Weekly Sales News – 17th October 2017

Top price per kg – P Ashlee – 214p; Top price per head – R F & E A Simmons – £90.00

Report on trade: A slightly bigger entry this week with 1200 lambs penned and a better trade was seen than expected, due to there being a higher percentage top quality and well finished sheep on offer with new customers travelling to Ashford from further a field every week to sell. The Beltex producers were rewarded with prices once again in excess of 200p per kg from P Ashlee and  J Lukehurst at 214p and 204p respectively.  Heavier sorts on offer were also improved on the week with a good consignment of heavy and well finished lambs from R Lloyd-Pack which sold to £93,£89 and £88.50. Other Heavies from R F & E A Simmons sold to £90 for 56kgs.

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 smaller entry this week with just over 500 ewes penned and trade was just a little bit sharper than in recent weeks with the best end of the ewes approaching £90. The ewe trade across the country, and in particular in the North where wetter weather conditions are forcing many farmers to sell ewes to clear the ground, is putting pressure on the market which is flooded with ewes at a time when demand is not historically as strong as other times of year. Grazing ewes were once again back in demand with the best selling at around £50 and the range generally £30-£50.

Rams sold to £92 from J Lukehurst, crossbred ewes to £88.50 from P J Howard, Texel ewes to £83 from The North School YFC and Romney ewes to £60 from G B Richards & Son.

We are now selling these sheep on Fridays – see our Store and breeding sheep pages for reports

Report on trade: A shortage of top quality cattle this week with the few available 210p per kg plus and up to £1350 (219p) for Limousin cross steer and £1225 (210p) for a Limousin cross heifer both from W Alexander (Shoreham) Ltd.

Similar trade for commercial sorts with a Bazadaise cross steer grossing well at £1190 (191p) from D J Miles, Simmental cross heifer £1159 (197p) from A J Thompson & Sons, British Blue cross heifer £1134 (188p) from Maytham Wharf Farm and a Simmental x Friesian steer £1131 (196p) from A J Down.

Very few native breeds were on offer with the best up to £1092 (175p) for Sussex steer from J D Hickman.

Support the live market and compare deadweight returns. Buyers are in attendance every week  for all qualities of finished cattle and specialist feeders competing well for cattle to feed

Report on trade: We had a few more cows about this week and trade and competition were fully maintained with a wide range of buyers present for all classes of stock. A very commercial range of cows were penned with few best keeping types and generally short of best flesh amongst both beef and dairy types.

Best young beef cows for feeding made close to 180p per kg but generally commercial meat cows made 120p to 140p. Farm assurance is a help but not there is not a massive differential with customers present form a wide range of outlets.

Simmental cross 178p and £1003 from C E Price & Son and 140p J L Hall (Non FA); Charolais 145p C E Price & Son, 138p £983 A J Husk and 129p W S Furnival (Brookland); British Blue cross and 135p, 128p, 126p £935 W S Furnival (Brookland); Sussex cross 135p C E Price & Sons; Limousin 129p A Boyd & Co; Aberdeen Angus 135p, 125p, 124p, 123p WS Furnival (Brookland) and 125p £890 R Carr Ptnrs (Non FA).

There was not much flesh amongst the dairy culls in general with some good exceptions. All grades were wanted and plain cows a little better. Holstein Friesian 134p £1262 Goddard & Son, 129p,128p, £1046 M Goddard, 126p, 123p £979 Huddlestone Farmers and 124p £1056 J S & M D Antrum and Jerseys 110p £623 Hickson Bros.

Stock bulls were a good trade with Limousin to 123p, 111p(2), £1458; Blonde 119p £1422; Sussex 108p £903.

Report on trade: Another large entry comprising a big percentage of native bred Aberdeen Angus, Sussex and Hereford crosses were penned. Trade was brisk throughout with the best Aberdeen Angus crosses (particularly those by registered sires) selling exceptionally well attracting prices in excess of £1000 with steers and heifers topping at £1210 and £1060 respectively from A Body. A good entry of 18 mths purebred Sussex steers met competitive bidding up to £950 from C Somerset and 24 mths Friesian steers made up to £890 for first time vendor N W Russell.

Continental crosses sold at recent levels with strong cattle to finish short term £1000 plus and the best of the yearlings up to £900 for Simmental cross steers from C E Price & Sons.

Principal prices include:                                                                                                                  

Report on trade: Young polled Herefords sold tat £1200 twice for T J K & S I Purchese

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

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Vehicle Parking on busy market days – Congestion in the bottom / livestock parking area

Please help us to help you. The upper car park on the top side of the market buildings is available for all cars and Land Rovers with trailers.

