Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 9th April 2024

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Finished Hoggets -1,868

Top price per kg: 483p – T Husk
Top price per head: £251.00 – T Husk

Another good entry of hoggets this week with just under 2,000 penned. Very variable in terms of quality in comparison to last week which has had a negative impact on the average prices per kilo in the middle weight categories. The heavier or smarter types were, actually, dearer on the day with tops of £251 head once again by Tom Husk but a close and worthy second place taken by Jason Smith at £250 head. Trade was thought to be a little harder this week with many large processors attempting to reduce deadweight prices with the majority of the recent festivities now coming to an end. If anything the better sheep were actually dearer than last week with £4 kg being the starting point for many and a huge top price again of 483p kg on the day.

34kg – £142.00 (418p/kg) – P Ashlee
35kg – £136.00 (389p/kg) – P Ashlee
36kg – £136.00 (378p/kg) – P Ashlee
37kg – £135.00 (365p/kg) – A J W Smith & Son
38kg – £144.00 (379p/kg) – B A Kirk Engineering Ltd
39kg – £154.00 (395p/kg) – P Ashlee
40kg – £171.00 (428p/kg) – P Ashlee
41kg – £177.00 (432p/kg) – P Ashlee
42kg – £179.00 (426p/kg) – B G & M A Tomsett
43kg – £200.00 (465p/kg) – T Husk
44kg – £210.00 (477p/kg) – T Husk
45kg – £172.00 (382p/kg) – T Crick
46kg – £208.00 (452p/kg) – P Gorringe
47kg – £221.00 (470p/kg) – T Husk
48kg – £232.00 (483p/kg) – T Husk
49kg – £221.00 (409p/kg) – T R Holt
50kg – £216.00 (432p/kg) – T R Holt
51kg – £230.00 (451p/kg) – T Husk
52kg – £235.00 (452p/kg) – T Husk
53kg – £251.00 (474p/kg) – T Husk
54kg – £231.00 (428p/kg) – T Husk
55kg – £219.00 (398p/kg) – P Gorringe
56kg – £224.00 (400p/kg) – T Husk
57kg – £200.00 (351p/kg) – C Watkins
58kg – £229.00 (395p/kg) – T R Holt
61kg – £230.00 (377p/kg) – C Watkins
62kg – £229.00 (369p/kg) – C Watkins
64kg – £227.00 (355p/kg) – R H Smith & Partners

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 146 – Top 418, Average 349.2
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 717 – Top 477, Average 374.7
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 665 – Top 483, Average 378.3
Other 52.1+ kgs – 333 – Top 474, Average 378.2

Store Sheep -168 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Really getting down the numbers now with only a small entry in the pens this week but still a good price available to those on offer, topping out at £151 head form B & M Coleman.

Cull Sheep – 502 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewe: Top £202 – T Husk – Ave £104.21

A super trade again with a much larger percentage of leaner sorts in comparison to last week. The best ewes regularly £125 – £150 and to a top price of £202 for superb Texel ewes from T Husk.  Medium sorts £85 – £110 on most occasions with leaner grazing types £50 – £75 throughout with only very few below these figures. We have regular buyers for all grades of ewes every week so have no hesitation in getting your ewes booked in with us.

Top prices included

Texel to £202 – T Husk, Beltex to £198 – T Husk, Texel cross to £175 – T Husk, Suffolk cross to £160 – M J Ashworth, Romney to £110 – H & J Noakes, Mules to £101 – E & M E Brundrett

 

Sock Lambs – 29 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Sock lambs still very much in strong demand with several fresh buyers again this week. Strong lambs from P N & C Burden topped at £35 (x2) whilst D & J Murray also saw £35 for an all-black ewe lamb adding something different to the day. Overall average was £25.45.

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  65 Sold

Auctioneer:Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Another good entry with plenty of finish found a strong competitive trade with more buyers around the ring. Many of the big supermarket processors seem to be taking money out of the beef, and playing their waiting list game with producers, at a time of the year when supplies can only shorten. It was good to see several vendors who support both live and dead marketing sending a message to their agents that they must be supported just as importantly as their supermarket customers.
Outstanding cattle from M B Farms took, again, top honours with their Blue heifer to 333p, £1862, their Limousin steers to 329p (twice) £2139.
Averages a little less but reflective of overall quality with fewer of the very best and more dairy-bred cattle within the entry.
Very best 300-330p; good beef bred fleshed types280-300p; commercial beef 250-270p; very little below 250p. Heavyweights no problem.
Alan Down`s dairy bred sold very well with Limousin x steers to 279p, £1798, heifers to 269p, £1571; Friesian steers to 255p, £1484; Dairy Shorthorns to 254p, £1584; Hereford x Friesians from the Pickering family saw horned steers to 268p, £1739, heifers to 246p, £1521, Sussex steers to 279p, £1615.
Plenty of quality natives in the yard today. Angus x heifers sold to 290p, £1650 W Alexander (Shoreham), steers to 288p, £1624 M J Ashworth; Sussex steers to 262p, £1661 L Stevens & Sons, heifers to 258p A J Britton; British Friesian heifers to 250p.

