Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 5th March 2024

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Finished Hoggets – 2,026 Sold

Top price per kg: 382p – J Wayman & T Husk
Top price per head: £216 – B J Baker

More out today as a result of the trade we have been seeing in recent weeks but, as we go further into the season, the sheep are now getting heavier on average which has changed the trade slightly to higher prices per head but slightly less in terms of pence per kilo, as can be seen in the averages today. We have now broken through the £200 price barrier and topped at £216 for some marvellous Charollais hoggets from Brian Baker, who broke the £200 mark on four separate occasions. Tom Husk also achieved this landmark figure three times in his run. Prices per kilo this week were all in excess of £3 to a top of 382p for some smart shaped hoggets from James Wayman.
The trade does not show any signs of relenting, but numbers are what will dictate what happens from here on in this season.  It is important to know what you wish to sell every week so we can keep buyers informed.

39kg – £149.00 (382p/kg) – J Wayman
40kg – £145.00 (363p/kg) – Piper Farms
41kg – £148.00 (361p/kg) – R L Pack
42kg – £154.00 (367p/kg) – J Wayman
43kg – £160.00 (372p/kg) – Beslee Farms
44kg – £164.00 (373p/kg) – J Wayman
45kg – £167.00 (371p/kg) – S King
46kg – £170.00 (370p/kg) – J Wayman
47kg – £165.50 (352p/kg) – Bungehurst Farms Ltd
48kg – £175.00 (365p/kg) – Alastair Boyd & Co
49kg – £187.00 (382p/kg) – T Husk
50kg – £180.00 (360p/kg) – S King
51kg – £168.00 (329p/kg) – R L Pack
52kg – £192.50 (370p/kg) – T Husk
53kg – £172.00 (325p/kg) – A J Skinner & Son
54kg – £181.50 (336p/kg) – S King
61kg – £177.50 (291p/kg) – S King
64kg – £201.00 (314p/kg) – T Husk
65kg – £205.00 (315p/kg) – Miss E Husk
66kg – £198.00 (300p/kg) – B J Baker
68kg – £184.00 (271p/kg) – B J Baker
72kg – £200.50 (278p/kg) – B J Baker
73kg – £216.00 (296p/kg) – B J Baker 

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 187 – Top 382, Average 354.5
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 833 – Top 373, Average 344.0
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 673 – Top 382, Average 334.0
Other 52.1+ kgs – 327 – Top 378, Average 314.9

Store Sheep – 668 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Less forward this week, and more long term types in the pens, but the averages did lift by about £1 head showing maximum confidence in the rest of the season. Genuine store hoggets selling at over £140 this week which has never been seen before, topping at £148 from M Hooker & Sons.

Cull Sheep – 608 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewe: Top £212.00 – J Warnock & Sons – Ave £95.32
Ram: Top £201.00 – J Butchers – Ave £93.75

A super trade from start to finish with competition fierce and averages up on the previous week. There were certainly more better fleshed ewes this week with the best regularly £120 – £140 and to a top price of £212 from J Warnock & Sons for a pen of their well bred Texels. Medium sorts £85 – £110 with the leaner grazing types dearer at £50 – £70 throughout, with very few sold below these figures. Demands is high with a good number of regular buyers every week for all grades of ewes.

Top prices included

Texels to £212 – J Warnock & Sons, Charollais to £179 – B J Baker, Blue Faced Leicester to £156 – B J Baker, Suffolk cross to £146 – D Howard Farms Ltd, Mules to £135 – D Howard Farms Ltd, Romney to £125 – R H Baker & Son

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  38 Sold

Auctioneer:Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Still nothing like enough to satisfy the demand for finished cattle which up and down the country remain in short supply. Easter and other festivals in the next month all strengthen demand and with the sheep trade on fire there seems no likelihood of any negative change.
The very best remain 300p-330p. M B Farms selling Limousin steers to 335p (£2007) and 325p, their heifers to 329p (£1889) and 328p. W Alexander (Shoreham) had a steer and heifer over 300p, as did W G Vant & Sons with a pair of heifers. Weight no problem with heavyweight Simmental x steers from Kevin Reed to £2038, the best of his Bazadaise heifers to £1851 (281p). Friesians from Alan Down to 256p, £1329, Hereford x Friesian  to 256p, £1406.
Sussex steers from E T Ledger & Son Ltd sold to 278p, £1568; Hereford x heifers to 267p, £1559, Angus x heifers to 263p, £1431 Dan Mackelden Ltd; South Devon heifers to 249p, £1713 Arthur Reynolds.

