Weekly Sales News – 13th November 2018

Top price per head – £92.50 – Sir R Halstead; Top price per kilo – 207p – J Lukehurst

Report on trade: A larger entry than last week but quality was certainly not at the level we have seen in recent weeks with less continental cross sheep in the pens. The best that were on offer sold on a slightly improved trade but the averages do not reflect this.

A good run of well fed sheep that were presented empty from C H Ellis Ltd all sold in excess of 180p per kg with heavy sheep on offer from T R Holt selling to £85.50 and very heavy Charollais crosses from Sir R Halstead topping the market at £92.50. Less of the export grade continentals were on offer this week but those that were broke the 200p barrier to a top price of 207p from J Lukehurst.

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 sized entry of cull sheep this week met another less than exciting trade with the best ewes making £70 to £80  but a number of poorer ewes were forward which has once again dragged averages down. Grazing ewes traded at between £30 and £50.

Report on trade: This week saw another large entry and with plenty of customers ringside trade was competitive throughout with the best continental crosses selling readily at 210p per kg plus and smart leaner sorts up to 208p for further finishing.

Top run of the day were continental crosses from D W Ferguson Ltd with a Limousin cross steer topping at £1261 (218p) and a British Blue cross heifer to £1264 (214p). Other top prices included a British Blue cross steer £1293 (216p) from S Marsh, a British Blue cross heifer £1032 (209p) from A & M Lyon and a Limousin cross steer £1237 (205p) from W Alexander (Shoreham).

Native bred cattle were again well received with an Aberdeen Angus cross heifer at £1129 (197p) from B G & M A Tomsett, a Sussex steer £1180 (194p) from J Doorey and a Sussex heifer at £1144 (190p) from A & M Lyon.

OTM cattle made up to £1055 (158p) for a Sussex steer again from J Doorey.

Report on trade: A big show of cows despite the current awkward trading circumstances and again quality generally low with very few fleshed cows and many very plain and old suckler cows. All that said trade was certainly firmer with more individual buyers around the ring than for many months and competition good for flesh and for feeders but tired old non performers remain low. There is no doubt that cow beef is going to be short in the New Year. It is not necessarily easy to get to mid January / February but if you have the resources and the feed it might not be worse decision made.

In summary meat cows made 90p-115p per kg, good feeders 90p to125p, half meat 75p to 90p,  old feeders 60p to 80p and plain and old 40p to 60p.

Higlights included Limousin cross 128p (Non FA) B Townsend; Sussex 116p £803 J & S Harmer; Simmental cross 115p (Non FA) G Gregory; Charolais cross 111p (Non FA) £1000 R J & C S Wratten; Blonde cross 112p (Non FA) R J & C S Wratten; Aberdeen Angus cross 108p D J Miles and South Devon cross (Non FA) 107p C & E Leach.

IN the dairy lines British Friesians 100p G D & E E Field; Guernsey 85p £655 W G & T A Manford and Holstein 96p £754 Appleton Farms.

Report on trade: An extra 200 cattle to the catalogue made for a very attractive sale with a high percentage of quality beef bred stores on offer. The sale was well attended with all regular buyers ringside ensuring a competitive and brisk trade throughout.

The consignment of 100 Limousin cross from FGS Agri were well received with the 18 mths steers and heifers selling exceptionally well topping the market at £1130 and the best of the weaned 8 mths steers sold well up to £780.

A large run of dairy bred British Blue cross heifers attracted lots of interest and topped at £915 from T Carr while a run of purebred Sussex steers topped the native bred cattle at £985 from Passmore Coombes.

Please enter cattle early for forthcoming sales to ensure proper cataloguing and marketing. We will not offer store and breeding cattle on Tuesday 27^th November “Show Tuesday”

On day of sale please ensure cattle arrive at the market early to ensure proper sorting and accurate administration of paperwork.

For up to date information on all livestock sales please contact

Elwyn Davies (Cattle & Sheep) 07710 803901 or 01233 861263

Peter Kingwill (Cattle & Sheep) 07795 200357

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

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

Mark Cleverdon (Rams, Breeding Cattle, Pigs & Calves) 07741 845230

John Rossiter (Sheep, Machinery plus commercial vehicles) 07557 392903

Tom Hamplett (Calves) 07966 104532

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

The November editions of these popular regional farming magazines are now available here in the market. Hobbs Parker are regular contributors to the editorial content.

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

RABI, Young Farmers Clubs and Kent Herdsmans Club news

Kent Herdsmans Club

Monday 12th November 2018 at 7.30pm – a talk by Dale Burden about Burden Brothers farming enterprise, at the Conningbrook Hotel, Canterbury Road, Ashford TN24 9QR.

The Club’s Christmas dinner will be held on Monday 10^th December, 7.30pm at the halfway house, Challock.

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

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

For Sale – 2 sheepdogs on a North Kent farm – a 6mth Collie bitch and 12 mth Kelpie dog. Ring 07850 224330

For Sale – 2 Brown Merles and 1 tricolour collie puppies on a mid Kent farm. Ring 07941 730588

Fodder Crop for sale and / wanted

For Sale – 600 conventional bales of 2018 season gathered wheat straw in mid Kent. Ring 07768 726286

For Sale – 50 2018 and 40 2017 season wrapped 4’ round bales of hayledge in West Sussex. Ring 07718 532971

The South Eastern Primestock Winter Fayre Show and Sale

Thursday 22^nd November at the South of England Showground, Ardingley from 9am

Usual livestock show classes, pure bred calf show plus South Eastern Charolais calf show and cattle, pig and lamb classes

For all details please contact Mary Masters on 01273 517824

Ashford Cattle Show

Monday 26^th and Tuesday 27^th November

Show catalogues are now available

The Show Dinner for 2018 will again be held at Ashford International Hotel on Tuesday 27^th November with the Champagne reception at 7pm

Our President Mr Clifford George will host the evening. The meal will be a traditional 3 course “Roast rib of beef” dinner. Matthew Dodds will be the presidents guest speaker as a representative and supporter of the charity the Animal Welfare Foundation.

The Chairman Mr Anthony Neaves will be providing a hamper that will be auctioned with proceeds going to the president’s nominated charity.

Summer competition championship prizes will be awarded at this year’s dinner.

This event is one of the social events of the year for sponsors, companies and all show supporters. We hope that you will join us.

Tickets are available at £31.00 and tables can be booked in units of 8 or 10. Smaller numbers can also be purchased upon request. Booking forms available from Sue Porter at the Tenterden NFU Office on 01580 766174. Bookings by the 14^th November.