Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 6th December 2022

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

New Season Lambs – 1,626 Sold

Top price per kg: 300p – C A Worley Farming Ltd
Top price per head: £149 – Andrew Town

A bigger entry of lambs on offer this week with a fuller feeling market all around. Trade overall was strong with the average returned at almost 250p/ kg despite less pens of top quality on offer in comparison to last week. Best quality, export grade lambs from CA Worley Farming Ltd sold to a top price of £3 kg this week which topped the market in that category. Top spot in the lump was taken by Mr A Town at £149 hd. Trade is still strong in the run up to Christmas for all weights and breeds as long as they are well finished, and the heavier the better to make the most money per head. We will be holding markets on every Tuesday over the Christmas and New Year period, including the 27^th of December (sheep only). It is important we can inform our buyers of expected numbers on these days so please let us know of the numbers you intend to send.

Top Prices

38kg – £97.00 (255p/kg) – I Lucas
39kg – £123.00 (290p/kg) – C A Worley Farming Ltd
40kg – £120.00 (300p/kg) – C A Worley Farming Ltd
41kg – £117.00 (285p/kg) – J Wayman
42kg – £117.00 (271p/kg) – C A Worley Farming Ltd
43kg – £119.00 (277p/kg) – N C & C G Hedges
44kg – £130.00 (295p/kg) – Andrew Town
45kg – £126.50 (281p/kg) – J Wayman
46kg – £122.00 (254p/kg) – Chris Ballard
47kg – £119.00 (253p/kg) – K & P M Sinden & Sons
48kg – £128.50 (268p/kg) – J Wayman
49kg – £126.00 (257p/kg) – Mervin R Woodroofe
50kg – £132.00 (264p/kg) – N C & C G Hedges
51kg – £128.00 (251p/kg) – S Henden
52kg – £139.00 (267p/kg) – J Wayman
53kg – £127.00 (240p/kg) – K & P M Sinden & Sons
54kg – £149.00 (276p/kg) – Andrew Town

Averages (p/kg)

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 196 – Top 286, Average 240.3
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 908 – Top 300, Average 254.5
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 424 – Top 268, Average 248.6
Over 52.1 kgs – 88 – Top 290, Average 246.4

Cull Sheep – 890 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewes: Top £163 – N C & C G Hedges, Average £89.12
Rams: Top £140 – N C & C G Hedges, Average £112.71

A superb trade throughout with overall averages up, and big numbers on offer for the time of year. The best fleshed ewes regularly £95-£120 to a top price of £163 from N C & C G Hedges for a few of their top-quality Texel ewes. Medium sorts £70-£90 on most occasions with plainer grazing types £45-£65 with very few sold under these figures. A strong demand all round with a good number of buyers present for all grades of ewes.

Top prices included:

Texel to £163 & £159 – N C & C G Hedges, Texel cross to £139 – K & P M Sinden & Sons, Suffolk cross to £128 – C & J Georgetti & Sons, Suffolk cross to £128 – W G Watkins & Sons, Mules to £110 – W G Watkins & Sons, Romneys to £110 – Jim Lukehurst, Southdown to £88 – Master Harry Lucas

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle – 48 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Best fleshed continental crosses 250p plus, notably Limousin crosses to £1548 (263p) from W Alexander (Shoreham), £1619 (254p) from W G Vant & Sons and purebred Limousin to £1531 (260p) from S Drury.

Well fleshed dairy crosses around 230p with A J Down’s run of Limousin x Friesian steers ranging from 225 to 244p and grossing well up to £1550.

A good selection of native cattle were keenly sought after with the best including Aberdeen Angus cross steer £1632 (217p) F Sole & Sons, £1595 (232p) from W S Furnival Ltd and £1578 (217p) from Leggat Farming Ltd, Aberdeen Angus cross heifer £1313 (233p) from R J & C M Greengrow and handy weight well fleshed Sussex cross heifers looking well sold at £1318 (236p), £1296 (230p) and £1246 (238p) from S Marsh.

