Weekly Sales News – 14th July 2020

Top price per Kilo – 264p – C A Worley Farming Ltd; Top price per head – £118.50 – C & J Georgetti & Sons

Report on trade This week saw another good entry of lambs, a few less on offer than last week, but a cracking trade right through for all. This increase in values comes in anticipation of the Eid festival at the end of the month and also reflects the shortage of heavier lambs  nationally.

Lambs from 43 kg upwards all sold over £100 and from 240p to 253p per kg. Top spot was taken by some fantastic heavy lambs from C & J Georgetti & Sons at £118.50 with their run of 280 lambs averaging just over £110. Export grade sheep were also in strong demand with the best changing hands at 240 to 260p to a top price of 264p from C A Worley Farming Ltd. Others of note in this category came from G H Dean and Co and Miss K Tucker selling at  243p and 255p respectively. There were many leaner lambs in the entry this week selling from £65 to £80 which seems good business to sell now as they are certainly making in excess of their store value.

It would be greatly appreciated if you could “help us to help you” by arriving earlier to assist with appropriate sorting and penning of sheep. Lairage facilities are available from 2 to 6pm every Monday and we can accept stock from 6am every Tuesday.

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 We penned about the same number this week but far better quality sheep than last week. Best ewes were making in excess of £90 on several occasions to a top of £98 from C Woodhead.

Best Suffolk crosses from S W Batch, G H Dean & Co and T Masters sold from £90 to £93. Many customers were out looking for the leaner sorts too this week with good grazers selling from £40 to £60

Report on trade: A good consistent show of finished cattle with majority making 190p to 200p per kg with a run of handy weight Limousin cross heifers from W S Furnival (Brookland) taking the pick of the trade at 200p plus and topping at £1094 (211p). Other continental cross heifers made 190p to 200p and grossed up to £1119 from A J Thompson & Son and a run of British Blue crosses made similar prices (190p to 200p) with steers grossing to £1157 and heifers to £1246 from Maythum Wharf Farm. Cattle from regular vendor A J Down met a similar trade to last week with Limousin x Friesian steers around190p and grossing up to £1174 and Hereford x Friesian steers around 180p and up to £1128.

Quality cattle with weight sold well with British Blue cross steer topping at £1360 (207p) from K & PM Sinden & Sons.

Report on trade A smaller entry, on a midsummer day with no store cattle forward, found a different audience around the ring but the trade was dearer than ever! Nothing much to write home about in terms of quality but all grades were an outstanding trade.

Only the one meat beef cow which made to 160p and grossed £1332 for an Aberdeen Angus cross from P R Baylis but plenty of half meat types for slaughter or feeding made 130p to150p per kg.

The entry was short of flesh amongst the dairy culls with a few better types making up over 130p grossing to £1152 from P J Forknall. Half meat types and boners were a phenomenal trade with little below 100p.

Highlight in the beef lines included Aberdeen Angus cross 160p £1332 (Non FA) P R Baylis; Limousin 147p 142p 139p £983 £967 L Smith; South Devon 138p 133p 130p £976 H & S Nesfield and 135p £834 (Non FA) P Ashlee; British Blue cross 137p £990 (Non FA) R M Vant and Beef Shorthorn cross 126p (Non FA) P Ashlee.

In the dairy lines British Friesian 139p £873 P W Westnedge & Knight; Holstein Friesian 136p £1152 P J Forknall, 133p 129p £1053 £970 A & W J Hitchcock and 129p J W Boyd & Sons Ltd; Flekvieh cross 168p E P Knight; Norwegian Red cross 162p 139p £969 E P Knight.

A run of grazed Holstein steers at 33 to 38 mths were well sold at 165p, 163p, 161p, 152p, 149p (2), 148p and £1097 £1094 £1068 from E T Ledger & Son Ltd.

