Weekly Sales News – 14th September 2021

New Season Lambs – Top price per head – – £142 – J Metianu & S Aspital: Top price per kg – 282p – G H Dean & Co

Report on trade: We saw a similar number of lambs on offer this week and once again a strong trade from start to finish for both the very best down to the leaner sorts. Overall averages were returned at 240p per kg with all included and this is some 15p to 20p ahead of other centres on Monday.

An end of season entry of 250 lambs from G H Dean & Co sold exceptionally well with several pens making in excess of 250p to a top of 282p and up to £126 but the top spot on the day was taken by some tremendous Rouge lambs from J Metianu & S Aspital at £142.

Prospects for the coming months look a bit lean for numbers of finished lambs and this will undoubtedly help to maintain the prices we are currently seeing.

Important: Please keep us informed regarding numbers for the Tuesday market so we can notify the buyers.

Auctioneer: John Rossiter

Report on trade: A few less on offer this week and less of the leaner types in the pens also which in turn boosted the averages somewhat, but trade was at similar levels with a few pens a touch stronger. Leaner grazers were selling from £50 to £70 with the best end of the ewes selling in excess of £100 to a top price of £156 from K & P M Sinden.

For a full report – https://www.hobbsparker.co.uk/auctioneers/livestock-marketing/sheep-sale-reports/

Report on trade: Short numbers this week and a taste of things to come with supply tightening across the country and processors expressing serious concern over availability this autumn and winter. Prices continue at excellent levels with competition strong throughout with any animals with time left, and a capacity for further finishing, finding additional competition from feeding customers.

Top price steer came from within a run of British Blue and Limousin x British Friesian cattle from A J Down selling to 239p per kg (£1421) whilst top grossing steer honours went to W Alexander (Shoreham) at £1523 (233p). A Limousin x Sussex steer from J Hooker & Son with potential for further feeding made 239p (£1313) while further Sussex from A H Hoad & Son made to 229p (£1212) and P Ibbott 224p, £1296.

Quality heifers from W S Furnival (Brookland) Ltd sold to 264p (£1475) with others at 256p, 255p (2) and 248p. A run of strong British Blue cross heifers from P Burgess sold to £1573 (216p)

More cattle wanted to satisfy exceptional demand.

Report on trade: Just two beef cows amongst the entry of lean dairy culls reflects the time of year and continues to place upwards pressure on the trade which remains at record levels. A Hereford cow made150p per kg and £1069 (Non-FA) from P Ibbott and a British Blue cross cow 145p, £1127 (Non-FA) Ross Douglas.

Very little flesh on the dairy culls this week but better sorts made up over 140p, the majority over 120p and very few under 100p.

Dairy highlights included Holstein Friesian heifers 173p, £1014 G D & E E Field; Holstein Friesian cows 141p, 140p, 135p, £1061, £1018, £1014 G D & E E Field; 135p, 130p, 129p, 127p, 126p, £1090, £1010 R C & J L Pickering; 135p, £1063 J W Boyd & Sons; 132p, 129p, £1099, £1039 A L Betts and 129p J E Scutt & Sons; British Friesian 139p, £1037 (Non-FA) R Douglas and Ayrshire 139p, 122p J Howie.

Overage Holstein Friesian steers to 161p, 158p and a Simmental stock bull (Non-FA) 102p.

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Report on trade: Just a few this week but all in very strong demand.

Blonde cross bulls, 9-11 mths £810, £770; Blonde cross steer, 11mths £775 and heifers, 8mths £670 all from R M Christie. A run of dairy bred stores 24-30 mths looked very well sold too Simmental cross heifers, 24 mths £920; Blonde cross heifers, 22 mths £870; Hereford cross heifers, 20-30 mths £805; Aberdeen Angus cross heifers, 25-26 mths £825; Limousin cross heifers, 19 mths £840; Aberdeen Angus cross steer, 24 mths £800 and a Sussex cross steer, 23 mths £940 all from C Kearl.

Calves – 76 Sold (including 9 weanlings)

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Report on trade: Numbers starting to come forward again but still not enough to fill demand with a serious trade for all classes!

Continental bulls made to a top of £420 for Simmentals from Parrett & Son with others to £365, £355 and £300. British Blues were a solid trade with a top of £355 from J E Scutt & Son and other notables included D Murdoch & Sons to £310 and T Castle & Sons with a top of £300. Limousin’s from T Castle & Son to £360, £310 and £300.

Native bred bulls were a cracking trade particularly for Aberdeen Angus which topped at £305 from P J Forknall.

We had a sizzling trade for heifers today with continentals to £300 for British Blues from J E Scutt & Sons, Hickson Bros British Blues topped at £270 and T Castle & Sons had them to £265. Limousin’s from T Castle & Sons to £265 completed the continental offering.

Aberdeen Angus heifers led the native department with a top of £210 from D Murdoch and Kingcott Dairy not far behind at £205 for the same model. Beef Shorthorns from A L Betts Ltd topped at £190.