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Romney Sheepbreeders news

The Romney Sheep Breeders Annual Dinner is being held at the George Inn, Rye on the Friday 3rd November.  Please contact Julie Lukehurst on 07538 938425 to book your tickets for this increasingly popular event.  Don’t miss out  – book early to avoid disappointment!!

Miscellaneous wanted and Livestock for sale ex farm

For Sale – 15 Pedigree Holstien heifers – freshly calved at 24 to 30mths and cubicle trained from a herd averaging 11,500 ltrs. West Kent. Ring Elwyn on 07710803901

For Sale – 3 Pedigree British Blue bulls at 18 to 30 mths, one black and 2 blue and white – Suffolk – Contact Mark Cleverdon for details – 07748 202688

Wanted – upto 10 pedigree Hereford cows (with calves and/or in calf) for an Essex farmer.

Wanted – Full time Shepherd/farm worker required on a busy forward thinking family farm based in Wittersham, Kent. Over 1000 ewes split into 3 flocks including Pedigree breeding. You will be required to help out in all areas of the business including hay making and other tractor work throughout the year. Must be personable and happy to deal with the general public in our other diversified enterprises. You need to be able to work alone as well as part of a team. Please contact Ed on 07970 913934 or 01797270129.

RABI, FCN and Kent Herdsmans Club News

RABI – Forthcoming events were they will be represented or are promoting include:

Sunday 22^nd October County Harvest Thanksgiving Service at biddenden Vineyard, Gribble Bridge Lane, Biddenden. TN27 8DF. Service at 5.30pm followed by a reception.

Monday 27^th and Tuesday 28^th November – Ashford Cattle Show

Sunday 2^nd December Maidstone Symphony Orchestra charity evening in connection with George Jessel, High Sheriff at Mote Hall, Maidstone Leisure Centre. ME15 7RN

Tuesday 5^th December – Live nativity Carol evening at 6pm in the auction ring at Ashford market

Kent Herdsmans Club

Monday 13th November at 7.30pm – a talk by Caroline Pinchbeck of Canterbury Diocese about her work in the community and with RABI at the Conningbrook Hotel, Canterbury Road, Ashford TN24 9QR

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

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Hobbs Parker and Ashford Livestock Market

We are the South East’s principle livestock market selling around 264,000 head of cattle, sheep and pigs in 2016.

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

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DEFRA and our Local Authority trading standards officers regularly remind us of our responsibilities regarding unfit animals. No unfit animal should be exposed for sale in a market.

We have been reminded by the Local Authority that it is against current Welfare and Market Regulations to move stock to market, or any other holding, in the final stages of pregnancy (final 4 weeks). Please be careful with dates on breeding stock and cull stock that might turn out to be in lamb or in calf.

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. Thanks for your attention

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions run over 200 auction sales every year. Our next Auction Sales are ..

Horse & Saddlery Sale

Thursday 26^th October at 10am

Catalogues will be available about a week before the sale.

Entries expected of riding ponies, event horses and youngstock

New & nearly new saddlery & tack, grooming kit, yard equipment, rugs, harness Riding boots, show jackets, jodhpurs, body protectors, yard clothing & boots

Commercial Vehicles

Thursdays 2nd November at 3.00pm

A wide selection of up to 40 vehicles are generally offered in these sales

Special 4 x 4, Diesel and MPV Vehicle sale

Wednesday 8^th November at 4pm

This auction of cars will include a special sale of 4 X 4, Diesel and MPV with the normal car auction to follow

Collective Machinery & Equipment sale

Friday 10^th November at 9.30am.

Catalogues will be available about a week before the sale.

Lots will include new & nearly new mowers & garden machinery. New tools, farm & agricultural equipment, timber plus large selection of miscellaneous items.

Special Sports and High Performance Vehicle sale

Wednesday 29^th November at 6.30pm

This auction of cars will include a special sale sports and high performance cars with the normal car auction to follow

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.

It would be very useful to market staff and thereby help with the speed of processing your stock, if a few further simple rules were followed on entry forms particularly for larger entries.

• Steers and heifers are listed separately
• Passports are presented in numerical order
• Breeds are listed separately – for example Aberdeen Angus away from Limousin

Notice from Trading Standards on Cull ewes and Sheep tags

Cull ewes – It is the time of the year that we will see large numbers of fleshy weaned cull ewes in lean condition. There is strong enquiry from grazing buyers looking for this kind of stock.

We respectively remind vendors that these ewes must be in appropriate condition to both travel and to be shown in the market.

Sheep producers are reminded that all sheep now require electronic tags, either single, double or re replacements. Please refer to Defra guidelines for the necessary type of tag required depending on the sheep you are presenting for sale.