Weekly Sales News – 18th May 2021

New Season Lambs – Top price per head – £150 T Masters: Top price per kilo – 361p G C Tucker

Report on trade: Over 1,200 new season lambs were penned this week with several runs of super quality on offer from T Masters, P & E Andreozzi, D Isaac and M J Ashworth just to name a few. Overall, the averages were a little less than last week with bigger numbers coming onto the market nationally which would have made some processors switch over to predominantly new seasons this week. Best end of the lambs were making in excess of £140 to a top of £150 with several lambs selling from 340p to 360p per kg which despite being slightly less, is still a fantastic trade throughout. With hogget numbers really dwindling now, and not huge numbers of new season lambs in the pipeline for the coming weeks, we should hopefully sustain this trade for a little longer with our advice being to draw you lambs if they are fit and not wait.

A lot smaller entry of finished hoggets came forward this week with just over 600 penned and once again quite a large variance in the quality on offer, with lean ones, mature ones, average ones, and some crackers on offer. Prices ranged from £60 up to £174. The number of these are very quickly decreasing but despite this, there are nowhere near enough heavy weight lambs coming forward to fulfil the wholesale demand which is a factor that will hopefully maintain the prices for these types in the coming weeks.

Please keep the hoggets and lambs coming and contact us with numbers so we can notify the buyers.

Report on trade: A smaller entry of ewes this week which in turn boosted averages to £100 for all on offer. Best ewes made in excess of £130 to a top price of £154 from C S East for Suffolk ewes with rams from J Warnock and Son to £155. The vast majority of meated sorts made over £100.

Grazing ewes still seem a bit to dear for further finishing as wholesale demand is strong, but the leaner types traded from £60 to £90.

Auctioneer: James Cook

Report on trade: 3 Pens of ewes and lambs again look well sold to a top call of £182 (72.80 per life) for young Mule ewes with 1.5 Charollais cross lambs from D Ward. Couples averaged £161.03 (£65.77 per life)

Auctioneer: James Cook

Sock lambs were still wanted selling to £10 and averaging £5.16.

Report on trade: Despite report of prices easing nationally this was a cracking trade with the best selling readily in excess of 230p per kg with a superb Limousin cross heifer topping the market at £1334 (250p) and a smart Blonde cross steer at £1195 (247p) from S Marsh. Other top prices included Limousin cross steer and heifer at £1377 (227p) and £1236 (232p) respectively from W Alexander (Shoreham) and Limousin cross steers £1366 (214p) and £1336 (229p) from R F & E A Simmons.

Heavier cattle grossed well with a Charolais steer £1501 (215p) from A & M Lyon, British Blue heifer £1424 (234p) from K & P M Sinden & Son and Blonde cross bull £1489 (202p) from G L Boulden & Son.

A run of 8 Limousin x Friesian steers from regular vendor A J Down met an improved trade this week making  203p to 217p and grossing favourably from £1212 up to £1419.

A small selection of native bred cattle saw an Aberdeen Angus cross heifer make £1390 (208p) and £1203 (212p) from F W Hamlyn & Son and Sussex cross heifer £1190 (204p) from E & J Maylam.

Report on trade: Number’s forward were good again with vendors prepared to travel distance from east and west Sussex and Essex to find strong competition for all grades, shapes and sizes. There were more beef than dairy this week and rates right up there with the best making 170p to 210p per kg and very little under 120p. Only a few meat cows were in the entry but mostly feeders, assured and non-assured, with buyers showing no let-up in confidence in the processing sector.

Headliners included Limousin cross 210p £1236 (Non FA) Alastair Boyd & Co; 174p £1234 R Coleman & Sons; 168p, 144p £1181 R F & E A Simmons; 156p, 143p £1034 (Non FA) S J M Evans and 143p £1005 (Non FA) J Farrant; Blonde cross 194p, 149p £1190, £1034 J D Gribble; Sussex 182p (Non FA) J R Gunner; 174p, 168p, 166p £1070, £1015 (Non FA) P Wheatley and 171p, 165p, 148p, 147p £1061, £1040, £979 J C & C Lewis; Simmental cross 157p £1199 (Non FA) Alastair Boyd & Co and 142p (Non FA) L Webber; British Blue cross 144p, 139p £983 (Non FA) O’Neil Smith; Aberdeen Angus cross 148p, 138p, 136p £990, £951, £942 R Carr Ptnrs with Hereford cross 147p, 145p, 137p £1011, £945 (Non FA) P Wheatley.

