Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 8th August 2023

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

New Season Lambs – 1,219

Top price per kg: 314p – G H Dean & Co
Top price per head: £156 – Cengiz Koralty

A small number on offer this week with many vendors prioritising field work and harvest grabbing over selling sheep. We also have over 5,000 lambs booked in for Friday`s sheep sale which ultimately reduces numbers on a Tuesday too. As ever, our old phrase of “supply and demand” came into force and the less on offer boosted prices and a lift of nearly 25p kg on last week with a lot of lambs £5-8 up on the week. Heavier sorts are hardest to find nationally and these once again sold at the highest price per kilo at 290p kg average for all 45kg lambs upwards to a top price of £156 from new vendor Cengiz Koralty from West Malling, very closely followed by regular supporter W G Watkins & Sons at £155.50.

36kg – £100.00 (278p/kg) – A Peacock
37kg – £88.00 (238p/kg) – Woodlands Farm Trust
38kg – £119.50 (314p/kg) – G H Dean & Co
39kg – £119.00 (305p/kg) – J H & A H Godden
40kg – £124.00 (310p/kg) – G H Dean & Co
41kg – £121.00 (295p/kg) – J R Lilley
42kg – £124.00 (295p/kg) – H V Link Partnership
43kg – £132.50 (308p/kg) – H V Link Partnership
44kg – £131.50 (299p/kg) – T Husk
45kg – £139.50 (310p/kg) – P N & C Burden
46kg – £136.50 (297p/kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
47kg – £143.50 (305p/kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
48kg – £144.00 (300p/kg) – C & J Georgetti & Sons
49kg – £140.00 (286p/kg) – H V Link Partnership
50kg – £151.00 (302p/kg) – Cengiz Koralty
51kg – £145.00 (284p/kg) – S T Phillips
55kg – £155.50 (283p/kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
58kg – £156.00 (269p/kg) – Cengiz Koralty

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 156 – Top 314, Average 283.7
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 697 – Top 310, Average 281.8
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 351 – Top 310, Average 290.7
Other 52.1+ kgs – 15 – Top 307, Average 291.4

Cull Sheep – 525 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewe: Top £190 – S J & J L Vine Partners, Average £94.06
Ram: Top £126 – A M & S J Lerwill, Average £102.44

Numbers in the pens not far behind last week with a larger number of leaner grazing ewes on offer. The best ewes regularly £110 – £130 to a top price of £190 from S J & J L Vine Partners for their superb Texel ewes. Medium ewes generally £80 – £100 with the leaner grazing ewes meeting very strong demand from a large company of customers. Grazers £50 – £70 with very few sold below these figures. All ewes in strong demand with buyers in attendance every week for all grades of ewes.

Top prices included

Texel to £190 – S J & J L Vine Partners, Texel cross to £161 – S J & J L Vine Partners, Suffolk cross to £147 – Harriet Heathcote, Beltex cross to £129 – C A Worley Farming Ltd, Mules to £120 – D Howard Farms Ltd, Romney to £105 – H G Tompsett & Sons Ltd

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  31 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

A short entry with the harvest taking priority for many producers. The best bred continental crosses took the pick of the trade with a run of Limousin cross heifers selling in the 250 to 279p bracket and grossing up to £1664 from A J Thompson & Sons while a smart heifer from W G Vant & Sons sold well at £1689 (273p).
Dairy bred cattle in the 230 to 240p bracket with the pick including Limousin x Friesian to £1592 (240p) and Hereford x Friesian steers to £1453 (249p) from A J Down.
A relatively high percentage of native bred cattle on offer with majority in the 230 to 250p bracket and topping at £1358 (252p) for an Aberdeen Angus cross heifer from A J Thompson & Sons, £1395 (239p) from W S Furnival Ltd while Beef Shorthorn cross steer looked well sold at £1491 (247p) from the same vendor and Sussex cross heifers topped at £1228 (239p) from E & J H Maylam.
Bulls to £1613 (245p) for 18 mths Aberdeen Angus cross bull from A J Down.

Top Steers

A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 275p/kg (£1619)
A J Down – Hereford cross – 249p/kg (£1453)
W S Furnival Ltd – Beef Shorthorn cross – 247p/kg (£1491)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 241pkg (£1455)
A J Down – Limousin cross – 240p/kg (£1592)

Top Heifers

A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 279p/kg – (£1615)
W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 273p/kg – (£1689)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 271p/kg – (£1541)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 269p/kg – (£1664)
W G Vant & Sons – Limousin cross – 268p/kg – (£1551)

Average Prices

Steers up to 650kg – 9 sold – Top 275p – Ave 240p
Steers over 651kg – 4 sold – Top 240p – Ave 232p
Heifers up to 590kg – 15 sold – Top 279p – Ave 253p
Heifers over 591kg – 2 sold – Top 273p – Ave 271p
Bulls – 1 sold – Top 245p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 17 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

With a positive forecast in front of us, at long last, it was no surprise that more farmers stayed at home with mowers and combines rather than coming to market!
Not a very pretty offering! A good framed Charolais cow from A J Strand & Sons to 181p (£1489) but generally a lean offering, with plenty of age, selling from 100p – 150p kg depending on flesh and age.
A few half fleshed dairy culls 135p – 145p with plain types 90 – 120p kg. A good shaped Danish import cow at 140p kg (1179).
Bulls (4), lean stock bulls sold to a slightly easier trade. Limousin 139p, £1233; Sussex 136p, £996; Simmental 118p, £1034.

Beef Cows – 8 Sold – Top 181, Average 126.5
Dairy Cows – 5 Sold – Top 142, Average 126.4

Pigs – 20 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Finished (12) – A decent entry of pigs in terms of quality but numbers still on the light side with more required to fill orders with trade very much in sellers favour! All pigs in demand with those commercial spec top ends a real bullish trade. Best porkers to 235p or £197.20 from M Godden averaging 228p or £190 per head. A smart bacon pig from C K Guest realised 232p or £278.40!!!
Cull (5) – A single sow selling for 60p from M Farbrother and a handful of plain and less commercial boars filling the rest of the entry.
Stores (3) – Just the 1 pen of stores forward today with a little bit of an unusual story – The trio in question were found wandering the streets of Hernehill near Faversham helping themselves to various cuisines including newly planted orchards and local vegetable gardens. The owner was unable to be identified despite attempts via local communications and social media. Unless ownership can be proved the proceeds from the sale will be donated by the haulier to a local charity. In the event the owner does not come forward the cheque will be donated on 29^th August.

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 – 15th August 2023

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here