Top Steers

M B Farms – British Blue – 335p/kg (£2007)
M B Farms – Limousin – 325p/kg (£1979)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 305p/kg (£1933)
W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 295p/kg (£1752)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 280p/kg (£1523)

Top Heifers

M B Farms – British Blue – 329p/kg (£1889)
M B Farms – Limousin – 328p/kg (£1850)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 305p/kg (£1797)
W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 302p/kg (£1824)
W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 302p/kg (£1673)

Average Prices

Steers up to 550kg – 7 sold – Top 280p – Ave 259p
Steers 551 to 650kg – 9 sold – Top 335p – Ave 286p
Steers over 651kg – 4 sold – Top 263p – Ave 255p
Heifers up to 500kg – 3 sold – Top 231p – Ave 230p
Heifers 501 to 590kg – 11 sold – Top 329p – Ave 278p
Heifers over 591kg – 4 sold – Top 328p – Ave 290p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 69 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A much better show of cows this week though flesh remaining in short supply at this end of the winter. Buyers for slaughter and feeding remain strongly committed to securing numbers and though numbers will tighten this is the time of the year to check the passengers before turning out.
No very best beef cows but good commercial youngsters pushing close to 200p, and a show of mostly older grazing cows still regularly 150-180p.
Sussex 198p, 190p, 182p, £1047, £1007 Earl de la Warr, 187p, £1091 (Non FA) M G Izard, 170p, 168p, 161p, £1195, £1167, £1122 (Non FA) Kent College; British Blue x 178p, £1056 P H Hope, 174p, £1015 R M Vant; Hereford x 174p, 161p, £1300, £1119 E W & R E Hanks; Charolais x 166p, £1300 (Non FA) A & S Woodford.
A few more from the dairy sector and all grades strongly competed for. No real heavily fleshed heavyweights but good Black & Whites 150-170p and little below 110p. Well fleshed calved UTM Jersey heifers sold to 202p twice, £1028 from Hickson Bros.
Jersey 202p (2), 109p, £1028, £947 Hickson Bros; Holstein Friesian 169p, 164p, 159p (2) £1432, £1283, £1158 Appleton Farms; British Friesian 169p, 159p, £1272, £1094 R & J Ledger.
Overage (8) Some good quality OTM heifers on offer and all wanted to support the flying beef trade.
Charolais x OTM heifers 258p, 250p, £1506, £1435; Limousin x OTM heifers 255p (2) £1578, £1412; Blue x OTM heifer 245p, £1479; Sussex x OTM heifer 227p, £1166; Lincoln Red 3+ heifer 222p, £1484.
Stock Bulls (5) Good bulls and a good trade. Stabiliser 151p, £1633; Simmental 135p, £1661; Sussex 129p, £1394; Beef Shorthorn 120p, £1422; Highland (Horned) 86p, £675.

Beef Cows – 30 Sold – Top 227, Average 155.4
Dairy Cows –26 Sold – Top 202, Average 132.6

Store Cattle – 301 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

An absolute flyer from start to finish with the best entry of stores seen so far this year despite the ongoing downpours which continue to remain stubborn. We had buyers for all grades of cattle which was a necessity given the show of cattle forward on the day. The strongest stores are the most popular currently with the fat trade so positive, and sheds have to be refilled. The best of the strongest cattle topped at £1570 from S F G Wall for Charolais cross steers followed closely by Dan Mackelden Ltd with big outwintered Aberdeen Angus steers to £1505. Hard out wintered types are certainly wanted with buyers keen to start getting cattle together for turnout, if you can see past the ongoing rainfall! A smart run of Limousin yearlings from R Coleman & Sons saw their heifers to £1090,  the steers to £935 whilst Charolais yearlings from Rhino Plant  topping at £985.
For upcoming store cattle sales please keep a look out online and if you have store cattle to sell in the coming weeks do not hesitate to get in contact.

Continental steers

26mths Charolais cross – £1570/£1430 – S F G Wall
26mths Limousin cross – £1495 – R J Husk
18mths British Blue x Friesian – £1455 – K M Goddard Agri Contractors
12mths Limousin – £1020 – A & H Edmonds

Continental heifers

21mths British Blue x Friesian – £1190 – B Sutton
21mths Simmental cross – £1100 – G Gregory
24mths British Blue x Friesian – £995 – J Carden
12mths Limousin cross – £1090 – R Coleman & Sons

Native steers

23mths Aberdeen Angus – £1505 – Dan Mackelden Ltd
22mths South Devon – £1480/£1370 – O A Reynolds
22mths Aberdeen Angus – £1270/£1230 – Kent Wildlife Trust
20mths Aberdeen Angus x Friesian – £1215 – B Sutton
12mths Aberdeen Angus cross – £1000 – Rhino Plant

Native heifers

22mths South Devon – £1160 – O A Reynolds
23mths Aberdeen Angus – £1150 – N A Vincent
24mths Aberdeen Angus – £1105/£1005 – Kent Wildlife Trust
24mths Aberdeen Angus x Friesian – £950 – Mrs A Farris
10mths Aberdeen Angus – £760 – Miss J A Biddle

 

Store & Finished Pigs – 70 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Finished (52) – A cracking entry today with plenty of well fleshed and weighted pigs on offer. Trade firming on the fortnight helped in part by a more consistent supply. Finished pigs all in averaged 137p or £130 per head. Porkers to 150p or £120 from P & R Marshall, Cutting pigs to 155p from C B Hope or £150.88 from P & R Marshall, Baconers to 158p or £174.85 from C B Hope, Heavy pigs to 120p or £152.40 from the same vendor.
Cull (2) – Only 2 boars forward, both of which with only just about enough weight, and being coloured topping at 15p per kg from Mrs D Cox
Stores (16) – Berkshire and Oxford Sandy & Black cross weaners forward today selling to tops of £25 from Mr & Mrs Howard

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 – 12th March 2024

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here