Weekly Sales News – 11th January 2022

Top price per kilo – 281p – M R Woodroofe: Top price per head – £144.00 – L Stevens & Sons

Report on trade: Another good entry of lambs this week with a lot more numbers now coming onto the market in the past few days due to the wet weather conditions around the UK. This has caused a slight fall in prices achieved but let us not forget the level we are at and lose sight of the prices we have seen so often in January in the past. No matter where the trade is, we will always see some fluctuations, up and down, caused by the numbers on offer nationally. Averages were returned at £117/ head for an entry of overall lesser quality which is in fact only £1/ head down on last week with a top price of £144 achieved by L Stevens & Sons and a good number of sheep sold in excess of £130. Smaller export grades were thin on the ground this week but were traded from 260-280p kg with Mervyn Woodroofe and J Watt selling to 281p & 277p kg respectively.

Auctioneer: James Cook O’Connell

Top Price Ewe – £153.00 from Miss C Russo (Ave. £98.00)

Top Price Ram – £138.00 from I Strang

Report on trade: Trade this week has taken a slight rise once again with some fantastic sheep penned from an increased number of vendors. Although the overall average this week is a little less trade certainly dearer on the week (£5 increase) but a higher proportion of leaner ewes bringing averages back.  An excellent run of ewes from R G Wood topping at £118, M Wickens topped at £125 and C R & G Daws topped at £135 with many more being on par with these prices. We also had some nice Beltex type ewes from C A Worley Farming Ltd topping at £147 also followed closely by Mrs V Frampton topping at £133.

Top Prices included:

Continentals to £153 from Miss C Russo

Suffolk X to £125 from A R Clough

Mules to £105 from A R Clough

Romneys to £112 from R Wood

Just over 500 stores on offer this week and another great trade for them despite the adverse weather conditions. Prices are obviously going to be spurred on by the high prices in the finished section, but at these levels it certainly makes sense to sell stores at the moment. Several pens over £100 hd and an overall average of £86 including all the longer terms sorts.

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Report on trade: More numbers desperately needed within the prime beef sector as demand post Christmas remains very positive.

A very good show of quality at all levels and eagerly taken up by keen buyers.

Topping the day and the heifer section was a very smart Blue cross from S Marsh selling at 264p, £1383. Top grossing heifer came from A J Down with his British Blue x Friesian at £1491 239p. Top steer from W Alexander (Shoreham) a Limousin cross at 259p, £1616. The dairy bred steers sold to 232p, heifers to 240p from A J Down. At the smaller end of the scale a nicely fleshed Dexter steer from Miss H Challis sold well at 170p, £617 to a local farm shop.

Gross returns are at record levels with today’s entry averaging at colossal £1429 head (excluding the Dexter!). Well done producers!

Report on trade: Another very good entry of cull cattle, and quality in both beef and dairy categories very strong. Trade at terrific rates once again with a strong attendance of buyers for both feeding and slaughter cattle. Prospects for processing beef remain very positive with cattle nationally in short supply. Several of the major supermarkets are coming under pressure over stocking imported material on the shelves which all helps!

Some very good beef cows on offer with any that have the potential to be taken on further hitting the high notes. A quality run of Limousin cross and Simmental cross cows from C & J Georgetti & Sons sold to 182p kg and £1486 head whilst good meat cows were 140 – 170p in general. Barely a beef cow below 120p.

Charolais 186p £1085 (Non FA) J Bower; Limousin cross 182p, 167p, £1486, £1330 C & J Georgetti & Son, 165p, £1423 (Non FA) M Keeley (Agri Services), 163p, £1194 L E Humphreys & Son; Simmental cross 165p, 157p, 156p, 152p, £1372, £1291, £1246, £1242 C & J Georgetti & Sons; Sussex 158p, 156p, £1073, £969 (Non FA) A H Hoad & Son, 147p, 146p £1171, £1061 (Non FA) Kent Wildlife Trust, 140p £914 (Non FA) G Husk; Aberdeen Angus cross 146p £938 (Non FA) M Twinley, 139p H & J Noakes; British Blue cross 132p R F & E A Simmons; Beef Shorthorn cross 128p(2) H F & J H Glover; Longhorn 119p(Non FA) N Hutley.

Plenty of flesh about amongst the dairy culls and a terrific trade. With returns for culls so good milk producers are keeping cows in good condition score and reaping the rewards. Many over 130p kg and up over £1000 head with an immense British Friesian cow from R & J Ledger selling to 135p, £1311. Strong demand for maiden heifers of all breeds with younger Jerseys well sold to 139p £621 from S E Lane & Partners.

Holstein Friesian OTM heifer to 150p, £987; Jersey UTM heifers to 139p, 134p, £621, £602; British Friesian cows 135p, 130p, £1311 R & J Ledger; 135p, £1115 D Murdoch & Son; 131p, 125p, £959 J W Boyd & Sons; 130p, 129p, 127p, 126p, 125p, 123p, 122p (2) £1044, £1029, £1023, £1017 R Torrance & Son; Brown Swiss 133p, £998 D Murdoch & Sons; Ayrshires 115p, £950 J Howie; Dexter 71p, £275 (Non FA) S F Wall.

