were, in fact, the lighter and leaner sorts with numerous pens over £3 kg. Lighter lambs for the ethnic trade or export are very scarce nationally and we could have easily sold double the amount of these this week without any negative impact on the trade. With Easter Monday creating a shorter week next week, we anticipate another good trade, and we will be open to receive sheep or cattle in the lairage from 3pm on Easter Monday.

Store Hoggets – 796 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Another absolute flyer of a trade this week with some real confidence in the trade going forward in the next 4-6 weeks, with stores selling up to £127 head! Some of these stronger stores would be most likely destined for slaughter due to the shortage of the lighter lambs in the finished section but, remember, they all had store buyers as underbidders. An average price of £95 all included and one of the best store trades we have seen for quite a long time. If you still have them, sell them!

35kg – £100.00 (286p/kg) – S B & A E Martin
36kg – £105.00 (292p/kg) – S B & A E Martin
37kg – £110.00 (297p/kg) – S B & A E Martin
38kg – £115.00 (303p/kg) – S B & A E Martin
39kg – £119.00 (305p/kg) – I Symonds
40kg – £109.00 (273p/kg) – I M Symonds
41kg – £125.00 (305p/kg) – S King
42kg – £125.00 (298p/kg) – M B Farms
43kg – £129.00 (300p/kg) – Garuara Estates Ltd
44kg – £137.00 (311p/kg) – M B Farms
45kg – £128.00 (284p/kg) – C A Worley Farming Ltd
46kg – £138.00 (300p/kg) – S King
47kg – £137.00 (291p/kg) – W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm
48kg – £150.00 (313p/kg) – P Gorringe
49kg – £135.00 (276p/kg) – Garuara Estates Ltd
50kg – £146.00 (292p/kg) – N A Balcomb & Son
51kg – £156.00 (306p/kg) – P Gorringe
52kg – £140.00 (269p/kg) – P Gorringe
53kg – £138.00 (260p/kg) – B Head
54kg – £149.50 (277p/kg) – P Gorringe
55kg – £147.00 (267p/kg) – P Gorringe
56kg – £144.00 (257p/kg) – Garuara Estates Ltd
57kg – £149.00 (261p/kg) – P Gorringe
58kg – £142.00 (245p/kg) – B Head
60kg – £146.00 (243p/kg) – R H Smith & Ptns
62kg – £135.00 (218p/kg) – J Wayman
70kg – £159.00 (227p/kg) – R H Smith & Ptns 

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 154 – Top 303, Average 278.6
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 431 – Top 311, Average 272.1
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 967 – Top 313, Average 260.7
Over 52.1 kgs – 562 – Top 277, Average 248.8

Cull Sheep – 729 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewe: Top £155 – Henry Bullock, Average £90.79
Ram: Top £125 – Langrish Farmers, Average £125.00

A big number in the pens with a super trade throughout. The best ewes regularly £90 – £120 and to a top price of £155 from young Henry Bullock for his strong Suffolk ewes. Medium sorts £60 – £90 on most occasions with leaner grazing types £40 – £60 throughout with very little sold below these figures. There are a good number of buyers in attendance every week for all grades of ewes.

Suffolks to £155 – Henry Bullock, Texels to £145 – Garuara Estates Ltd – Charollais to £143 – D J Morphett, Texel cross to £134 – M A Piper & Son Farms, Beltex to £123 – T Archer, Suffolk cross to £122 – C & J Georgetti & Sons, Romneys to £103 – N A Balcomb & Son, Mules to £95 – R & S L M Smith

Ewe & Lambs – 9 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

A small entry of Southdown ewes with lambs at foot from M Sladden, topping out at £157 (£67.29) and averaging £147.75 (£65.67).

Spring is finally here, do not hesitate to get in contact with any breeding sheep you have to sell.

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  47 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

A slightly improved trade this week with a new gross record set at £2511 (296p) for a well-muscled British Blue bull from Price & Shelbourne. Another superb run of Limousin cross from M B Farms, virtually swept the board on the top prices, all at 300p plus and grossing up to £2020 for top steer of the day.
Other top prices included Limousin cross steer and heifer at £1873 (270p) and £1674 (275p) respectively from W Alexander (Shoreham) and Limousin cross heifer at £1564 (275p) from W S Furnival Ltd.
A Limousin x Friesian steer looked well sold at £1632 (266p) from A J Down and a run of purebred Friesian steers ranging in the 240 to 263p bracket and grossing up to £1456 from the same vendor.
A good percentage of native bred cattle on offer generally ranging in the 240 to 260p bracket with the top prices including Sussex cross steer £1576 (261p) and Aberdeen Angus cross heifer £1383 (264p) from W S Furnival Ltd, Aberdeen Angus cross heifer £1839 (259p) and Hereford cross heifer £1347 (250p) from R C & J L Pickering.

