Weekly Sales News – 15th February 2022

Top price per kilo –326p – P Ashlee: Top price per head – £140 – Mrs E Sargent & P Gorringe

Report on trade: Another big entry of hoggets  with the roots rapidly disappearing and many finishers feeling the need to sell. Supply has exceeded demand, particularly for the heavier sheep, and these sheep were certainly harder to sell than in recent weeks. However only those with very short memories would consider the trade to be a poor one. Best quality heavies still sold to £140 hd from P Gorringe and from Mrs E Sargent, both for Beltex types and several other pens from £125-135 hd. Middle weight  hoggets were actually sold on a trade not too far off last week with several of the continental types in this bracket from 260-280p kg and over £3 kg for the very best from P Ashlee, with a notable mention for young Roddy & Harry Lucas who sold some of their first finished hoggets to 298p kg, well done boys.

Vendors Note – All consignments of sheep to Ashford must now be accompanied by a “Purple Form” to ensure we adhere to recent regulation changes. These are available to collect from the sales office, lairage and weighbridge. They will also be posted out with this week’s cheques and market report – Thank you

At this time of year, it is very much appreciated if you can let us know what you plan to send, with lairage facilities available form 3-6pm on Monday afternoons.

Auctioneer: James Cook O’Connell

Top price ewe: £140 from J Shrubsall        Overall Ewe Ave.£101

Top price ram: £153 from K Tapley                                  Ave.£121

Report on trade:

A superb trade throughout with prices on the rise and buyers competing very strongly for all grades of ewes. We had a good number of well fleshed ewes forward with very few pens being sold under three figures. Highlights to mention A Town to £137, H G Allen, J Farrant, and M Woodroofe to £136, J Boulden and K & P M Sinden & Son to £135, L J Webber to £131, T Tilley and N A Vincent to £130 and H & J Noakes to £129. Trade is certainly  flying so keep numbers coming forward if you have them.

Top prices included:

Suffolk cross to £136 from H G Allen, J Farrant, and M Woodroofe

Continentals to £135 from J Boulden

Mules to £125 from T Tilley and M Woodroofe

Romneys to £118 from H S F E and T Bird

Auctioneers: John Rossiter 07557 392903 and James Cook O`Connell 07712 246474 

Report on trade: Over 800 stores this week and a good trade despite the dip in the finished prices. Several pens of good stores still selling over £100 head, showing that confidence is still there for the longer term finished price.  Average price today was £88 hd which is £5 back on the week but the quality of what was on offer would also be less. Better types topped at £108 hd from H G Allen & Son, with both H Metcalfe and J H & A H Godden selling over £107. Only very long-term sorts selling below £70 hd.

A lovely run of flock ages Texel x Romney ewes from G & H Bates scanned in lamb to a Texel ram and due to start lambing on the 16^{th of} March. Top end made £175 and the whole run average £160.

Please let us know if you have In Lamb ewes to sell so we can get them advertised in advance.

Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07741 845230

Report on trade: A solid start to the season for sock lambs with all entered selling well at £20.

Report on trade: A few more cattle on offer this week and trade very much on a par with recent weeks.

Smart continental cross heifers took the pick of the trade notably £1529 (234p) & £1437 (255p) from D W Ferguson Ltd and £1292 (259p) from R F & E A Simmons. The best of the Limousin cross steers £1441 (249p) & £1508 (240p) from W Alexander (Shoreham). The best of the dairy bred stock around 220p with Limousin x Friesian steer £1448 (225p) and British Blue x Friesian steers to £1487 (218p) from A J Down.

Several native bred cattle on offer this week and those with weight grossed particularly well notably Aberdeen Angus cross heifers £1577 (236p), £1504 (217p) and £1519 (213p) from D W Ferguson Ltd; Aberdeen Angus cross steer £1476 (218p) from B G & M A Tomsett and Sussex cross heifer £1513 (214p) from K & P M Sinden & Son.

