Weekly Sales News – 15 Mar 2016


Sheep sales reports

Finished Sheep – 3,010 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per head – £103 C & J Georgetti & Sons: Top price per kilo – 216p Mr P Ashlee

Report on trade: A larger entry of hoggets were penned this week and we saw a fantastic trade throughout the entry. We did not have quite the same amount of top quality export hoggets this week that we have seen in the last few weeks, but the trade didn’t take any drop to reflect this, with a large number of pens making well in excess of 200p per kg and all over the SQQ average returned at 192p.

A number of retailers running Easter lamb promotions have seen increased demand this week and trade has lifted to meet this nationally. Top quality Beltex hoggets from Miss P Marsh sold to £100 (47kgs) closely followed by Mr C R Ridley with some 45kg hoggets selling at £96.50. Top of the lightweights was Mr P Ashlee with some 38kg and 34kg hoggets selling at 216p and 212p respectively.

Once again, the overnight lairaged sheep that were presented clean and empty, sold to a distinct premium, we saw a premium of between 5-10p between the Farm Assured and Non-Assured hoggets due to the retailer demand in the market place. We would urge any producer to maintain their Farm Assurance status to maximise their prices.

Hogget prices
KgsTop PriceAve PriceTop Vendorp per kg
3882.0074.91Mr P Ashlee216.0
3982.5074.45S B & A E Martin212.0
4082.00    78.28R L Goodman & Son, Mr P Ashlee205.0
4185.0080.33R & S L M Smith207.0
4288.0080.02S B & A E Martin210.0
4389.8081.66Mr A Jull209.0
4490.0081.45Summerdown Farm205.0
4596.5086.44Mr C R Ridley214.0
4692.0087.37Summerdown Farm200.0
47100.089.32Miss P Marsh213.0
4894.0089.88D E Norris & Son196.0
4992.0087.34H & J Noakes188.0
5096.0090.23Mr L Andreozzi194.0
5196.0090.51Mr R H Smith188.0
5294.2091.29Mr A J Bray181.0
5395.5091.00N A Balcombe & Son180.0
Hogget averages – pence per kg
Weight RangeNumberTopBottomAverageNational Averages
Lights 25.5 to 32KGS116208.0167.0188.6174.8
Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs585216.0169.0194.1191.3
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs1192214.0139.0191.2196.1
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs879213.0149.0184.3187.5
Others 52.1kg +228187.0137.0161.5171.6

** Next weeks sale (22nd March) will include consignments of milk lambs and ewes and lambs and we have already had enquiries for both. Please speak to our auctioneers or fieldsmen for more information **

Cull Ewes and Rams – 446 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Report on trade: Cull ewes were in shorter supply this week and these were sold to a similar trade to last week. Best meated sorts met the strongest demand with the leaner ewes being sold for further finishing in most instances. Ewes appear to be in shorter supply across the country, with many regular suppliers busy with lambing duties, which in turn has helped to push the price of the best ewes upwards.

Top prices on the day included Texels to £110 from Mr & Mrs R J Warnock, Crossbred to £89 from S King, Suffolks to £90 from C P Fuggle, Mules to £80 from W A Groombridge and Sons, and Romneys to £78.80 from Langrish Farmers.

Store and Breeding Sheep – 1,096 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Report on trade: Another big entry for he middle of March and once again a strong trade for all stores in the pens. This won’t last forever so if you have some stores to sell we would advise to sell them soon to take advantage of this trade. Genuine stores sold to £83 this week with several pens well in excess of £70 and only the real long term and small sorts made below £60.

Stores made to £83 form J Trumper, £78.20 from P Tassell and £76.20 from D M Brown. All sold to average £65.47

Sock Lambs – 37 Sold

Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07748 202688

Report on trade: A good demand this week saw 7 buyers securing lambs with strong young lambs making £15 to £28 while smaller, mainly triplets made £3 to £8. Average £12.27 

Cattle sales reports

Finished Cattle – 37 Sold
Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795200357

Report on trade: Tight numbers this week, but perhaps just as well as the gloom in the beef sector continues. All wholesalers and retailers are reporting difficult trading conditions, and deadweight rates continue to ease back along with the introduction of new penalties on the heavier weight carcases. Our trade was actually very similar to last week with the short numbers helping. The best are holding reasonably well but it is the commercial types that are suffering the most.

An outstanding black & white British Blue steer from W Alexander stole the show today selling at 218p per kg (£1414) with another from the same yard at 202p (£1249). Commercial steers made around 170-190p but with no real fire while the feeders are now obviously constrained by weight.