Dairy bulls with wind in there sales again today after a calmer sale a fortnight previous. A Swedish Red led the way with a high of £160 from Kingcott Dairy, British Frisians topping at £155 from D Murdoch & Sons and Holstein’s to £120 from J E Scutt & Sons. A good entry of dairy calves today with most £70 plus.

More calves needed to satisfy demand, all TB statuses can be handled and handled well!

9 Weanlings from Saw Lodge Farm today saw trade flying from the off. Sussex steers to £560 at 5-6mths, Sussex heifers to £450 and black and white steers to £300. Weanlings are already entered for next sale and if you have some to sell please get in touch and make the most of the demand!

A reminder that we are able to offer calves from Arla vendors under 56 days old subject to a declaration being signed by the purchaser, any queries on this please do get in touch.

Young Farmers Clubs news

Weald of Kent YFC are Runners Up in National YFC Achiever Awards

The Weald of Kent YFC have achieved national recognition for their farm safety project, Growing Safer Farmers.  The club successfully applied for funding from the David Friday Memorial Fund via Kent Community Foundation.  Since then, many members have received accredited training on tractors, ATVs, chainsaw and First Aid. The club has also delivered the Yellow Wellies Farm Safety training from the Farm Safety Foundation, and organised a fun evening where members learnt to use the What3Words app, which could be used to very precisely direct help to an accident.

The club will hold a new members evening at Frittenden Memorial Hall on Thursday 23rd September at 7:30pm. For more details please email Wealdofkentyfc@gmail.com.

Local Agricultural Show and ploughing match dates and news

Weald of Kent Ploughing Match – Saturday 18^th September at Honey Farm, Munday Bois Road, Pluckley, Ashford, TN27 0SU (by kind permission of the Gwillim family). Full details available from Secretary Liz Copping 07872 501951or on www.wkpma.co.uk

** Hobbs Parker are pleased to confirm they will be attending this event **

East Sussex Ploughing Match – Saturday 25^th September at Priesthawes Farm, Nr Stone Cross, Pevensey (by kind permission of Mr Chris Wadham) – Full details available from Secretary Paul Croft 07752247469 or Croftjpcroft@aol.com

** Hobbs Parker are pleased to confirm they are supporting this event **

East Kent Ploughing Match – Wednesday 29^th September at Upper Venson Farm, Eastry near Sandwich CT13 0JH (by kind permission of the Ledger family. Full details available from joint secretaries Sarah Ledger on 07802 974 838 or Lorna Astbury on 07538 547 010 or www.ekpma.co.uk

** Hobbs Parker are pleased to confirm they will be attending this event **

Bovine TB Test Dates

It is very important that the date (first part of test) is recorded on cattle entry forms for all cattle sold from TB1holdings. Any recent whole herd test dates from TB4 holdings must also be recorded. This information is critical to purchasers who may be required to test animals again and who will wish to avoid the risk of a false positive by testing again within the 60-day period.

Please advise of test dates when making cattle entries for cataloguing from TB1 Holdings.

Auction announcement

We are pleased to announce a collective machinery sale of farm and garden machinery and equipment and many other items on Friday 5th November. Entry forms are now available.

Please note if you do not 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

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

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

In addition, our Property Consultants Outlook for Autumn 2021, is included with this month’s publication and again are available here in the market. Articles from our Property Consultants team and Planning Consultants make interesting reading for all landowners and occupiers.

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

Required – Herd Manager for the Torry Hill Estate, Sittingbourne, Kent. A herd manager is required to manage a traditional pedigree Sussex herd in the North Kent Downs AONB.

Accommodation provided. Contact recruitment@torryhill.co.uk for further details.

For Sale – Litter of Spaniel cross Collie puppies for sale please call 07944 398818 / 01622 842105.

Romney Sheep Breeders 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

Help and support from The Farming Community Network

A recent report by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) states that agriculture has the worst rate of fatal injuries of all the major industrial sectors.

Just three weeks after Farm Safety Week, the HSE has reported it has been notified of a further 4 fatalities on farms, including the death of a 3 year-old boy.

Usually there are simple actions workers can take to reduce risk, for instance.

1. Making sure to switch off the power to vehicles or machinery before attempting to carry out repairs.
2. Keeping people, especially children, away from moving vehicles.
3. Using the right equipment for working at height.
4. Ensuring, where possible, that cows with calves are not in fields with well used footpaths.

Risk management is a vital part of all work on farms, every job needs to be thought though and correct safety measures put in place.

Guidance about managing livestock, reducing the risks to children and the public and maintaining farm vehicles and machinery is available on the HSE website.

If you have been affected by a farm accident or are worried about farm safety in general or perhaps struggling with the pressures of a delayed harvest this year, please contact FCN via our telephone Helpline (03000 111 999) or e-Helpline (help@fcn.org.uk) or perhaps speak to one of our volunteers in the market.