Weekly Sales News – 10th July 2018

New season lambs Top price per head – £100 – C & J Georgetti & Sons; Top price per kilo – 223p – C A Worley Farming Ltd

Report on trade: A good entry of lambs in terms of numbers but varied in quality with a big gap between the concentrate fed lambs and the grass finished sorts. Trade was not as hot as we have become accustomed to in recent months and for the first time this season we have fallen behind the corresponding week last  year.

Best quality are still in demand however with several sheep still selling in excess of 200p per kg to a top price 223p from C A Worley Farming Ltd and a top price of £100 from C & J Georgetti & Sons who presented a super run of well finished lambs  which all sold in the region of 200p despite the heavier weights..

A few hoggets on offer with the good, the bad and the ugly available and selling to a top price of £85 from L J & P J Bolton.

Producers please note – For top results please present well fleshed lambs which are preferably dry and clean. Lairage facilities and dagging are available every Monday evening.

Sheep sales here in Ashford are supported by buyers representing a large cross section of abattoirs throughout the country. Please ensure your FABBL status is up to date and if you are not FABBL assured seriously consider becoming so – certain buyers are restricted to the purchase of only farm assured stock.

Report on trade: A small entry this week without the anticipated influx of weaned ewes arriving yet but if the dry weather continues, many farmers may be forced to sell earlier than usual. Best meated sorts sold in the £80-90 bracket. A few more faces looking for ewes to graze but these buyers are very cautious with the current weather conditions here in the south east.

Report on trade: A very disappointing entry with several buyers failing to fulfil orders. Trade was firm with a Limousin cross heifer topping at £1166 (207p per kg) from A J Bray and a run of continental x Friesian steers topping at £1180 (204p) from A J Down. A run of Hereford cross steers attracted prices of 178p plus and up to £949 (183p) from M Gammons.

A small entry of OTM topped at £1164 (160p) for a Hereford bull from Mrs C K Alexander.

More cattle will be wanted over the coming weeks

Report on trade: A short seasonal entry of cows this week and overall they were short of flesh amongst both beef and dairy stock. All grades met strong demand and there was an excellent trade throughout. Supplies are tight and despite having got to the seasonal watershed, when rates usually begin to ease off, there seems little likelihood of any major decline values.

Lean killing cows will put pressure on abattoir costs as yields are poor but fleshed cows from both sectors will remain in strong demand. One of the largest Sussex cows we have seen for a long time grossed a tremendous £1381 from F A Starley.

Limousin crosses made 156p per kg, 149p, 144p and grossed £1221 and £1012 from A J Bray and 154p A Boyd & Co; Sussex 149p, 140p £1381, £1198 F A Starley; Simmental cross 148p Bradfords Farm and 145p £1033 A J Bray; Aberdeen Angus cross 139p £1280 Bradfords Farm Ptnsp and a Limousin cross steer, 4yrs 136p.

Holstein Friesians 138p (2), 131p, 130p £1155, £1090, £1023 Appleton (Ledger) Farms; British Friesians 136p, 134p, 130p PHR Farms; Dairy Shorthorn 147p £1150 R L W Parrett and Jersey 116p £629 Hickson Bros.

Sussex Bulls 121p, 120p £1133; lean Simmental 105p and lean crossbreds around 100p. Flesh wanted.

Sheep Tagging

All sheep sent to market require to be correctly tagged.

Sheep under 12 mths – Single electronic batch tag and ewes and over 12 mths – Double tagged

Incorrectly tagged sheep may have to be returned home. Single electronic batch tags are not acceptable for ewes and sheep over 12 mths.

Hobbs Parker and Ashford Livestock Market

We are the South East’s principal livestock market selling around 250,000 head of cattle, sheep and pigs in 2017.

Weekly sales throughout the year of all classes of stock, principally on Tuesdays, run by a fully professional team of auctioneers and support staff, they provide an unmatched level of service and commitment to the livestock farmers in the area. Come and see us on market day soon and bring your livestock for us to sell

No More Exempt Section

It is with regret that we will no longer be able to offer an exempt section at Ashford with immediate effect.

