Weekly Sales News – 11th April 2017

Hoggets: Top price per kg – 199p – G & A Wood; Top price per head – £88 – G Husk

Report on trade: A smaller entry of  finished hoggets this week in the pens with a poorer quality show of medium and standard weight sheep.  This has had a negative impact on the returned averages but on comparative basis trade was at similar levels, if not slightly stronger than last weeks. It was once again noticeable that certain buyers were only able to purchase Farm Assured sheep and this shows in the average prices returned and we would advise all of our vendors to obtain certification in one of these schemes.

Best grade continental hoggets sold to 199p from G & A Wood with top spots in the heavy weight category selling to £88 from G Husk for some 55kg offerings.

A good quality early season entry of new season lambs in the pens for the Easter Show and Sale with 120 lambs penned. Show results, as judged by Mrs C Worley were as follows:

1^st – Lance Geering, Friday Street Farmers, Eastbourne 36kgs £90 bought by A Head

2^nd – J Farrant, Goudhurst 35kgs £87 bought by A Head

3^rd – Mrs V McDonald, Hardres, Canterbury 40kgs £93 bought by A Head

All the lambs sold on a strong trade for the Easter market place with the show winners as above. Top price per kilo went to J Howie at 271p and the top price per head went to M Critcher & Ptnrs at £103. More lambs will be offered every week now but please advise us what you are sending.

Producers please note – For top results please present well fleshed lambs which are preferably dry and clean. Lairage facilities 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 similar trade this week with some better ewes in the pens selling to a top price of £88 for some strong continental ewes from M B Farms. Numbers of ewes on offer has maintained at a high level throughout the lambing period which is not always the case and this fact has kept the trade at its current level.

Top prices included continental ewes to £88 from M B Farms, Suffolk crosses to £84.50 from C & J Georgetti & Sons, Mules to £72 from M Woodruffe and Romneys to £61.50 from G L Boulden & Sons.

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Report on trade: Another strong trade for store hoggets with the best making in excess of £60 and only very small sorts below £50. A few pens of ewe hoggets topped at £70 for Romneys from P N Gotts and £65 for Suffolk x Mules from E & M E Brundrett. Top prices for stores included Suffolk cross to £67 from D G Millen; Charollais cross £66 from P M Langridge, £65 from G Rigden and £64 from M J Barling; Texel cross to £66.80 from N Trower and Romney wethers £63.50 from P N Gotts and £63 from K Loveridge.

If you have store hoggets to sell you would be well advised to sell now at these favourable prices and while there is still a time to finish before the end of the season. Averages: Top £70 and aver £49.58.

Ewes and lambs made up to £132 (£52.80 per life) for aged Mule ewes with Suffolk cross lambs at foot from W T Kemp.

Report on trade: Numbers came forward this week but with a large crowd of potential buyers on hand trade continued in a healthy vein. Young, small triplet lambs made £4 to £15 and then well bred , stronger and some quite big lambs £15 to £32. 29 lambs made over £20. 96 lambs sold to £32 and averaged £14.45

2 Pygmy goat billy kids made £45 and £50.

Report on trade: A very similar trade with the few smart cattle making around 215p per kg notably smart Limousin cross heifers to  £1008 (215p) from M J Ashworth, £1184 (214p) from W Alexander (Shoreham), £1100 (213p) from D W Page & Son and £1141 (208p) from G L Boulden & Sons. Commercial cattle made 180p to 190p with a Simmental cross steer grossing well up to £1266 (191p) from W Alexander (Shoreham) and Simmental cross heifer at £1170 (194p) from R Price & Son while weekly consignments  from A J Down sold at very similar levels with Limousin cross steer to £1064 (184p). Several Friesians were on offer with the best making to £1072 (156p) from R Price & Son.

Over 30 mths cattle made up to £968 (176p) for a Limousin cross heifer purchased for further feeding from Mrs J Seath.

Report on trade: A very good seasonal entry and yet another outstanding trade from start to finish here. Thanks to all for having a good look through your cows. Very few of the best were offered  with a high proportion, right so, of older cows from both the dairy and suckler sectors. Plenty of buyers were in attendance today adding to the competition for both slaughter and grazing stock. Many cows are now out but if you have some suitable candidates still in the yard have a good look to their future.

Limousin cross cows to 171p per kg and £946 from G L Boulden & Sons; Aberdeen Angus crosses 152p and 132p F Pearce & Sons; Simmental crosses 144p £1079 C & J Georgetti & Sons, 128p £1014 G Bates Ltd; Charolais cross 131p G L Boulden & Sons and 128p M J Ashworth; British Blue 130p £1062 Miller Farms (Non FA) and Lincoln Red 122p D S & D Mack.

