Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 5th August 2025

Sheep Sales Reports

New Season Lambs – 1,325 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per kilo – 384p – C & J Georgetti & Sons, Kent.
Top price per head – £200.00 – P N & C Burden, Kent.

A few more in the pens which was welcomed by the buyers as numbers have been very much tighter than demand for the past few weeks. Prices were thought to be higher this week but generally the weights were a little higher and in my opinion the trade was very similar on a price per kilo level with the top spot taken for some heavy lambs from C & J Georgetti & Sons at 384p kg (grossing £187). Heavier sheep were obviously the order of the day with a very good quality entry of lambs penned all throughout, as the leaner types now tend to be destined for Friday sale instead, and the top spot was taken by P N & C Burden at £200 hd, which achieved a long standing ambition of the vendor to break this price target. It just was a terrible shame he was still in the café when they were sold, but the target was achieved in his absence. Other sold in the £170-190 price bracket include W G Watkins & Sons, G H Dean & Co and C & J Georgetti & Sons also. Best lambs sell for the best prices and competition is hot at the moment.

31 – £110.00 (355p kg) – Ross Douglas
33 – £111.00 (336p kg) – Lovejoy Farms Partnership
34 – £117.00 (344p kg) – R C & H G White
35 – £119.50 (341p kg) – W Cooke & Sons (Farmers) Ltd
36 – £128.00 (356p kg) – Catherine Cox
37 – £131.00 (354p kg) – P M Langridge
38 – £141.00 (371p kg) – Ross Douglas
39 – £146.00 (374p kg) – Catherine Cox
40 – £143.00 (358p kg) – M J Ashworth
41 – £146.00 (356p kg) – M J Ashworth
42 – £155.00 (369p kg) – G H Dean & Co
43 – £162.00 (377p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
44 – £169.00 (384p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
45 – £170.00 (378p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
46 – £176.00 (383p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
47 – £177.00 (377p kg) – P N & C Burden
48 – £181.00 (377p kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
49 – £187.00 (382p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
50 – £182.00 (364p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
51 – £174.00 (341p kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
52 – £179.00 (344p kg) – G H Dean & Co
53 – £185.00 (349p kg) – P N & C Burden
54 – £189.00 (350p kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
55 – £185.00 (336p kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
62 – £200.00 (323p kg) – P N & C Burden                      

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 281 – Top 371, Ave. 341.5
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 627 – Top 384, Ave. 343.9
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 351 – Top 383, Ave. 362.6
Others 52.0 + – 25– Top 350, Ave. 345.4

Cull Sheep – 438 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

Top price ewe: 226.00 – J A Biddle, Kent. – Ave. £131.02

A flyer from start to finish with more of those best fleshed types in the pens compared to what we have been seeing. The best regularly £160 – £180 and to a top price of £226 from J A Biddle for heavy Suffolk crosses followed by Charollais to £225 from D Wade. Medium sorts £130 – £150 on most occasions with leaner grazing types £80 – £110 throughout with only a very small number sold below these figures. Please keep these ewes coming forward with buyers present every week for all grades.

Top prices included:

Suffolk cross to £226 – J A Biddle, Charollais to £225 – D Wade, Texels to £200 – N A Balcomb & Son, Texel cross to £196 – G H Dean & Co, Crossbred to £194 – M J Ashworth, Romneys to £185 – T Thacker-Tahir, Mules to £148 – R Price & Son.

Ear Tags in Sheep
Please be aware of your responsibilities with regard to the tagging of sheep of all ages , and in all sections of the market.

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  64 Sold
Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357.