The rigid requirements for total separation and the difficulties associated with cleansing and disinfecting significant market areas during the middle of a sale gives us no alternative but to withdraw from the exempt sale process.

We recognize that this will give less marketing options to farmers from East Sussex and other one year testing counties and we will be happy to talk through alternative options.

May we thank all who have supported the section over recent years. We will continue to monitor and review Bovine TB issues as they change and develop.

Vehicle Bedding

We have been reminded by Trading Standards to remind you that bovine animals under 6 mths of age and travelling over 50km require bedding.

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales include……..

First Store Lamb Sale

Friday 27^th July

Further sales on 10^th and 24^th August and then every week from 31^st August for 8 weeks.

Collective Machinery & Equipment Sale

Friday 3^rd August at 9.30am.

Catalogues will be available about a week before the sale.

Lots will include new & nearly new mowers & garden machinery. New tools, farm & agricultural equipment, timber plus a large selection of miscellaneous items.

Special Sports, High Performance, 4 x 4 and General Cars plus Commercial Vehicle Sale

Monday 27^th August at 10am

This auction of vehicles is one of our largest vehicle sales of the year with upto 500 vehicles on offer.

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National Sheep Association news

Sheep 2018 – This annual event, promoted by the National Sheep Association is this year being held on Wednesday 18^th July at The Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire. WR13 6NW. For more details please contact event organiser Helen Davies 01691 654712,  Helen@nationalsheep.org.uk or visit www.nationalsheep.org.uk

South Sheep 2018 – This bi annual event, promoted by the National Sheep Association is this year being held on Saturday 8^th September at South of England showground, Ardingley. RH17 6TH. For more details please contact event organiser Bob Blanden  01666 860308 or enquiries@southsheep.org.uk

Miscellaneous livestock and general goods and services for sale and wanted ex farm

Wanted – small P6 / P7 size livestock trailer – 07967 648294

Wanted – Older / semi retired / retired collie dog. Speak to Angus in the Stockpot

RABI, Young Farmers Clubs and Kent Herdsmans Club News

RABI

Well done Kent fundraising Committee – for the 7^th time in 13 years the county committee have been awarded the Beaufort shield as the top fundraising county in the country (over £81,000 in 2017). Lord Plumb presented the shield to Andrew Brealey, Charles Tassell, Robert Pickard and Sheila Adams

Future fundraising events

Saturday 29^th September – Annual Harvest Supper – Amos Hall, Ashford Market, Ashford. TN24 0HB

For further information on all RABI events in Kent ring Charles Tassell – 01622 858733, 07973 412179 or email charles@tassell.co.uk

Kent Herdsmans Club

Monday 13th August at 7.30pm. Visit to Sonia Purchese, Bossingham, Canterbury CT4 6DX to view her herd of Pedigree Herefords.

For all details on Herdsman’s Club events contact Chairman Alan Jull 07708283220 or Jo Masters 01580 240568.

F C N (The Farm Community Network) news

Farm Safety Week 2018 starts on Monday 16th July Last year 29 workers lost their lives in farming work place incidents. The purpose of Farm Safety Week is to raise awareness of safety in farming, highlight that agriculture is working to change the safety record, share good practice and raise awareness that health is not just physical health but also mental wellbeing.

On Tuesday 17^th July, volunteers from the Farming Community Network (FCN) will be at the market to help raise awareness of farm safety and invite you to come to talk to them if you have been affected by an accident or are concerned about improving farm safety.

Romney Sheepbreeders News

The recent edition of the breeders Society newsletter, produced by breed secretary Julie Lukehurst, is available here in the market. For all society information Julie can be contacted on 07538 938425

Forthcoming store and breeding sheep sales

Friday 27^th July

Friday 10^th August

Friday 24^th August

Friday 31^st August

Friday 7^th September

This sale will include annual shows and sales of crossbred ewe lambs together with Central Beltex and South East Texel Groups breeding females and rams

Friday’s 14^th and 21^st September

All sales commence at 11am with ram sales at 10am