Dairy culls were as dear as ever with the half fleshed cows from the dairy looking very well sold. British Friesian 133p £961 Debden Court and 125p, 123p Westnedge & Knight; Holstein Friesian 129p W G & T A Manford, 128p £1020 P J Forknall, 128p £963 J Warnock & Son, 123p £1054 W F Farms and 121p £1072 M W Goddard; Brown Swiss 116p D Murdoch & Sons; Guernsey 113p £647 W G & T A Manford and Jersey 91p £448 Hickson Bros.

Bulls are wanted but shape and finish critical. Sussex cross 119p £1025, Charolais £1020, Sussex £1029, £967 and Holstein £961.

Report on trade: Another strong trade for an entry comprising mainly dairy and native bred store cattle. The few single suckled beef bred stores sold exceptionally well with a superb Limousin cross yearling topping at £1090 from R A Douglas and strong stores to finish short term making up to £1160 from P Thomas. All native bred cattle were well received and prices were firm throughout with attractive premiums for heifers with breeding potential.

Several runs of cattle from TB high and edge areas sold well with majority of buyers now competing for these cattle with very little discount compared to TB low cattle.

Principal prices not already mentioned above included:       

Continental bred cattle                                                                                                                    

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill

A nice run of cows and calves from D J Revell & Son met strong interest from buyers with thier  Angus x Friesian cows with Simmental calves (1-4 month) selling generally from £1000 to £1250. Sussex x heifers with young calves sold well to £1230 from Chichester College.

Sussex Cattle Societies Spring Show and Sale of Pedigree Breeding Cattle – 11 Bulls and 36 Females Sold
Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07748 202688

Report on trade: Breeders and their supporters will be heartened by the strong demand for pedigree stock seen at this annual event and in particular the total clearance seen of the 11 bulls offered. The bulls averaged 4,000 guineas with 4 making 4900gns plus and the demand for well bred heifers also healthy with 11 making 1000 gns plus. For the second year run running this event saw a small entry of females with in particular very few mature females coming forward.

Gee Hickman, Hertfordshire judged the show element of the day where David Spanton and Flic Paterson, Mayfield, for the second year running won the senior bull class and championship with an April 2014 born model Maygate Poll Regent 1^st and in the female classes Messrs C E & W S Millson, Goudhurst also repeating last years success with heifers from their spring 2015 born crop. Messrs Chandler & Dunn, Ash near Canterbury presented 2 bulls from their 2013 crop and Goldstone Poll Regent 11^th was senior class 2^nd prize winner and reserve champion. Trottenden Terpsichore 150^th and 146^th were the Millsons female champions and reserves.

In the sale ring a large number of customers for bulls ensured healthy bidding for all the stock offered and Bob Ruthven from Buxted, East Sussex  secured the champion with a bid of 5,000 gns , A & A Barr Farms the reserve for 5,600 gns and Mr D A Innes , Oxted for his Titsey herd, the second Goldstone bull Poll Duke 4^th for 5,100 gns. Price Whitehead, Tenterden bought Messrs E H Holdstock & Sons, Canterbury 2016 bn Elbridge Captain 4^th  for 4900 gns and then later saw their Goldstone Poll Duke 1^st 2012 born bull make 4,000 gns. L Stevens and Sons, Sittingbourne sold 3 Boxted bulls at 3,600, 3,400 and 3,200 gns.

Maiden heifers born in spring 2015 saw L Stevens and Sons make 1,110 gns for Boxted Finch 104^th to Phillip Ashby, Corsham, Wiltshire and C E & W S Millsons run made  1,000 to 1170 gns twice with champion and reserve females both bought by Anthony Rawlings, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire.

Averages: 10 bulls 4000 gns; and 32 maiden heifers 872 gns.

Breeders consignment averages. C E & W S Millsons 8 maiden heifers to 1170 gns and aver 1100 gns; J C & C Lewis 5 July to October 2015 born to 870gns aver 824 and Mr & Mrs K Watts 10 April to July 2015 born to 760 gns aver 730

Report on trade: The calf sales ring this week saw a good entry of stock well received by many buyers and the good percentage of beef calves ringing the bell for sellers at least 6 bidders for dairy bulls helping maintain a respectable trade for these. Well reared stirks from M Gammons, West Sussex also drew the attention of many bidders in the outside pens.