Top Steers

W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 254p/kg (£1619)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 244p/kg (£1473)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 240p/kg (£1544)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 240p/kg (£1401)
W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 234p/kg (£1412)

Top Heifers

W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 263p/kg (£1548)
Sam Drury – Limousin – 260p/kg (£1531)
Sam Drury – Limousin – 260p/kg (£1531)
Alastair Boyd & Co – Limousin – 256p/kg (£1366)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 254p/kg (£1414)

Average Prices

Steers up to 650kg – 13 sold – Top 254p – Ave 233p
Steers over 651kg – 6 sold – Top 234p – Ave 225p
Heifers up to 500kg – 7 sold – Top 220p – Ave 118p
Heifers up to 501 – 590kg – 17 sold – Top 263p – Ave 229p
Heifers over 591kg – 4 sold – Top 252p – Ave 216p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 91 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Good numbers post stock show and another strong trade though the complexion of the entry certainly looked as if many were tidying their herds up prior to Christmas. Rates for secondary types, short of finish or the very old, were a little easier as feeders become fussier. All fleshed types and young feeders, beef and dairy, stay firm and will do so with the New Year always a strong period for processing beef.
Best meat and beef feeding cows up over 200p with plenty of commercial types 150-180p to give marvellous gross returns. Little below 120p kg besides a few pushing towards 20 years old! Limousin cross 215p, 206, £1459, £1351 (Non FA) S Drury, 199p, £1122 (Non FA) Alistair Boyd & Co, 179p, £1294 C & J Georgetti & Sons, 170p, £1200 (Non FA) R A Wade; Charolais cross 205p, £1288 (Non FA) J Latham, 187p £1483 (Non FA) A J Strand & Sons; Simmental cross 178p, 170p, £1500, £1305 C & J Georgetti & Sons; Sussex 167p, £1072 (Non FA) Mrs P Dumbreck; Aberdeen Angus cross 166p, £1008 (Non FA) Pitcher & Cole; Hereford cross 159p, £1254 (Non FA) R Carr Partnership, 148p, £1106 (Non FA) J Cogman.
A bigger show from the dairy with more lean steakers and boners forward as we go into the Christmas period. Best meat similar at 150-170p and again very little below 120p kg. Holstein Friesian 170p J W Boyd & Sons; 164p, £1439 J E Scutt & Sons; 159p, £1285 G D & E E Field; British Friesian 167p (2), 160p (2), £1240, £1232, £1179, £1166 Debden Court, 166p, 159p, £1355, £1216 R & J Ledger; Ayrshire 152p, 146p, £1053, £1045 J Howie; Jersey 127p, 95p, £600 S E Lane & Partners.
Stock bulls (12) Definitely clear up Tuesday with the full range from British Blue x Limousin, Sussex, Blue crossbred, Aberdeen Angus and through to Dexter. A good trade for all but not a lot of flesh on many. British Blue x Limousin 158p, £1829; Sussex 144p, £1191; British Blue cross 138p, 133p, 132p etc, Aberdeen Angus 118p; Dexter 68p.
A few overage and much sought after whatever the age but flesh making a big difference.
Sussex heifers, 224p, 202p, £1173, Sussex heifers 3 yrs.+ 188p, £1003. Sussex steer 4 yrs.+ 185p, £1411; Aberdeen Angus cross steer 3 yrs.+ 179p, £1544.

Beef Cows – 37 Sold – Top 215.0, Average 152.4
Dairy Cows – 32 Sold – Top 167.0, Average 136.9

 

Store and Breeding Cattle – 284

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710803901

A big entry of cattle for the time of year with the complete range of ages, quality, and breeds on offer. The trade certainly more selective then of late and while the better bred cattle looked relatively well sold others particularly the plainer dairy bred sorts proved more difficult to sell.
Strong cattle to finish short term took the pick of the trade at £1000 plus and up to £1150 for quality Aberdeen Angus heifers from R P Kent & Son, and smart Limousin cross steers to £1090 from R J Husk. Younger cattle looking relatively good value but yard space and costs of wintering having an impact on price.