A terrific entry of quality cattle for the time of year, from vendors from throughout the South East. Plenty of cover in general and with a good company of buyers for all grades, rates a shade higher again as numbers nationally remain tight.
An outstanding homebred Limousin cross steer from Chris Cook stood clear on the day selling at 415p kg, £2528 whilst Sussex x Limousin heifers from Stephen Furnival topped the heifer section at 390p, £2259. A strong draw from A J Thompson & Sons saw homebred Limousin heifers to 384p, 381p (2), 379p, £2302, £2169; steers to 376p, 375p, £2442, £2434.
Best cattle generally 370-390p kg with a strong competitive trade for these well fleshed cattle for the retail and catering sector.
A terrific run of Limousin x Friesian steers from Alan Down to 377p (2) and 376p (2), £2375, £2272, £2254 etc. with his thick Hereford x Friesian steer to 370p, £2365. Limousin x Friesian heifer from George Sim to 365p, £2023.
Fleshed natives continue their excellent trade with Sussex steers to 367p C R Cook; Red Poll steers 357p, £2317 Trenchmore LLP and Aberdeen Angus heifers to 361p (2) from W S Furnival Ltd.
Another strong trade from the leaner cattle just requiring that extra “coat of paint”. R F & E A Simmons sold Limousin cross steers at 375p, £2341; R Haydon & Ptnrs sold Charolais cross steers to 360p, £2412; Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers to 350p, £2167.
Young bulls (8) Some quality bulls from C R Cook found demand from all quarters with British Blue cross bulls to 395p, £2328; Limousin to 388p, £2267; others to 380p (2), 375p, and 370p. Strong Charolais bulls 21 mths from Highfields Park Farm to 375p, £3296.
Good trade throughout, and thanks to vendors and purchasers.

Top Steers

C R Cook – Limousin cross – 415p (£2528)
C R Cook – Limousin cross – 389p (£2234)
C R Cook – Limousin cross – 382p (£2136)
C R Cook – Limousin cross – 378p (£2190)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 377p (£2108)

Top Heifers

W S Furnival Ltd – Limousin cross – 390p (£2259)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 384p (£1879)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 381p (£2302)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 381p (£2169)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 379p (£2044)

Average prices

Steers 200 to 550 kg – 3 – Top 373p – Ave. 359p
Steers 551 to 650 kg – 29 – Top 415p – Ave. 366p
Steers 651 kg + – 4 – Top 365p – Ave. 346p
Heifers 300 to 500 kg – 4 – Top 384p – Ave. 368p
Heifers 501 to 590 kg – 12 – Top 390p – Ave. 368p
Heifers 591 kg + – 4 – Top 381p – Ave. 349p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 35 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357.

Very much of a mid-summer season entry of cull cows, and with little rain overnight Monday / Tuesday we hardly benefited with changes of harvesting plans.
Nothing wrong with the trade which continues at excellent rates but the quality of cows rather variable particularly amongst the beef cows.
A few quality cows from Oxenford Farm, Godalming saw South Devon’s to 256p, £2116 and Simmentals to 267p, £2105. A trio of enormous Sussex cows from N J & J E Ventham, Dorking sold to £2114, £1976, and £1968 (240p kg).
A nice young Hereford cow from the Scott Brothers, Horsham to 274p, £1709, Red Poll graziers well sold with young types to 250p, 246p, £1185 from Robin Moxon, Earlsfield.
Some better cows amongst the dairy culls with strong Black & White cows from Oncoland Ltd to 256p, 252p, 245p (2), £2006, £2005, £1963, £1911. Tidy shaped Friesian types from Plurenden to 242p, £1872. A dry Dairy Shorthorn cow from Miss Jan Biddle at 255p, £1463. Jerseys from Hickson Bros to 198p, 180p, £958 & £817.
Stock bull (1) a heavy weight Aberdeen Angus bull grossing well at £3093 (246p).
Overage (7) continued strong demand for the older cattle, particularly when carrying flesh. Red Poll 3 + year steers to 316p, £1861 Trenchmore LLP; Aberdeen Angus x Friesian OTM steer 305p, £2147 E & J H Maylam; 3 + year Beef Shorthorn heifers302p (2), £1975, £1824; 4 + year Beef Shorthorn heifer 294p, £1922 G T Vickers & J E Dean Farm.
More Wanted Please!