Top Steers

M B Farms – Limousin cross – 309p/kg (£2020)
M B Farms – Limousin cross – 301p/kg (£1953)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 275p/kg (£1674)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 270p/kg (£1873)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 266p/kg (£1632)

Top Heifers

M B Farms – Limousin – 316p/kg (£1940)
M B Farms – Limousin cross – 311p/kg (£1738)
M B Farms – Limousin cross – 308p/kg (£1937)
M B Farms – Limousin – 300p/kg (£1767)
M B Farms – Limousin cross – 300p/kg (£1647)

Average Prices

Steers up to 650kg – 16 sold – Top 301p – Ave 260p
Steers over 650kg – 3 sold – Top 309p – Ave 276p
Heifers up to 500kg – 7 sold – Top 278p – Ave 256p
Heifers 501kg to 590kg – 16 sold – Top 311p – Ave 264p
Heifers over 591kg – 3 sold – Top 316p – Ave 292p
Bulls – 2 sold – Top 296p – Ave 274p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 41 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Numbers will undoubtedly tighten over coming weeks as more stock goes to grass so have a look around for any late calving cows that are never going to calve! Seeing is believing and the current trade is simply outstanding with the best younger beef cows 230-260p, a lot of well fleshed commercial cows 190-220p, and little but the oldest and plainest below 170p. Take advantage of these rates before turnout as some condition will always be lost when going to grass
Aberdeen Angus cross 261p, 224p, 216p, 211p, £1810, £1615, £1462, £1430 (Non FA) Llewellyn Farms, 228p, £1411 P Parkes; Sussex 241p, £1239 (Non FA) S Carter, 205p, 198p, £1462, £1442 (Non FA) Wright Farm Ptnrs; Stabiliser cross 222p, £1617 C E & S M Stevens; Blonde cross 210p, £1540 C E & S M Stevens; British Blue cross 210p, 206p, 202p, £1467, £1441, £1325 (Non FA) Scaynes Farm, 209p, 208p, £1324, £1287 R C & J L Pickering; Hereford 190p, £1184 (Non FA) J Dinnis & Ptnrs.
Remarkable rates continue for all from the dairy sector.
Holstein Friesian 206p, 190p (2) £1410, £1354 J W Boyd & Sons; 201p R C & J L Pickering; 185p, 177p, 173p, £1328, £1324, £1310 Huddlestone Farmers;
Guernsey 173p, £957 R C & J L Pickering.
Few overage but wanted with a strong Simmental heifer over 3 year old at 218p, £1436.

Beef Cows – 22 Sold – Top 261, Average 203.0
Dairy Cows – 16 Sold – Top 206.0, Average 176.1

Store Cattle – 218 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Not the numbers, or the quality, of stores compared to last week but nevertheless a good attendance of buyers at ringside were in a competitive mood ensuring strong prices and a brisk trade from start to finish.
Hard done coaty youngsters sold exceptionally well with turning out time just around the corner and these attracted prices in excess of £700 and up to £845 for yearling Hereford cross steers from G D K George.
Again, the better Continental cross yearlings sold in excess of £1000 with very smart British Blue cross steer topping the section at £1440 from R D E Spencer and quality Limousin cross heifers of the same age to £1170 from M J Ashworth.
Strong cattle to finish short term in short supply this week but very keenly sort after with a 2 year old Sussex x Blue cross steer topping the market at £1680 from A Smith & Son.

Principal Prices include:

Continental Bred

12mths Charolais cross steers – £820 – Goodsell Farm Ptnsp
12mths Limousin cross steers – £1000 – M & M L Goodwin
13mths Limousin cross steers – £1060 – S J F Agriculture
12mths Charolais cross heifers – £990 – G D Venner
13mths British Blue cross steers – £1440 – R D E Spencer
12mths British Blue cross heifers – £1130 – R D E Spencer
12mths Limousin cross steers – £965 – G W Bridges
12mths Limousin cross heifers – £1170 – M J Ashworth
16mths British Blue cross steers – £1150 – P R Lanham
18mths British Blue cross steers – £1355 – K M Goddard Agri
24mths Limousin cross heifers – £1260 – D Ward

Native Bred

10mths Beef Shorthorn cross steers – £770 – Mrs H Harmer
12mths Friesian steers – £680 – J Warnock & Son
12mths Sussex cross heifers – £845 – J Dinnis & Ptns
12mths Hereford cross steers – £845 – G D K George
12mths Hereford cross heifers – £760 – G D K George
10mths Aberdeen Angus cross heifers – £700 – P Parkes
11mths Aberdeen Angus cross heifers – £930 – Freshfields Farm
12mths Aberdeen Angus cross steers – £995 – Llewellyn Farms
13mths Aberdeen Angus cross steers – £1075 – Collick & Son
13mths Aberdeen Angus cross heifers – £895 – Collick & Son
14mths Aberdeen Angus cross steers – £1125 – G C Kirby & Son
13mths Aberdeen Angus cross heifers – £910 – G C Kirby & Son
14mths Aberdeen Angus cross heifers – £980 – G D Venner
16mths Beef Shorthorn cross steers – £880 – S J F Agriculture
19mths Friesian steers – £1050 – K M Goddard Agri
24mths Sussex cross steers – £1680 – A Smith & Son

Store and Finished Pigs –  14 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Finished (4) – A very small entry with 2 75kg pigs forward from C Higgins to 112p and some heavy but leaner boars from J Howie to £94.00. Significantly more pigs required to fill orders with strong trade waiting for the right goods.
Cull (10) – A mixed bag of sows and boars sold today with weight and conformation most in demand. Tops of 70p/kg for sows or £192.50 from North School YFC with some other handy weight fleshed sows from Princess Christian Farm to 58p or £139.20. Boars a little easier than in previous weeks with tops of 30p (£100.50) from S Scott & Son.
Stores – No stores this week however several enquiries from prospective buyers who are looking to fill pens for the coming months. Please don’t hesitate to call and discuss trade if you have some to sell!

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 – 11th April 2023

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here