Average prices

Steers 551 to 650kg                              9           204 to 249p          Av 220.4

Steers over 651+                                   4           205 to 218p          Av 214.2

Heifers 300 to 500 kg                            4           190 to 259p          Av 216.6

Heifers 501 to 590 kg                          13           192 to 255p          Av 221.3

Heifers 591 +                                          9           198 to 236p          Av218.5

Report on trade: A surprisingly short show of culls this week and perhaps an early sign of tightening supplies. Trade just remains on an upward curve with another outstanding trade for all grades from start to finish.

Best of the feeders up over 200p: Meat cows to 188p. £1445.Dairy cull cows to 147p, £1220. Special mention for 9 Simmental cross and Limousin cross cows from G Bates Ltd selling to 188p, £1445 and averaging £1330!

More flesh on offer this week amongst the beef cows and readily taken up at extraordinary rates. Farm Assurance having less effect in these times of shortage. Feeders/Grazers badly wanted.

Limousin cross 205p, £1104 P N & C Burden; 182p, 172p, 162p, 161p, £1379, £1316(2) G Bates Ltd; 162p, £1106 Campbell Bros; 158p, £1079 M J Ashworth; Simmental cross 164p(2), 163p(2), £1445, £1389, £1379, £1357 G Bates Ltd; 158p, £1205 W Hurley; 158p, 155p, £1131, £1104 M J Ashworth; 157p, £1213 Gardners; 149p, £1210 (Non-FA) Mrs J Fuller; British Blue cross 164p, £1055 K I Lingham & Son; Aberdeen Angus cross 161p, £1148 R F & E A Simmons; Sussex 159p, £1308 Campbell Bros; South Devon 157p, 146p, £1291, £1113 Gardners.

A small show from the dairy sector with the high milk price keeping cows on the farm.

Holstein Friesian 147p, 146p, £1113, £1084 M A & F W Owen; 144p, 134p, £1220, £1069 P J Forknall; British Friesian 144p, £1053 R F & E A Simmons; 137p, 134p, £983 R & J Ledger.

A few older clean cattle all very dear. Charolais cross heifer OTM 197p, £1297 (Non-FA) J Latham; Holstein steers OTM 160p, 159p, 3years plus £1114 R Scott.

Simmental stock bull (Non-FA) 107p, £1001.

Report on trade: Just a handful forward today but interest in stores very firm indeed and more wanted every week.

Decent entry next week!

Report on trade: Trade up another gear today with fantastic demand from the off.

Topping the trade was a British Blue bull from W G & T A Manford at £390, with other Blues to £380 from D Murdoch & Son and £295 from P J Forknall. A single Simmental from Parrett & Son sold for £200. Aberdeen Angus bulls the only natives forward this week with a top of £280 from Kingcott Dairy, with others to £275 from Goddard & Son and £245 from W G & T A Manford.

A small entry of heifers this week lead by Blues from D Murdoch & Sons selling to £380, £370, and £300 the next on the podium from W G & T A Manford. A run of Simmentals from R & J Ledger sold to £290 and Aberdeen Angus heifers a decent enough trade for the goods topping at £210 from Goddard & Son.

A strong trade for dairy bulls. Several well framed older rearing calves today with a top of £220 for a Norwegian Red from D Murdoch & Son. Holstein Friesians to £210 from A & W J Hitchcock with plenty of stronger calves £120 plus. Younger less well framed also benefiting from various rearing accounts ringside with these between £70 and £100.

Weanlings: – 3 Sold

Two 6m Simmental bulls topped todays trade at 6m of age with a sale price of £510, one further British Frisian cross at 3m sold for £430, all from Parrett and Son.

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.

Notices – Tom Hope Snr, Egerton

Family and friends have asked us to report that Tom sadly passed away in hospital on 25^th January after a very short illness. Tom, a true countryman, had until very shortly before his illness been an active farmer, feeding sheep every morning. He was a lifelong supporter of this market and friend to many who attend.

A service of remembrance will be held at Charing Crematorium on Monday 21^st February at 11.30am. Service only.