Quality came again from S Marsh who saw his tidy Limousin heifers make to 200p (£1115) just in front of D W Ferguson and W Alexander at 199p.

Amongst the commercials three heavyweight dairy bred Aberdeen Angus from O & P Gower averaged £1222; Charolais from Gillshaw Farms made to 182p (£1180) and Simmentals from A J Down to 180p twice.

Trade of the day for the young bulls was an Aberdeen Angus to 181p (£1164) from B G & M A Tomsett.

Finished cattle averages – pence per kg
ClassificationNoTopBottomAverage
Light steers (370-550 kgs)1176.5176.5176.5
Medium steers (551-650 kgs)12217.5175.5184.8
Heavy steers (651+ kgs)7179.5165.5171.4
Light  heifers (370-550 kgs)2178.5158.5168.5
Medium heifers (551-650 kgs)8199.5162.5179.5
Heavy heifers (651+ kgs)5198.5109.5143.9
Light  bulls (370-550 kgs)1179.5179.5179.5
Medium bulls (551-650 kgs)1180.5180.5180.5
30 to 48 mth heifers1101.5101.5101.5
30 to 48 mth steers1128.5128.5128.5
 Leading steer prices
VendorWeight KgsBreedP per KgGross £
W Alexander (Shoreham)65026 mths British Blue217.51413
W Alexander (Shoreham)62026 mths British Blue201.51249
W Alexander (Shoreham)      58522 mths Limousin188.51102
Gillshaw Farms Ltd62023 mths Charolais186.51156
Gillshaw Farms Ltd65022 mths Charolais181.51179
Leading heifer prices
Mr S Marsh55921 mths Limousin199.51115
D W Ferguson Ltd59525 mths British Blue198.51181
W Alexander (Shoreham)52019 mths British Blue198.51032
D W Ferguson Ltd57422 mths Simmental185.51064
G L Boulden & Sons55523 mths Blonde179.5996

Cull Cows and Bulls – 80 Sold

Auctioneer: Richard Wood

Report on trade: It was certainly harder work in this section this week as cutting and boning plants switch their attention, temporarily, to lamb and primal beef for the oncoming Easter weekend. Two short weeks and a change in focus never helps on either side of the Channel. Rates were back some 5p per kg on the week with the wet bagged cows suffering most as plants slow their kill down and avoid holding stock.

It was definitely a dairy day in the culls with only 13 beef cows forward. Limousins made 130p from C W Jones, Simmentals 123p J D Frost,  Charolais 118p from G R & A J Weller and Sussex 117p C E & W S Millson with a Longhorn 116p J W Chamley & Son.

There were several good runs of dairy culls and some terrific weight on offer. Fleshed heavyweight’s made 100-110p but cows straight  from the dairy were harder going. Holsteins made 109p, 105p, 104p, 102p, etc and grossed to £951from Henden Manor; 109p (2), 103p, 101p, etc and (£897) A Goddard & Son; to 106p from R C & J L Pickering; 104p J Leggat & Son; 102p (£877) W S Furnival and 101p M A & F W Owen.  Jerseys made 74p, 73p, 71p,etc (£407) from Hickson Bros.

 Cull cattle section – pence per kg
ClassificationNoTopBottomAverage
Beef cows15129.577.5107.5
Dairy cows61110.539.584.5

Store Cattle – 250 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Report on trade: A very different day to last week with a shortage of the best continental suckler bred cattle, a decent entry of open yarded and out wintered dairy bred cattle and a sizeable show of single lot cattle- enough said!! Trade was generally satisfactory and good for the runs of quality cattle of beef or dairy origin while, more selective for the cattle challenged by shape, age or growth.

Young cattle are wanted but its all about their future potential. Smart Blonde heifers at 9mths made  £688 from M Palmer; hard South Devon steers 10mths  £638 and heifers £598 D Dark; smart British Blue steers 12mths £848 and £838 P G & N L Brightling.  Friesian steers at 13mths  £460 from I Machin.

Too few of the best yearling beef cattle were forward this week and a good run of Simmental and Limousin steers, 10-12mths  from Foyle Farmers well received £890, £840, £815, & £795. Limousin steers 11mths  £905 and heifers £760 J E C Farrant while Simmental steers, 14mths made  £875 and £765 from S J Edmed & Sons.