Beef Cows – 13 Sold – Top 274, Average 239.1
Dairy Cows – 14 Sold – Top 256, Average 221.6

Store & Breeding Cattle – 65 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

A firm trade for store and breeding cattle following recent rainfall the grass is growing again.
Cows & calves form Brightleigh Farm to start topped at £1920 for Hereford cross cows with Angus cross calves at foot with other £1900 plus from the same home. Lincoln Red steers 16 mths from Rhino Plant Hire to £1190 followed by Angus x Friesian heifers 24 mths to £1380. K Loveridge took top spot with Angus cross heifers 26 mths to £2000 with others from the same home £1740 and £1680. A cracking pen of Hereford and Angus steers 24 mths from Brightleigh Farm topped at £1980 with 12 mths Angus steers from J A Biddle to £1480.
Store and breeding cattle are wanted and if you have any to sell in the coming weeks do not hesitate to get in touch

Calves – 55 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Another pleasing entry of calves midsummer and, again, a ring full of potential customers for all grades. “Mostly” quite young calves within the main ring but buyers keen to secure potential for the future. A decent selection of well reared youngsters in the outside pens with a large crowd surrounding them.
Some very good Aberdeen Angus calves forward with 10-21 day old bulls from Peter Forknall to £395 (2). Other tidy bulls generally £270 – £370 from Appleton Farms Ltd, J W Boyd & Sons Ltd & J Warnock & Sons. Angus heifers regularly £220 – £270, topping at £300 from Appleton Farms Ltd.
Not the strongest of entries amongst the British Blues. Bulls to £340 from Appleton Farms Ltd and generally £250 – £300 for 2-3 week calves. Blue cross heifers to £270 again from Appleton Farms Ltd. Blue crossed calves well sold with bulls to £225 and heifers £200.
A few Black & Whites bulls to £165 (2) with older Black & Whites to £240 from Oncoland Ltd.
Weaned calves (11) Plenty of interest and well sold. Charolais cross steer 4 mths, £560; British Blue cross heifer 5 mths, £560; Aberdeen Angus cross heifer 5 mths, £560 from A Pickford. British Blue cross heifers 7 mths, £570; Sussex cross bulls 6 mths, £460; Sussex cross heifer 6 mths, £380 W G & T A Manford.

Bull Calves
British Blue cross – 10 – Ave. £277.50 – Top £340.00 – Appleton Farms Ltd.
Aberdeen Angus cross – 13 – Ave. £332.69 – Top £395.00 – P J Forknall.
Holstein Friesian – 2 – Ave. £150.00 – Top £165.00 – J Warnock & Sons.
Holstein – 1 – Ave. £165.00 – Top £165.00 – Appleton Farms Ltd.
Heifer Calves
British Blue cross – 8 – Ave. £232.50 – Top £270.00 – Appleton Farms Ltd.
Aberdeen Angus cross – 5 – Ave. £261.00 – Top £300.00 – Appleton Farms Ltd.
Sussex cross – 1 – Ave. £190.00 – Top £190.00 – J Warnock & Sons.
Steer Calves
Holstein Frisian – 2 – Ave. £195.00 – Top £240.00 – Oncoland Ltd.
Bull Weanlings
Sussex cross – 2 – Ave. £460.00 – Top £460.00 – W G & T A Manford.
Heifer Weanlings
British Blue cross – 4 – Ave. £567.50 – Top £570.00 – W G & T A Manford.
Aberdeen Angus cross – 1 – Ave. £560.00 – Top £560.00 – A Pickford.
Sussex cross – 1 – Ave. £380.00 – Top £380.00 – W G & T A Manford.
Steer Weanlings
Charolais cross – 1 – Ave. £560.00 – Top £560.00 – A Pickford.
Holstein Friesian – 2 – Ave. £252.50 – Top £265.00 – Oncoland Ltd.

Cattle Passports
We remind producers that on no occasion should the details on a cattle passport be changed other than by returning it to BCMS.
If details are incorrect return and advise BCMS or advise the auctioneers on market day without writing on the passport.

 

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 12th August 2025

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here