Weekly Sales News – 12th September 2017

Top price per head – £98 – C & J Georgetti & Sons; Top price per kg – 225p – G P King

Report on trade: A smaller entry this week with just about 1600 in the pens and we saw two different trades for the two different classes of lambs on offer. The well finished and continental bred lambs sold on a good trade with several pens in excess of 200p per kg, with lambs from 34kg through to 49kgs breaking this price barrier providing they were well finished. Several leaner lambs however were on offer this week, which were selling on a trade comparable to the store market and this has brought the overall average down to 181p. This average is a couple of pence above last weeks figures and 5-10p ahead of many other markets operating on Tuesday. Top spot was taken this week by G P King with some super shapey Beltex crosses at 225p (38kgs at  £85.50) with  heavier offerings selling to a top price of £98 from C & J Georgetti & Sons.

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: Yet again a big number of ewes on offer this week with a great percentage of lean sorts in the pens. These lean ewes that are being bought by the grazing men were certainly the easiest to sell with 12 different customers yesterday buying sheep to graze on. Meat ewes were selling on a similar trade to last week but these ewes certainly make up a smaller percentage of the sheep on offer than we are used to seeing. Best meated sorts sold to £94 for some strong Texel ewes from Kingswood Manor Farms.

Top prices included continental ewes to £94 from Kingswood Manor Farms, Suffolk crosses to £80 form H & J Noakes and Romneys to £71 from Mrs H V Langrish

Auctioneer: John Rossiter

Report on trade: Fridays at this time of year are the the “main event” when it comes to selling store sheep but mixed consignments of finished, cull and store sheep can be and are accepted on Tuesdays. This week stores sold to a similar trade to recent Fridays with the strongest £63 and the 117 averaging £54.04

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We are now selling these sheep on Fridays – see our Store and breeding sheep pages for reports

Report on trade: Our entry was mainly commercial sorts this week with the majority making 180p to 200p. A smart Limousin cross steer topped the market at £1260 (216p) from R F & E A Simmons while other sorts grossed well in excess of £1300 notably a Simmental cross steer at £1387 (188p) from R F & E A Simmons, Charolais cross steer at £1322 (185p) from H G Tompsett & Sons Ltd and a Charolais cross heifer at £1292 (196p) from A & M Lyon.

A few native bred cattle were on offer with an Aberdeen Angus cross heifer topping at £1124 (205p) from A J Thompson & Sons and a run of Sussex bulls making up to £876 (171p) from M Gibb.

Several over thirty months cattle were on offer with a Sussex heifer to £905 (178p) from I Hobden, a British Blue cross steer at £860 (178p) from D J Miles and a Friesian steer up to £977 (160p) from F Henderson.

Please support the live auctions to help to ensure a competitive alternative to direct sales. More cattle could be sold at very favourable prices – please contact now to discuss trade and likely demand.

Report on trade: With the seasonal shift in the weather now more obvious a few more cows are coming forward onto the market up and down the country. There is just the feel that we have seen the best of the trade though rates again were extremely firm and returns for the big meat cows remain very strong.

Meat remains in short supply amongst both the beef and dairy culls but there is plenty of confidence amongst the yard feeders though the grazing men will be looking to clear up rather than add to their numbers.

No real specials forward but good shaped cows pushing close to 150p per kg and £1200. Charolais 148p, 147p, 146p, 140p and £1206, £1195 from Foyle Farmers; Simmental 145p £1048 (Non FA) P Burgess; South Devon 143p, 135p, 133p and £1140 Gardners;  Limousin cross 141p R F & E A Simmons and 136p £1125 A Boyd & Co; Sussex 138p £976 R A S Pattenden and British Blue 130p (Non FA) R Douglas.

Best of the heavyweight fleshed dairy culls made up and down of 130p with meat generally 120p plus. Plain steakers were similar but the lean boners less money as more come onto the market. Holstein cows 134p, 133p P C Coleman, 130p(2) £1120, £1023 A E Daw & Son, 129p £1118 G R Edgar & Son, 129p £1002 J Warnock & Son, 129p G A & H Vicary & Son and British Friesian 129p Debden Court Farms.

A Limousin stock bull made 114p.

Report on trade: Despite a small entry there were plenty of bidders around the ring and prices were competitive throughout with a cracking run of Aberdeen Angus beef stores topping the market with 20 mths steers to £1260 and heifers to £1210 from B W C Brooks. Other top prices included 18 mths Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers at £1005 from E M & A R Roger-Smith and a smart 7 mths Limousin cross bull at £715  from A Britton.

Report on trade: The largest entry of calves for one sale for quite a number of years was well received by, not the biggest crowd of buyers, but the right men were here and good demand produced a very fair and for some breeds surprising good trade. The auction system works with good communication between sellers and buyers and the auctioneer pre sale. Good information is key.

Headlines were made by British Blue bulls making to £395 under 3 weeks old from W F Farms; 3 from T Castle & Son out of British Friesian cows – £350, £375 and £380 and heifers to £270 at 8 to 10 weeks old; £300 and heifer £265 at 6 to 7 weeks from H O Champneys Ltd and £ 375 at 2 weeks old from P J Forknall.

Limousin Bulls to £340 and heifers £285 at 10 to 13 weeks for T Castle & Son and then Simmental cross bulls to £330 twice from F W Hamlyn & Son and £340 for bulls and £390 for a heifer at 7 to 8 weeks from H O Champneys Ltd

The best Aberdeen Angus crosses made to £310 for a bull and to £200 for a run of heifers at around 10 to 13 weeks old from W S Furnival Ltd.