Good runs of dairy bred stores were well received but finishers are mindful of ultimate finishing weights and this is having a bearing on price. Simmental x Friesian steers, 18-24mths from R P Kent & Son made £970, £935, £870, £832, etc; outwintered Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cross heifers, 18-24mths  £928, £800, £795, £735 and Holstein Friesian steers 18-22mths  £635 and £575 all from JG Jenkin & Sons.

A few stronger better bred continentals sold well. A Blonde steer 18mths £995 and heifers £950 PM Langridge; Charolais x Aberdeen Angus steers £960 GB Friend and British Blue steers, 24mths £950 R Genge.

A terrific pen of strong Sussex steers from R J Horsman sold at £995.

 

*********************************************************************************************

 

New TB movement rules as from 6th April 2016

DEFRA are introducing a Post-Movement Testing policy for cattle moving into any Low Risk Area from herds located in High Risk Areas, Edge Areas and Wales.

Low Risk Areas – where routine surveillance takes place every 4 years – Kent, West Sussex, Surrey, Essex, Greater London, Hertfordshire and Eastern Counties.

Edge Areas – Parts of East Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

High Risk Areas – Parts of East Sussex, Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and all Western Counties.

Bovines moving from High or Edge Areas to Low Risk Areas must be post-movement tested between 60-120 days of joining the new herd.

Animals will not be allowed to move off their destination holding until they have completed a negative post-movement test, unless the movement is directly to slaughter or to a licensed or approved finishing unit.

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers will identify in their catalogues and at the point of sale the status of the area from which cattle have been consigned.

All cattle of all ages are involved and young calves, whether pre-movement tested or not, due to age, will require to be post-movement tested between 60-120 days.  Costs of testing are the responsibility of the purchaser, though if a routine DEFRA surveillance test is due then this can be utilised.

Only cattle from the High and Edge Areas moved to Low Risk Areas will be required to be tested.  This, in no way, affects other cattle on the destination holding.

Holdings on an annual testing routine in Low Risk Areas do not require stock to be post-movement tested following a sale/movement.

Failure to complete a post-movement test in the 60-120 day period will constitute an offence under the Animal Health Act and would result in a herd closure restriction.

If vendors or purchasers have any questions concerning the above please do not hesitate to contact our Market Office.

 

***************************************************************************************************

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales are ……

Commercial Vehicle Auction –           Thursday 31st March

Special Leisure Vehicle Auction –     Thursday 31st March

Rural Property –                             Wednesday 23rd March

Horses & Saddlery  –                              Thursday 7th April

Sussex Society Show & Sale –                Friday 15th April

Collective machinery & equipment        Friday 22nd April

Headcorn Farm machinery sale –         Saturday 14th May

Other stock sales reports

Calves – 72 Sold

Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07748 202688

Report on trade: Again a medium sized entry again met strong competitive bidding from buyers to produce a very acceptable trade. Headlines this week were made by T Castle and Son with their British Blue x Friesian bulls making to £460 (8 aver’ £377.90); H O Champneys Ltd Simmental bulls making to £380 (4 aver’ £365) and their Aberdeen Angus bull £305 and then amongst the black and white bulls £128 for a mid December born model from H O Champneys Ltd and £120 twice from W S Furnival Ltd and M W Goddard.

Confidence to rear is clear – long may this continue. Sellers should be putting their calves on the open market in Ashford.

Please keep your entries of calves coming. 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.

Calf averages – £ per head
DescriptionNoTopBottomAverage
Continental Bulls17460.00170.00351.47
Continental Heifers5305.00200.00261.00
Native Bulls3305.00180.00251.67
Native Heifers6210.0038.00103.83
Friesian Bulls 1st quality5150.00112.00126.00
Friesian Bulls 2nd quality11102.0062.0081.09
Friesian Bulls 3rd quality2560.005.0059.59

Store and Finished Pigs – 169 Sold
Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07748 202688

Report on trade: A few more pigs were in the pens this week in both sales. More buyers showed interest in the finished with the average for the best improving again by a few coppers. In the stores reasonable numbers were cleared to a fair trade.

The best finished pigs made to 90p per kg and £96 for a pair of heavy pigs from S Scott and Son. Messrs Scott & Son and P W & P Sim then both sold pigs at 80p with many other good pigs 75p plus.

Cull sows and boars made to 30p again for a sow from P W & P Sim.

In the store pig pens strong weaners made to £40 from G A Verity, £36 from M L Williams and £35 C B Hope.