Highlights this week included:

British Blue Bulls to £310 at 7 weeks and an Aberdeen Angus bull £210 from G R Edgar

British Blue bulls £305 and £320 at 3 to 4 weeks from J W Boyd & Sons

British Blue bulls £418, £375 and £372 and heifers £315, £300 and £245 at 6 to 11 weeks from J E Scutt & Sons

British Blue x British Friesian bulls £440 and £350 and heifers £335 to £400 at 8 to 13 weeks from T Castle & Son

Aberdeen Angus bulls £255 to £302 at 5 to 7 weeks and a Simmental heifer £310 at 4 weeks from H O Champneys Ltd

Aberdeen Angus Bulls £302 and £305 at 11 to 13 weeks from A & W J Hitchcock

Simmental bull £375 and British Blue heifer £290 at 4 weeks from Henden Manor Estate

British Blue steers £435 and heifers £435 to £475 and a Limousin heifer £445 at 5 to 6 mths from M Gammons

Hereford cross steers to £448 and Aberdeen Angus bulls £425 to £455 at 5 to 6 mths from M Gammons

Holstien bulls to £215 to £235 at 4 to 5 mths from M Gammons while young Holstein bulls made £20 to £90 at 3 to 9 weeks from Oncoland Ltd (13 aver £38)

25 Dairy bulls averaged £91.32

Please keep your entries of calves coming. At our fortnightly sales we expect to have plenty of enquiries for all shapes, sizes and ages of stock. Thank you all for texts and messages with early notice of your entries for forthcoming sales – it does help.

Store and Finished Pigs – 103 Sold

Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07748 202688

Report on trade: The good demand for stock in the pig pens continues to produce respectable prices for all grades in the finished and cull pens while trade was a little of the boil in the store pens.

Best finished pigs grossed regularily over £100 this week for T Taler (£114), J Watt (£112), P W & P Sim (£106) and HMP East Suttons Saddlebacks (£104, £107 and £109) and A Ellett (£108). The best made 120 to 127p per kg with many more 100p to 120p.

In the cull pens trade improved again with the run of sows making 62 to 64p grossing to £166

Store pigs saw S Scott & Sons younger pigs this week make to £34 and Tamworths from Ms L Goody to £31.

Our pig sales are held once a fortnight and with the summer now we are seeing plenty of competition and more confidence in the pig sector after very low levels which prevailed for about 3 months in the spring. Please keep in touch with us here in Ashford if you have pigs to sell.

Notice from Trading Standards on Sheep tags

Sheep producers are reminded that all sheep now require electronic tags, either single, double or re replacements. Please refer to Defra guidelines for the necessary type of tag required depending on the sheep you are presenting for sale.

Sheepdog wanted

A local shepherd is looking for a 4 to 6 year old working collie (either sex). Please ring 01233 720181.

Sheepdogs for sale

15mth old registered well bred collie bitch. Just broken sides and a stop and easy to handle video available. Also 3 5mth old registered collie dog pups whose breeding includes Ross Games Roy and Kevin Evans Sawmill Jess . Microchipped, vaccinated and very keen. Please ring 01403 864361 or 07718902953. West Sussex

Stockman wanted

Experienced stockman required to help with outside lambing. Immediate start, about three weeks duration. Sheep are in Rye/Brookland area of Romney Marsh. All enquiries 07785 542805.

Breeding Cattle for sale ex farm

10 Limousin cross heifers, due May and June to British Blue bull – Kent. Ring 07885 968077

Pedigree Limousin bulls from a Kent and an Essex farm

Crossbred Limousin / British Blue bulls from an Essex farm

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Easter Saturday Tractor Run

Great Humphries Farm Grafty Green, Maidstone ME17 2AX leaving at 11am. All proceeds to RABI and Kent Agricultural Tractor Club. For more details please contact James on 07748 632346.

Blindley Heath Heavy Horse & Country Show

Great Bysshe Showground , Lingfield, Surrey. RH7 6LF. Many, many attractions. For more details please contact 01737 645857 or visit www.sesha.org.uk

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions

run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales are ……

Collective Machinery & Equipment sale

Friday 21^st April at 9.30am.

Catalogues will be available about a week before the sale.

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

Lots also include a farm dispersal sale with John Deere tractors, Kubota RTV900, JCD digger, Ifor Williams plant trailers, Claas Rol;lant round baler etc

Car Auctions May Day Extravaganza

Monday 1^st May at 10am

Spring bank Holiday extravaganza sale for all classes of vehicles– well over 500 vehicles will be offered including a wide selection of 4 x 4 models.