A good Sussex bull from L Stevens & Sons to250p, £1971

Top Steers

M B Farms – Limousin – 329p/kg (£2037)
M B Farms – Limousin – 329p/kg (£1922)
M B Farms – Limousin – 320p/kg (£1933)
M B Farms – Limousin – 315p/kg (£2139)
S J Theobald & Sons – Limousin cross – 293p/kg (£1799)

Top Heifers

M B Farms – British Blue cross – 333p/kg (£1862)
M B Farms – Limousin – 330p/kg (£1845)
W Alexander (Shoreham – Limousin cross – 297p/kg (£1468)
W Alexander (Shoreham – Aberdeen Angus cross – 290p/kg (£1650)
W Alexander (Shoreham – Limousin – 290p/kg (£1650)

Top Bulls

L Stevens & Sons – Sussex – 250p/kg (£1971)

Average Prices

Steers up to 200 to 550kg – 9 sold – Top 288p – Ave 267p
Steers 551 to 650kg – 25 sold – Top 329p – Ave 273p
Steers over 651kg – 6 sold – Top 315p – Ave 268p
Heifers 300 to 500kg – 3 sold – Top 297p – Ave 265p
Heifers 501 to 590kg – 10 sold – Top 333p – Ave 278p
Heifers over 591kg – 11 sold – Top 286p – Ave 264p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 88 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A very good show of cows with plenty of heavyweight fed beef cows met a tremendous trade for all, with the feeding types also taken to new levels with 16 buyers successfully competing in one of the strongest cow markets in the country.
Meat is what is really wanted whether assured or non-assured and processors can only see numbers tightening at this time of the year. Feeders are buoyed by confidence and whether yarding or grazing their product will be in serious demand.
Very best of the finished beef cows as well as the tidy youngsters (<48m) for feeding readily 200-250p; commercial meat 170-210p; nothing under 150p! 35 cows grossed over £1400 head with no fewer than 14 over £1600.
M B Farms sold Limousin cows to 244p and 238p, £1875, £1853 whilst a strong run of 20 Simmental x cows from T Pateman & Sons, Hertfordshire sold to 213p, £1809 (20 av £1377). Top feeder a stretchy Angus 3yo cow from A C Hulme & Sons at 245p £1565.
Angus x 245p, 228p, 226p, 210p, 202p (2) £1565, £1433, £1425, £1384, £1330, £1320 A C Hulme & Sons, 239p, 192p, £1628, £1416 J Boomaars, 188p, £1388 (Non FA) Llewellyn Farms; Limousin x 244p, 238p, £1875, £1853 (Non FA) M B Farms 231p, 226p, 225p, £1786, £1515, £1387 Campbell Bros, 217p, £1300 Gardners, 198p, 186p, £1600, £1475 (Non FA) Hayley Dent; Charolais x 229p, 225p, £1759, £1605 J Boomaars; Simmental x 213p, 205p, 200p, 196p, 194p (2) £1809, £1624, £1614, £1553, £1508 (Non FA) T Pateman & Sons; South Devon 196p, 195p, £1613, £1556 Gardners; British Blue x 178p, £1198 (Non FA) S J Edmed & Sons; Beef Shorthorn 182p, £1207 (Non FA) M Britton; Hereford 179p, £1107 (Non FA) P Ashlee, 176p, £1132 (Non FA) J Newington.
A quieter day from the dairy sector as cows now beginning to go out. Some decent heavyweights from the yards with good types up over 170p.
Holstein cows 184p, £1468 P Forknall; Holstein OTM heifers 194p, 192p, £1216 W G & T A Manford; Holstein Friesian cows 174p, 168p, £1319, £1231 D Murdoch & Sons, 168p, £1248; Guernsey 155p, £1120 W G & T A Manford; Imported Danish Red 150p, £890
Stock Bulls (2) Good bulls. Good Trade. Limousin 183p, £2035; Angus 173p, £1915.
Overage (4) Small show this week but wanted. Wide horned Hereford OTM steer 232p, £1308; British Blue x steer 4yo 197p, £1660.

Beef Cows – 64 Sold – Top 245, Average 193.1
Dairy Cows –18 Sold – Top 184, Average 138.3

Store & Breeding Cattle – 505 Sold

Auctioneers: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357 & James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Certainly, one of our headline days of the year with an entry of cattle with real quality that was a credit to the producers of the Southern and Eastern Counties.
A day of, largely, continental beef bred yearlings with a few runs of good Angus bred cattle it drew customers from far and wide ready to take numbers. The slightly better forecast gives hope to increasing turnout levels amongst flourishing grass whilst the strength of the beef trade galvanizes feeders ready to keep feeding yarded stock knowing that cattle numbers are short and will continue so for many years yet.
Always difficult to single out honours on these days with so many quality cattle done in different ways, out of different cows, with different bulls but special mention to John Emery, Hawkenbury who took top steer honours at £1690 for his Limousin steers whilst top price heifer, a Limousin, went to Nick Hedges, Staplecross at £1600.
Certainly, more customers in the market and a big thank you all vendors, hauliers, market staff and buyers for the huge logistical effort that goes into making the market system work so well for the benefit of all.