Black and white bulls calves are generally a little less money, particularly for the young models, than through the summer. Oncolands run of 9, born mid to late July made £38 to £70; W F Farms 4 August born made £74 to £85; W S Furnival Ltds May and June borns £68 to £145; Goddard & Sons 18 late July and August borns £20 to £112 and averaged £45 and 9 born April to July from N J & G M Lambert £110 to £148 and averaged £138..

M Gammons regular consignment of stirks (March and April born) saw Limousin cross steers make to £570, Aberdeen Angus steers, £410 and heifers £395, Hereford heifers, £400 and a Friesain steer £255.

Please keep your entries of calves coming – we have customers for all classes . 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.

Report on trade: A short entry and rather “end of season” demand saw the trade slip from summer highs. Two good finished pens from S J M Evans made 119 and 116p per kg and grossing over £100 with the remainder heavy and coloured pigs which made 60 to 106p.

Cull sows made to 61p for the best and boars 55p. This is a continuing good trade.

In the store and breeding pens young Berkshires looked a good buy at £14 to £20.

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 Cull ewes and Sheep tags

Cull ewes – It is the time of the year that we will see large numbers of fleshy weaned cull ewes in lean condition. There is strong enquiry from grazing buyers looking for this kind of stock.

We respectively remind vendors that these ewes must be in appropriate condition to both travel and to be shown in the market.

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.

Vehicle Parking on busy market days – Congestion in the bottom / livestock parking area

Please help us to help you. The upper car park on the top side of the market buildings is available for all cars and Land Rovers with trailers.

RABI, FCN and Kent Herdsmans Club News

RABI – Forthcoming events were they will be represented or are promoting include:

Saturday 16^th September – Weald of Kent Ploughing Match, Gatehouse Farm, Marden TN12 9SG

Saturday 23^rd September – Gravesend Rochester Ploughing Match, Newlands Farm, Station Road, Cliffe, Rochester ME3 7RU

Wednesday 27^th September – East Kent Ploughing Match, Quex Park, Manston Road, Birchington CT7 0HR

Saturday 14^th October – Harvest Supper, Amos Hall Ashford Market

Sunday in October (date to be confirmed) – County Harvest Thanksgiving Service, Faversham church

Monday 27^th & Tuesday 28^th November – Ashford Cattle Show

Saturday 2^nd December – Maidstone Symphony Orchestra, charity evening in connection with George Jessel, High Sheriff. More details to follow.

Tuesday 5^th December – Live Nativity Carol Evening, 6pm in the auction ring at Ashford Market

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Ashford Young Farmers  Club news

The club’s annual  Dinner and Dance is to be held at the Weald of Kent Golf Course, Headcorn (TN27 9PT) on the 30th September 2017 at 7pm.

£35 a ticket, 1920s attire for a ‘Great Gatsby’ theme. For tickets please contact Amy 07733481473

Livestock for sale ex farm

11 Simmental x Montbelliarde/Friesain heifers, 20 mths which have been bucket reared, have no horns and are ideal bulling heifers. East Sussex. Ring Peter on 07795 200357

3 Polled pedigree Hereford bulls at 17-18 mths old on a farm in Kent – Contact Mark Cleverdon for details – 07748 202688

Wanted – upto 10 pedigree Hereford cows (with calves and/or in calf) for an Essex farmer.

Wanted – between 10 and 20 Aberdeen Angus or British Blue x Friesian bulling heifers, reared on the holding of birth and with high health status in a TB 4 area. Ring 07748 202688 with any details

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions

run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales are ……

Sale of Boats and Maritime items at Ramsgate Harbour

Saturday 16^th September

A good large entry of boats and other maritime items is expected for this sale

Commercial Vehicles

Thursday 21^st September at 3.00pm

A wide selection of up to 40 vehicles are generally offered in these sales

Chilli Farm Machinery sale

Saturday 30^th September at 9.30am

Entries close Saturday 9^th September

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

Horse & Saddlery Sale

Thursday 26^th October at 10am

Catalogues will be available about a week before the sale.

Entries expected of riding ponies, event horses and youngstock

New & nearly new saddlery & tack, grooming kit, yard equipment, rugs, harness Riding boots, show jackets, jodhpurs, body protectors, yard clothing & boots

Special 4 x 4, Diesel and MPV Vehicle sale

Wednesday 8^th November at 4pm

This auction of cars will include a special sale of 4 X 4, Diesel and MPV with the normal car auction to follow

Collective Machinery & Equipment sale

Friday 10^th November 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 large selection of miscellaneous items.

Special Sports and High Performance Vehicle sale

Wednesday 29^th November at 6.30pm

This auction of cars will include a special sale sports and high performance cars with the normal car auction to follow

Ashford Cattle Show

Monday and Tuesday 27^th and 28^th November

Competition schedules are now available

Macmillen Cancer Support Cake Sale

Hobbs Parker are pleased to be supporting colleagues who will be running this event on Friday 22^nd September to raise funds for this worthy national charity.

Donations of cakes to the stall and purchases on the day will both be much appreciated

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For up to date information on all livestock sales please contact

Elwyn Davies (Sheep) 07710 803901 or 01233 861263

Peter Kingwill (Cattle & Sheep) 07795 200357

Martin Crowhurst (Sheep & Cattle) 07710 803903 or 01797 343936

Simon Husk (Sheep & Cattle) 07885 968077 or 01304 842393

Mark Cleverdon (Rams, Breeding Cattle, Pigs & Calves) 07748 202688

John Rossiter (Cull ewes & store sheep plus commercial vehicles) 07557 392903