A smaller show of dairy culls with heavy meated cows 125p to 145p. Plain lean cows have lessened a little but still look well sold at 80p to 110p.

Top calls included Holstein Friesian 143p, 128p £1191 J W Boyd & Sons and 138p £1133 W F Farms;  Danish Red (import) 137p £1031 W F Farms; Jersey 112p, 99p £574.

Overage steers, generally 4 to 6 yrs old were another sharp trade with producing big returns including Holstein Friesian steers 137p, 135p, 134p (2), 133p, 131p £1302, £1113, £1089, £1068, £1052 R W Jones & Son and Dairy Shorthorn 128p £1312 (Non FA) P Mummery.

Cull bulls a very good trade with two exceptionally well-muscled Blondes selling to 167p £2013 and 144p £1758; Aberdeen Angus 110p £1155 and a Sussex cross 130p £1008.

Another very good trade – Keep asking the question.

Report on trade: Reasonably good numbers were for a late season entry of store cattle but quality is now beginning to drift a little though some very good types were within the entry. Trade was a little firmer with the rains having returned and grass again growing. A little drier and a little warmer would please cattle and farmers alike.

Quite an entry of young bulls and rigs and all very well sold including Blonde cross bull 8 mths £875 O’Neil Smith Ltd; Limousin cross 7 mths £820 J Bower; Sussex bulls 14 mths £820, £715 A A Barr & Son with British Blue x Friesian bulls 12 mths £700 Barfrestone Court.

Plenty of interest in the young grazing types which included Aberdeen Angus cross heifers 12 mths £690, £615 D R Miles; British Blue x Friesian steers 10-14 mths £690, £615, £555 Barfrestone Court; Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers 10 mths £555 Barfrestone Court; British Blue x Friesian steers, 12-14 mths £915, £870 and heifers £770 J Bower; Limousin cross steers 12 mths £890 and heifers £780 J Bower; Blonde cross steers 11-12 mths £910, £820, £780 M Palmer with Simmental cross steers 10-12 mths £965 and £890 W K Gutsell.

Older cattle were in short supply but wanted. Best calls included Hereford cross steer 15 mths £930 North School YFC; Sussex cross heifer 16 mths £910 P A Ibbott; Sussex cross steer 16 mths £870 R J Parsons and Limousin cross steer 2 yrs. £950 R F & E A Simmons.

Report on trade: Again a small entry and as auctioneers regularly say “many more could be sold at these prices”. Local wholesalers are keen to secure supplies going forward. The cull and store trade also reflect confidence in the sector going forward

In the finished pig pens T J Russell and new vendor L Webber saw their pigs make to 118p per kg and 130p respectively and grossing to £99 and £115 per head. The rest of the small offering made to 100p

A large entry of cull pigs were offered were an improved trade with the heaviest and best making to 60p and £179. Boars made to 55p and £206.

Four pens of store pigs, all well bred and young, were offered and made £38.50 to £41. Good spring / early summer demand.

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.

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

The Stockpot Café at Ashford Market

Although some of the Covid restrictions were relaxed from the 17th of May, we have decided to delay the full re-opening of the Stockpot until after the 21^st June when we hope our full ‘normal’ sit-down service can resume.

This is because the new rules do not allow our style of counter-operation and we do not have the staff and systems in place to run a full service at tables including booking and remote payments amongst other things.

For the time being, we will continue with our takeaway service. We trust you will understand and appreciate your patience.

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.

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

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

News from the East Sussex Farmers’ Benevolent Fund

The Benevolent Fund charity was created in 1935 by a local farmer and its purpose is to support farmers, farm staff and those involved in the wider land-based industries. Support can also be given to family dependants.  Beneficiaries are normally resident in East Sussex or neighbouring counties.

Income from property and investment legacies help to finance the fund in addition to generous donations. The fund is overseen by five local trustees with strong agricultural connections.

Help can be for those currently in work, or who have retired or who are unable to work due to illness or disability. The fund can also assist those entering land-based education and help with relevant CPD for furthering their land-based careers.

If you feel that we can help you or you are aware of someone who might benefit from help, please let us know and we will be pleased to support. To contact the Honorary Secretary of the Benevolent Fund Des Lambert – 07912 464746, 01273 890841 or email des.lambert@btinternet.com