Principal Prices include:

 Continental Bred

6 mths Limousin cross steer – £650 – J D & D G White
6 mths Limousin cross heifer – £600 – J D & D G White
8 mths Limousin cross steer – £760 – Jessel Farms
8 mths Limousin cross heifer – £720 – Goodsell Farm Partnership
10 mths Limousin cross steer – £1000 – E Chantler & Sons
12 mths Limousin cross steer – £830 – T Hope
15 mths Limousin cross steer – £1020 – T Avon
15 mths Limousin cross heifer – £830 – T Avon
15 mths Simmental cross steer – £795 – S J Edmed & Sons
18 mths Limousin cross steer – £900 – P M Langridge
19 mths Limousin cross steer – £1090 – R J Husk
20 mths Simmental cross steer – R P Kent & Son
20 mths Simmental cross heifer – £1080 – R P Kent & Son
22 mths Simmental cross steer – £930 – Ross Farms

Native Bred

6 mths Friesian steer – £260 – Plumpton College
16 mths Friesian steer – £645 – J Farrant
19 mths Friesian steer – £670 – Robert Winstone
9 mths Hereford cross steer – £760 – R Carr Partnership
8/9 mths Aberdeen Angus cross steer – Lucketts Farm
10 mths Aberdeen Angus cross steer – £790 – Llewellyn Farms
12 mths Aberdeen Angus cross heifer – £735 – R Brown
18 mths Aberdeen Angus cross steer – £1040 – Kent Wildlife Trust
20 mths Aberdeen Angus cross steer – £1140 – R P Kent & Son
20 mths Aberdeen Angus cross heifer – £1150 – R P Kent & Son

Calves – 109

Auctioneer: Thomas Hamplett 07966 104532

Calves 94 sold – Calves for all buyers today with the good, the bad and the ugly forward. Best calves a pleasure to sell, second grade harder work – very much like a fortnight ago!

Continental bulls in the form of British Blues to £290 from H O Champneys Ltd and P J Forknall with other highlights for Plumpton College at £280 (x2), £280 from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd and £270 & £260 from D Murdoch & Sons. Native bulls a little harder work particularly for smaller and younger types with Aberdeen Angus tops of £240 from J Gormley, £195, £180 & £170 from J E Scutt & Sons. Herefords from Goddard & Son well-presented and topping at £160.
A similar story with the heifers today with a roaring trade for best continentals with Blues to £265 from D Murdoch & Sons, £225 from H O Champneys Ltd and £200 from Plumpton College. Natives requiring a little more warming up with tops for Angus from the cheese Kings of Kent, Kingcott Dairy to £145 & £100. Herefords from Goddard & Son to £110.
Weanlings 15 sold – A handy entry of weanlings forward today mainly from Plumpton College, East Sussex which saw strong demand. Blue steers topped at £280, Simmentals to £250 and Holstein Friesians to £145.

A reminder that we can offer calves from Arla vendors under 56 days old subject to a declaration being signed by the purchaser. Any questions over this matter please do get in touch.

Bull Calves

British Blue cross – 13 – Average £235.00 – Top £290 – H O Champneys Ltd
Aberdeen Angus cross – 22 – Average £87.23 – Top £240 – John Gormley
Hereford cross – 5 – Average £124.00 – Top £160 – Goddard & son
Holstein Friesian – 10 – Average £61.50 – Top £100 – Plumpton College

Heifer Calves

British Blue cross – 5 – Average £198.00 – Top £265 – D Murdoch & Sons
Aberdeen Angus cross – 25 – Average £46.00 – Top £145 – Kingcott Dairy

Steer Weanling

Simmental cross – 3 – Average £250.00 – Top £250 – Plumpton College
British Blue – 3 – Average £280.00 – Top £280 – Plumpton College
Holstein Friesian – 6 – Average £145.00 – Top £145 – Plumpton college

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 13th December 2022

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here