Weekly Sales News – 1st October 2019

Top price per head – £80 – R & S L M Smith: Top price per kilo – 186p – R & S L M Smith

Report on trade: A small entry of lambs on offer this week due to numbers of fed finished lambs drying up rapidly and the improved stores not coming out yet as a result of the trade. Some producers are sitting on lambs in anticipation of a lift in the trade, but there hasn’t been much sign of it just yet despite the lack of numbers on offer. A lack of demand is still being reported for the finished product but despite this a new buyer was in attendance to buy some of the better end of the lambs which kept the best at the trade we have been seeing in recent weeks.

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: Another good entry of ewes on offer with a few more meated sheep in the pens in comparison to last week. Still a big number of lean ewes on offer with the normal gathering of purchasers present to buy these to farm on until numbers shorten. Grazers selling from £30-50 and best meated ewes to £90 from J Warnock & Son.

Top prices included Texel ewes to £90 from J Warnock & Son, crossbred to £76 from J Walker, Mules to £61 from E W & R E Hanks and Romney ewes to £58 from H & J Noakes

Report on trade: A very similar trade on the week with a very smart Limousin cross heifer topping the market at £1216 (212p per kg) from S Marsh while slightly lessor quality sorts made between 180p to 192p, notably a Blonde cross steer at £970 (186p) from G L Boulden & Sons and a run of Limousin cross heifers grossing up to £1023 from W S Furnival (Brookland).

A large percentage of native bred cattle sold relatively well in the 160p to 170p range with Sussex cross steer £1041 (166p) from H G Tompsett & Sons Ltd, Aberdeen Angus cross steer £940 (170p) and a Hereford cross steer £1115 (159p) from J A & P M Playfoot & Sons. A Sussex heifer made £930 (164p) from I Strang and an Aberdeen Angus cross heifer grossed well at £1105 (154p) from V & C Smith.

Report on trade: Another excellent entry of cows with a good mix of both slaughter and feeding cows which met a strong trade with an excellent attendance of buyers. There is no doubt that the early onset of autumn weather will have its effect on numbers up and down the country and whilst weaning and scanning dates will have a bearing please consider as soon as possible your culling programme. Immediate flesh is wanted but the big feeders want to get cows moving indoors to feed so that they have fit cows to supply the New Year demand.

Some very good Limousin feeding cows made 130-155p per kg; assured beef meat cows 120-130p; best of the non assured meat cows up to 110p and few under 100p except for the oldest and plainest.

Beef highlights included Limousin 155p, 153p, 152p, 149p, 148p, 146p, 144p, 143p, 141p etc, £961, £955, £945 etc (Non FA) J F Windibank; Simmental cross 128p, 125p, £886, £859 C R Cook and 118p £957 W J Hurley; British Blue cross 123p £809 Gale Estates (Findon) Ltd; Hereford 116p (Non FA) C Yarnold; Sussex 110p W J Hurley, 108p, 107p, £777 (Non FA) City of London and 107p (Non FA) M B Burgess.

A good trade for all grades of dairy cull cows and particularly for the heavyweight fleshed cows which were regularly making 105p to115p with a lot of regular cows from the herd up and down on 100p. A few of the plainest and oldest 50 to 60p but plenty of lean cows 70-85p looking well sold.

Highlights – Holstein Friesian 116p, 112p, 108p, 107p £993, £925 J S & M D Antrum & Son; 113p £861 G D & E E Field and 110p £1018 Oncoland.

A good run of assured Holstein Friesian steers over 3 yrs sold well  at 110p to120p and £900 to £950 from E T Ledger & Son.

Report on trade: An entry of predominantly strong stores at 18 to 30 mths met a very reasonable trade with the majority £800 plus and topping at £1090 for 2yr old Limousin cross steers from Langrish Farmers. A run of quality beef bred Limousin x Sussex forward stores from I Strang sold particularly well with the steers to £1030 and heifers to £895.

Best continental cross yearlings topped at £825 for a Charolais cross steer from S Goodsell while 8 mths steers sold at £640 from A J Britton and Wanstall Farms.

Report on trade: A solid entry this week in terms of numbers and quality. A trade to match other regional and national outlets, however the effect of the depressed beef trade continues to bite.

As good an entry of continental calves as has been seen for some time with plenty of choice for buyers of all makes and models. Bulls sold to a high of £260 for a Simmental from HO Champneys Ltd. British Blues topped at £235 (x2) from J C & S K Williams. Continental bulls with any size were £150 – £200 with smaller types less. Heifers topped at £175, T Castle & Son taking top honours in this section with a run of quality British Blues. Generally speaking most traded between £120 and £170, however smaller types were harder work.