Lean Charolais stock bull 94p, £1047 (Non FA)

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Report on trade: Another small show of store cattle found plenty of keen customers around the sale ring. Short term feeders and stronger outwintered types are what everybody is looking for, but they remain in short supply and perhaps will do so until later February.

Sussex bulls 9mths £500, £450 J D Hickman

Longhorn bulls 8-9mths £395 £365, heifers £380 £340 N Hutley

Simmental cross steer 10mths £800, heifer 9mths £450 S Macer

Sussex steer 18mths £915, heifers 20mths £900 £845 Passmore Coombes

Limousin cross steer 16mths £950, heifers £995 (outwintered) T Avon

Sussex heifer 22mths £900 J D Hickman

Report on trade: With an in balance between supply and demand, very low European values, rising feed prices and staff shortages in abattoirs and processing plants things still look difficult for everyone in the pig sector. One expert / pundit is however quoted as saying “by mid-2022 we could be looking at a different scenario for those who can stay the course as breeding herds are cut dramatically in Europe, the US and China and demand catches up with a diminishing supply” – whose holding their breath?

Trade in the pens for finished pigs was certainly an improvement on the last sale (4 weeks ago) with good pigs from Ms M Godden and P J & P B Wade making 70p to 98p per kg and D J Popes shapely sorts 88p to 100p and £76 to £92 (compare this with spot market deadweight quotes of 60p to 112p). Ashford’s live trade stands up!!

The cull trade continues to be very difficult with only one sow offered.

Store pigs saw 1 pen of young shapely weaners making £12 from R Vidler.

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

The January edition of this popular regional farming magazine is now available here in the market. Hobbs Parker is a regular contributor to the editorial content.

Cattle Passports

We remind producers that on no occasion should the details on a cattle passport be changed other than by returning it to BCMS.

If details are incorrect return and advise BCMS, or advice the auctioneers on market day without writing on the passport.

Cattle Producers, Please Note – Revised Advice Inconclusive Reactors

All IRs from high risk or edge areas that have had a negative (clear) result on retesting remain restricted on their holding for the rest of their life and can only move direct to slaughter or an approved finishing unit (AFU).

In a low-risk area if there has been a TB breakdown (i.e., with reactors) then again, any IRs that subsequently have a negative test are still only allowed to go direct to slaughter or an AFU, however if only IRs are identified in a low risk area herd test then no movement restrictions are placed on those animals if they subsequently re test negative (clear).

Should any low-risk area producer have any doubts, about the position please do not hesitate to contact Peter Kingwill.

Hay and Straw register

For a small charge we are quite happy to advertise your hay, straw, and fodder for sale in this register which will now run until early May for further details please ring our auctioneers office on 01233 502222.

For Sale – Freshly dug fodder beet available in large quantities in the Ashford area. Can be delivered. Ring 07764 273798

For Sale – 3,000 conventional wheat straw bales from the Ashford area. 07876273254

For Sale – Conventional baled and 4 string big bales meadow hay on a farm in the Ashford area. Can be delivered. Ring Michael on 07715651766 or 01233 820261

For Sale – large quantities of hay, hayledge and straw in the Ashford area. Ring 07707 879642

For Sale – large quantities of top-notch feed and bedding – Round bale naked hay, Round bale wrapped haylage, Mini Hesston bales naked hay, Round bale wrapped silage, Round bale naked wheat straw, Round bale naked barley straw, Round bale naked oat straw, Whole Wheat and barley in crane bags, Logs of all varieties, shapes, sizes and prices.

All from our own Red Tractor certified farms (with full field traceability) and keenly priced ex farm or delivered locally or nationwide. Richard Barnes (Farms) Ltd, Etchingham, TN19 7AZ.

01580 819000, 07768 771933

Romney Sheep Breeders News

The RSBS has an upcoming vacancy for a secretary to manage day to day society matters, oversight of flock book, communications, and liaison with members.
Up to 15 hours duties a month. commencement January 2022. Rates and full list of duties to be advised upon request.

Vacancy also for a part time Treasurer
The RSBS has an upcoming vacancy for a treasurer to manage day to day society accounts and bookkeeping. Up to 5 hours a month is anticipated. Commencement January 2022. Rates and full list of duties to be advised upon request.

All enquiries for either of these positions should be made to the RSBS Chairman on 07973326160.

South of England Show News – Burke Trophy competition

This year (2022) at the South of England Show cattle competitions will include the judging of the Burke Trophy from the Royal Show. This is an interbreed competition for the best pair of animals in both the beef and dairy sections.

This photograph goes back to the 1984 trophy, judged at Stoneleigh, and won by the Sussex breed.

In the photograph the then young Bob Isted who sadly passed away only two weeks ago. Who can name the other two men.??

All details for the show on Friday to Sunday 11^th to 12^th June are available from the showground – Wiz Crockford on 01444 892700 or visit seas.org.uk