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

For Sale – Litter of Border Collie puppies bred from working parents with excellent temperaments – West Kent.  Ring 07961 893682 for details

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

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

Please note – 33% of our customers receive their prices via e-mail on sale day. If you would like to receive your prices on the day, please give our auctioneers team a call and leave the rest to us.

Cattle Producers, Please Note – Revised Advice Inconclusive Reactors

All IRs from high risk or edge areas that have had a negative (clear) result on retesting remain restricted on their holding for the rest of their life and can only move direct to slaughter or an approved finishing unit (AFU).

In a low-risk area if there has been a TB breakdown (i.e., with reactors) then again, any IRs that subsequently have a negative test are still only allowed to go direct to slaughter or an AFU, however if only IRs are identified in a low-risk area herd test then no movement restrictions are placed on those animals if they subsequently retest negative (clear).

Should any low-risk area producer have any doubts, about the position please do not hesitate to contact Peter Kingwill.

Cattle Passports

We remind producers that on no occasion should the details on a cattle passport be changed other than by returning it to BCMS.

If details are incorrect return and advise BCMS, or advice the auctioneers on market day without writing on the passport.

Hay and Straw register

For a small charge we are quite happy to advertise your hay, straw, and fodder for sale in this register which will now run until early May for further details please ring our auctioneers office on 01233 502222.

For Sale – Freshly dug fodder beet available in large quantities in the Ashford area. Can be delivered. Ring 07764 273798

For Sale – 3,000 conventional wheat straw bales from the Ashford area. 07876273254

For Sale – Conventional baled and 4 string big bales meadow hay on a farm in the Ashford area. Can be delivered. Ring Michael on 07715651766 or 01233 820261

For Sale – large quantities of hay, haylage and straw in the Ashford area. Ring 07707 879642

For Sale – large quantities of top-notch feed and bedding – Round bale naked hay, Round bale wrapped haylage, Mini Hesston bales naked hay, Round bale wrapped silage, Round bale naked wheat straw, Round bale naked barley straw, Round bale naked oat straw, Whole Wheat and barley in crane bags, Logs of all varieties, shapes, sizes and prices.

All from our own Red Tractor certified farms (with full field traceability) and keenly priced ex farm or delivered locally or nationwide. Richard Barnes (Farms) Ltd, Etchingham, TN19 7AZ.

01580 819000, 07768 771933

For Sale – 1500 Second quality conventional baled meadow hay, clean and thistle free, £2 per bale, ideal for cattle. Genuine enquiries only please, from a farm around the Tenterden area 07805847071.

For Sale – 200 8’ Meadow hay bales from a Kent farm. Ring 07787 150165

For Sale – 900 1^st cut, 4 string, 6-layer wrap haylage from a Kent farm. Ring 07787 150165

Romney Sheep Breeders News

The RSBS has an upcoming vacancy for a secretary to manage day to day society matters, oversight of flock book, communications, and liaison with members.
Up to 15 hours duties a month. Commencement January 2022. Rates and full list of duties to be advised upon request.

Vacancy also for a part time Treasurer
The RSBS has an upcoming vacancy for a treasurer to manage day to day society accounts and bookkeeping. Up to 5 hours a month is anticipated. Commencement January 2022. Rates and full list of duties to be advised upon request.

All enquiries for either of these positions should be made to the RSBS Chairman on 07973326160.

Date for your diary from RABI

R.A.B.I. Race day and Lunch – Monday 28^th February at Plumpton Racecourse, BN7 3AL. Tickets £70 each (tables of 8,10 or 12) – tickets are limited. Gates open at 11.20 am with lunch served at 12.15 pm in the track side marquee. Bookings of 8, 10 or 12 can be booked online using the voucher code RABI2022. For further information contact Molly Taylor or Rebecca Warnett at Plumpton on 01273 890383 or e-mail racing@plumptonracecourse.co.uk

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

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

Simon Husk (Cattle & sheep) 07885 968077

Mark Cleverdon (Pigs) 07741 845230

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

James Cook O`Connell (Sheep- Ewes and Breeding Sheep) 07712 246474