Principal Prices include: 

Continental Beef Bred Cattle:

Limousin x steers 11mts – £1150 -E Stretton
Limousin x heifers 11mths – £1085 – N C & C G Hedges
Limousin x steers 11 mths – £1090, £1020, £1000 – W J Hurley
Limousin x heifers 11mths – £1050 – W J Hurley
Simmental x steers 12 mths – £1090 – Lawrence & Sons
Simmental x heifers 12 mths – £1060, £1000 – Lawrence & Sons
Limousin x steers 12 mths – £1200 – M L Williams
Limousin x heifers 12mths – £1200 – M L Williams
Limousin x steers 12 mths – £1150 – J Farrant
Limousin x heifers 12 mths – £1000 – J Farrant
Limousin x steers 12 mths – £1130 – J Prior & Son
Limousin x steers 13 mths – £1625, £1540, £1450 – L E Humphreys & Son
Limousin x steers 13 mths – £1690, £1620, £1420 – H J Emery & Son
Limousin x heifers 13 mths – £1500, £1490, £1200 – H J Emery & Son
Limousin x steers 13 mth – £1500, £1440, £1340 – G Bates Ltd
Limousin x heifers 13 mths – £1055 – G Bates Ltd
Limousin x steers 13 mths – £1320, £1205 – RDE Spencer
Limousin x heifers 13 mths – £1090 – RDE Spencer
Limousin x steers 15 mths – £1140 – L Palmer & Son
Limousin x heifers 15 mths – £1165, £1020 – L Palmer & Son
Limousin x steers 17 mths – £1650, £1420, £1380 £1330, £1325, £1260 – G D Black & Son
Limousin x heifers 17 mths – £1315, £1225, £1160 – G D Black & Son
Limousin x heifers   22 mths – £1610 – N C & C G Hedges
Simmental x heifers 23 mths – £1190 – Lawrence & Sons
Limousin x heifers 20 mths – £1300, £1090 – Hawkfibre Ltd
Limousin x heifers 24 mths – £1320 – R A Wade
Limousin x heifers 24 mths – £1265 – R J Husk

Native Beef Bred Cattle:

Angus steers 14 mths-£1305, £1190 – R J & C M Greengrow
Angus heifers 13 mths – £930 – R J & C M Greengrow
Angus x steers 13 mths – £1105, £1000, £955 – PJS Farms
Angus x heifers 14 mths – £1100 – PJS Farms
Angus x steers 12 mths – £1270, £1240, £1160 – R W Goddard & Ptnrs
Angus x heifers 12 mths – £1170, £990 – R W Goddard & Ptnrs
Sussex Trad steers 24 mths – £975 – J V Beagley
Beef Shorthorn heifers 24 mths – £1185 – M Britton

Dairy Bred Cattle:

Angus x heifers 16 mths – £1165 – M & J Donaldson
Blue x steers 14 mths  – £1070, £1005 – PJS Farms
Blue x heifers 14 mths – £1030 – PJS Farms
Simmental x steers 15 mths – £1180 – Wood Farm Ptnrs
Simmental x heifers 16 mths – £1070 – Wood Farm Ptnrs
Angus x heifers 16 mths – £1340 – Wood Farm Ptnrs
Angus x steers 15 mths – £1090 – Wood Farm Ptnrs
Blue x heifers 19 mths – £1445 – D & D Mullett
Angus x steers 22 mths – £1255 – Ross Farms

Calves – 51 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

A decent entry of mainly young calves sold on a firm trade with the best demand for younger types without channel island breeding. Averages may appear lower on the fortnight but very much a case of being around the ring to compare as today`s entry was smart but much younger overall than we have seen for a sale or two.
A lovely entry of Blue bulls topped at £265 from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd with plenty of others around the £200 – £240 mark. Angus bulls a decent trade with Scaynes Farm topping at £275 whilst J W Boyd & Sons Ltd sold tops of £220.
Heifer calves well represented and in demand with tops of £230, £210, and £170 from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd. Sussex leading the natives with Scaynes Farm to £255. Angus heifers of varying qualities to £180.

Please note, we have a number of customers looking for registered sired native breed calves, please remember to record the sire ear tag on the birth registration to ensure it appears on the passport!

Bull Calves

British Blue cross – 22 – Ave £181.14 – Top £265 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd
Aberdeen Angus cross – 5 – Ave £181.00 – Top £275 – Scaynes Farm

Heifer Calves

British Blue cross – 17 – Ave £137.35 – Top £230 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd
Aberdeen Angus cross – 5 – Ave £127.00 – Top £180 – P J Forknall
Sussex – 1 – Ave £255.00 – Top £255 Scaynes Farm
Hereford cross – 1 – Ave £180.00 – Top £180 Scaynes Farm

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 – 16th April 2024

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

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