Report on trade: Comment in the pig world is generally rather negative for the trade in the next few months but this week’s sale still produced some very fair results. Finished pigs looked well sold in line with the previous sale and the cull trade was tested with prices achieved rather what was expected. A small selection of stress and breeders also featured in the pens and found customers

A small selection of good finished pigs were penned – top price was 124p per kg for P R Lanhams which grossed £127 with C B Hopes run of 16 selling to 118p and £115 (average £102). The rest of the offering made 65p to 99p.

The cull entry was 7 sows which made to 36p and £83.

Young white weaners in the store pens made to £10 and older Tamworths also made to £10. 2 Small sows with teams of 7 and 8 piglets made £70 for each unit.

Next pig sales – Tuesdays 28^th July and 11^th and 25^th August with stores being sold immediately following the finished and cull.

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

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

Mark Cleverdon (Pigs) 07741 845230

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

Tom Hamplett (Calves, weanlings, breeding cattle & rams) 07966 104532

Planning

As part of the critical food industry in these difficult days we want to plan and control our market operations as efficiently and safely as possible for the sake of us all – vendors, purchasers, hauliers and market staff.

Please advise us of your plans and numbers if you intend to sell stock.

Please liaise with and help your hauliers with early collections.

Please help market staff with fully completed entry forms – ear numbers listed in numeric order to speed up processing. With big loads please split heifers and steers on entry forms.

Thank you and take care

Help and support from The Farming Community Network

Farming Community Network (FCN) volunteers regularly attend local livestock markets and whilst we cannot be present at sales currently, our helpline is still open from 7am to 11pm every day, staffed by people who understand farming.

FCN is a charity and voluntary organisation that helps farmers to stay resilient. We provide practical and pastoral support to those experiencing difficulties in England and Wales.

During these challenging times we are encouraging everyone to think about their own physical and mental health and that of their families and staff.

We can help with contingency planning against the backdrop of the Corona virus outbreak and our Farm Well website (www.farmwell.org.uk) offers a wealth of free information about managing change and maintaining personal wellbeing.

The FCN helpline can be reached on 03000 111 999 or via email at help@fcn.org.uk. Confidentiality is assured.

Message from Peter Barker of Barkers Animal Health

Barkers Animal Health retail store here in the market is open for collections on a Tuesday and also on Fridays through the sheep sale season. Please pre order so goods are ready for you – 07880 946983

It was good to see an old friend of many livestock farmers in the area, Chris Andrews (formerly Janssen Animal Health), in the market on Tuesday standing in for Peter. Watch this space for breaking news on a new appointment to the Barkers team!

Hobbs Parker and Ashford Livestock Market

We are the South East’s principle livestock market selling over 255,000 head of cattle, sheep and pigs in 2019.

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

Local Agricultural Show and ploughing match dates and news

Agricultural shows in the region which are now cancelled include Aylsham (Norfolk), Moreton in Marsh (Gloucestershire), Royal Cornwall and the Bath and West has now cancelled from its rescheduled date.

The Weald of Kent, East Kent and East Sussex Ploughing matches have now all been cancelled for this year.

Please note if you don’t wash out at Ashford

Drivers of vehicles leaving Ashford empty without cleansing and disinfecting MUST complete a declaration form obtainable from the Market Office.

You must then cleanse and disinfect as soon as possible and within 24 hours, or before using again for livestock.

This is a LEGAL responsibility and are subject to checks by Local Authority Animal Health and Welfare Officers

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

For Sale – 3 yr old Beef Shorthorn bull who is proven – Surrey. Ring Mark Cleverdon for details 07741 845230

For Sale – large quantity of 2019 season gathered maize silage on a Romney Marsh farm

Relief farm worker required – for general livestock duties including milking, feeding, calf rearing and general husbandry. Would suit a self-employed person but position is flexible located near Dartford. Please call Iain on 07738 445530 for more information.

Hobbs Parker Car Auctions news

We are back in business !!

Vehicles are being traded in substantial numbers in our weekly online sales.

For all details please long onto the Hobbs Parker website and select Car Auctions or pick up the phone 01233 506266 and speak to John Chapman or James Johnson