Commercial Vehicles

Thursday 11^th May at 3.00pm

Commercial vehicle sale

Shenley Farm Machinery sale

Saturday 13^th May at 9.30am

Large entries of tractors, trailers, vehicles, arable equipment, haymaking equipment, tractor attachments & spares, livestock kit, garden machinery, workshop tools and a large and varied selection of rural bygones are expected

Spring Breeding Sheep and Livestock Equipment sale

Friday 19^th May at 11.00am

Up to 400 ewes and lambs from one Weald farm and a consignment of 80 lots of livestock farming equipment already entered. Further entries of both sheep and equipment are welcome

Young Farmers Clubs News

Please support local School and Open Young Farmers clubs forthcoming lambing events including

Ashford YFC’s event at Hope Farm, Wittersham on Easter Sunday; Swan Farm, Ashford on Easter Monday; North School, Ashford on Saturday 22^nd April and others

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DEFRA and our Local Authority trading standards officers regularly remind us of our responsibilities regarding unfit animals. No unfit animal should be exposed for sale in a market.

We have been reminded by the Local Authority that it is against current Welfare and Market Regulations to move stock to market, or any other holding, in the final stages of pregnancy (final 4 weeks). Please be careful with dates on breeding stock and cull stock that might turn out to be in lamb or in calf.

All animals should be fit to travel. All in milk cows should to be milked out prior to movement to market. Do not present lame sheep or those, for any reason, which are not fit to be transported.

Thanks for your attention to these matters.

South East Point to Point Meetings (www.pointingse.com)

The fixture list for the season has been circulated with this report recently. Further copies are available here in the market

Saturday 15^th April – Ashford Valley; Charing, Kent. TN27 0JS – 2pm

Monday 17^th April – East Kent: Aldington, Kent. TN25 7EJ – 2pm.

Saturday 22^nd April – Old Surrey, Burstow and West Kent; Penshurst, Kent. TN8 7DD – 2pm

Saturday 29^th April – Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray; Parham, West Sussex. RH20 2ER – 2pm

Hay, Straw and fodder

For Sale – 60 Round wrapped bales of 2016 season madehayledge, stored undercover . East Kent. 07775 794556

For Sale – 400 4ft round bales of 2016 season made hay on a West Kent dairy farm. Ring 07769 697934.

For Sale – Large quantities of hay. Ring 07860 623196.

For Sale – Large quantity Quadrant rectangular bales of 2016 season made threshed ryegrass hay. Good quality. Romney Marsh. Ring 07885703458

For Sale – Large quantities of 2016 made and gathered organic hay, haylage and silage. Buckhurst Park, East Sussex. Ring 01892 770220 or email:

For Sale – 100 Mini Hesston 4 string bales of oat straw, 60 Mini Hesston 4 string and 200 4’ round bales of exceptional hay. Transport can be arranged get at cost. East Sussex. Ring 01580 819000 or 07768 771933

For Sale – 157 Massey Ferguson 8’ x 4’ 6 string bales of 2016 season gathered winter barley straw, stored dry. East Kent. Ring 07703 130575

For Sale – 2000 Conventional bales of 2016 season made meadow hay. East Kent. Ring 07885 305520.

For Sale – 150 Claas Quadrant 2016 season gathered winter barley straw, stored dry. Ashford area. Ring 07850 789113.

For Sale – upto 500 Conventional bales of 2016 season made hay. West Kent. Ring 07905 269113.

For Sale – 200 Round bales of 2016 season made meadow hay. Maidstone area. Ring 07813 741636

For Sale – 50 Round wrapped bales of 2016 season made haylage from organically farmed grassland. Mid Kent. Ring 01233 756468.

For Sale – 500 bales of 5` long mini Hesston bales of July 2016 meadow grass haylage with delivery available at cost. Chiddingfold, Surrey. Ring 01428 654695 or 07966 452256.

For Sale – 300 to 400 wrapped 4 string bales of 2016 season haylage and 50 7’ long 6 string bales of meadow hay. Kent / Sussex borders. Ring 07773 384271 or 07973 634519.

To advertise your stocks in this section please speak to Mark Cleverdon or Adam Leonard for details of our very reasonable charges

RABI, FCN, Kent Herdsmans and Ashford Cattle Show  news

RABI Fund raising events over the next few months include:

Beef Dinner, British Beef Week – Saturday 22^nd April. London Beach Hotel, Tenterden. TN30 6HX. Limited to 100 tickets. Ring David Chantler 01622 850207

Kart Racing – April or May, date TBC. Buckmore Park. Ring Charles Tassell 01622 858733

Elmley Bird Sanctuary private tour and barbeque  – Sunday 14^th May. Emley, Isle of Sheppey. ME12 3RW. Ring Roger Pickard 01227 832045 for full details

Watch this space for details of more events next week and ongoing

Kent Herdsmans Club

Monday 8th May at 7.30pm – visit to Jane Wanstall’s Christmas Tree business at Christmas Tree Farm, Matfield. TN12 7JJ.

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