Pig averages
DescriptionNoTopBottomAverage
1st Quality finished – p per kg3890.074.078.0
                               – £ per head96.7560.5776.36
2nd Quality finished – p per kg3974.020.067.5
                               – £ per head70.5713.052.59
Cull sows – p per kg330.025.528.7
                 – £ per head79.535.758.7
Strong stores – £ per head4540.027.033.09
Small stores – £ per head4432.57.021.82

 

We remind all pig farmers of the information below

Identification of pigs – again we draw your attention to the fact that it is essential all pigs have permanent identification when offered for sale in a market ie slap mark or ear tag. Please ensure you comply with this regulation.

DEFRA regularly remind us of our responsibilities regarding unfit animals. No unfit animal should be exposed for sale in a market.

All animals should be fit to travel. All in milk cows should to be milked out prior to movement to market. Do not present lame sheep or those for any reason which are not fit to be transported.

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

 

 

General news

Updated 15th  March 2016

Ashford Cattle Show – would all interested parties please note the Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday 16th March at 6pm here in the Market.

Ram tags – any ram buyers from last autumns sales who may have a number of the neck tags in a corner of a building or in their lambing shed we would be very pleased to have then returned. Thank you

Farming to London march – Wednesday 23rd March. This celebration of all that is good about British farming is being coordinated by Farmers for Action. Full details are on www.farmersfroaction.org or by ringing 01291 690224. Email secretary@farmersforaction.org.

For Sale – 150 round, wrapped bales of 2015 made grass silage. Loading available in the Sandwich area. Ring 01304 812407

ForSale – mid aged pedigree South Devon bull. Essex farm

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines The March edition of this popular regional farming magazine is now available here in the market. Hobbs Parker are regular contributors to the editorial content.

In addition our Property Consultants Review for Spring 2016 is available with this months edition. Articles looking at current issues affecting many aspects of land ownership make interesting reading for all landowners and occupiers.

Summer show schedules – these are available, with entry forms, here in the market for Heathfield and Surrey (end of May) and South of England (early June)

Tractor run in Kent – Kent tractor club are organising this event on Easter Saturday 26th March at Great Humphries Farm, Grafty Green, Maidstone. Funds will be raised for KTC and RABI. Further details are available from James Chantler on 07748 632346

Ashford Young Farmers “Lambing Day” – this event will be held on Sunday 10th April at Rawnie Farm, Appledore.

National Young Farmers office holders – Ashford member, and former club and county chairman, Lyndsey Martin has been elected as one of two national vice chairpersons.

Local point to point fixtures – next fixture for the season is Saturday 12th March at Parham. Full details on www.pointing-se.com

Kent Herdsmans Club dates – Monday 11th April at 7.30pm – a talk by a representative of the Medical Detection Dogs Society. Both meetings will be at the Conningbrook Hotel, Kennington, Ashford. For all details on Herdsman’s Club events contact Chairman Sandra Brown on 01233 502796 or Jo Masters 01580 240568

Southern Shears – This years event will be held on Sunday 17th July at Holmbush Farm, Faygate, Crawley, West Sussex (RH12 4SE). this is a shearing competition which will be run on BISCA rules with open, junior, novice, ladies and blades. Full details available from Mary Masters mary.m@btconnect.com, Facebook and Twitter (@southernshears) or www.southernshears.weebly.com

Livestock entry forms, FCI declarations and movement licences

It is essential that these forms are fully completed for every consignment of stock brought to the market. Please help us to provide you with the high level of service you expect from us by getting this right.

It is a legal requirement that entry form and food chain declarations are competed correctly.

We regularly notice that the information is missing from forms. Please can you ensure that all information is completed in future.

Some of the more common errors in completing these forms include

Food Chain Box not ticked                      Vendor address not complete

Vendor mobile number                            Vehicle registration not recorded

Date of Movement                                  Hauliers name not provided

Holding number of departure                    FABBL sticker not used

TB test status                                        TB last test date

Ear tag numbers                                    Form is not signed

Pig producers should note specifically that we require a hard copy of your electronic eaml2 form with the FCI declaration signed.

Sheep producers should note specifically that we require the FCI declaration completed (and details of medical treatments used) for all stock including store and breeding sheep.

Cattle producers should note specifically that FABBL status is one of the most important pieces of information we require here especially if animals do not qualify due to the 90 residency rule.

FCI declarations and entry forms for cattle – these are always available from market and by post from our offices. Please remember they can also be downloaded and printed from the livestock pages of our website. The link is

https://www.hobbsparker.co.uk/CF/?Link=Bulletin&BulletinId=436256&dept=4


Finished Sheep

Report Detail to go here

Finished Cattle

Report to go here