Native sired calves very much a split trade, well framed and fleshed looked well sold however smaller types were harder work. Bulls sold to £210 for an Aberdeen Angus from A & W J Hitchcock, Heifers to £180, and Aberdeen Angus from the same vendor.

Strong rearing type dairy calves sold well considering the trade topping at £95 from Oncoland Ltd with several £60 and above. Second grade and bobby calves harder work with the autumn calving period producing a spike in supply which has further added to an already nationally depressed price. Second grades sold to £50 from J E Scutt & Sons, with bobbies to £28 from W G & T A Manford.

A small entry of continental weanling steers and heifers sold to £330.

We remind all calf sellers and buyers of the information below

Calf sellers and buyers should be aware that welfare regulations state that while an animal can be sold at 7 days old if they are offered at under 10 days old they cannot be transported more than 100km from the market. Buyers are notified from the rostrum when these calves are offered.

From a sellers view it is best not to present calves at under 10 days old to avoid possibly restricting the number of potential bidders for your stock.

Report on trade: A large entry of pigs this week met a fair and competitive trade for all breeds, quality and type on offer. Eight individuals purchased pigs on the day

In the finished pig pens the best again came from S J M Evans whose 3 best pens made 123p per kg and then 115p twice and grossed to £108. S Scott & Sons made 80p to 92p this week with other pigs trading from 50p to 105p.

In the cull pig pens a large entry of generally top quality, well fleshed sows made to 78p per kg with others 40p to 74p and boars to 50p.

A good selection of store pigs were forward but demand was limited. A pen of Oxford, Sandy and Black x Middle Whites looked a good buy at £18.

RABI, Young Farmers Clubs, 91 Club, Kent Herdsmans Club and FCN news

RABI – copies of a summer newsletter are available here in the market.

Saturday 5^th October – Harvest Supper in the Amos Hall, Ashford Market. 6.30pm for 7pm

For further information on all RABI events in Kent ring Charles Tassell – 01622 858733, 07973 412179 or email charles@tassell.co.uk

Kent Herdsmans Club.

Monday 14th October 2019 at 7.30pm – a talk by David Potter about his life in farming, at the Conningbrook Hotel, Canterbury Road,  Ashford TN24 9QR

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

FCN – Friday 18^th October at 6.30pm – a talk by Doug Avery AKA “The resilient farmer” and as featured on BBC Radio 4’s farming programme, at South of England Events Centre, Ardingly, West Sussex. Tickets £10 including a light supper.

Ashford Young Farmers – copies of their August / September newsletter are available here in the market.

For all details on Ashford Young Farmers please contact Amy Langdon at amy.langdon1234@hotmail.co.uk

Tonbridge Young Farmers – Debbie Broad is keen to reopen this club.

For all details of plans please contact the Broads through Debbie’s Facebook page – information evening this Friday 4^th October from 7pm to 9pm. Email tonbridgeyfc19@gmail.com

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 are regular contributors to the editorial content.

In addition our Property Consultants Outlook for Autumn 2019, is included with this months publication and again are available hare in the market.

Market sponsorship

We are very pleased to announce that the Farmers Guardian, as part of their “Marts at the Heart” campaign are sponsoring market day here in Ashford on Tuesday 22^nd October.

Prizes will be offered in the various sections on the day and our market will be featured in the Guardian on the following Friday.

Forthcoming store and breeding cattle sales

Tuesday 15^th October

Entries so far include

• 60 Limousin cross heifers, 16-17 mths from E W & R E Hanks
• 50 British Blue cross steers and heifers, 18-20 mths from M Worssam
• 45 British Blue and Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers and heifers, 20-22 mths from T Carr Farms
• 32 Limousin cross steers and heifers, 18 mths from P & C Burden

plus others from 26 farms

Romney Sheepbreeders News

Friday 15^th November – Romney Sheep Breeders Dinner at The Swan, Chapel Down Vineyard, Tenterden. TN30 7NG at 7pm for 7.30. £39.50 per ticket. Places are limited.

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

Notices – Judy Bishop, Cranbrook

Family and friends have asked to advise that Judy sadly passed away recently after a long battle with illness. Judy, with husband Chris, have farmed at Cranbrook with livestock for a number of years now and been regular supporters of the market. She will be missed by all who met and knew her within the market and rural community in the area.

A private funeral will be followed by a memorial service at Goudhurst Church on Wednesday 6th November at 11:30 am.

Summer events / meetings in the area of interest to farmers

RABI and FCN would like to invite you to a County Harvest Thanksgiving on Sunday 6^th October at Ashford Cattle Market at 17.30 in support of RABI and FCN, followed by a reception. For more information please contact Karen Adams at kadams@diocant.org

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

For Sale – Border Collie puppies from excellent working parents. 3 Boys, tri coloured and black/white – Call Holly on 07850524206

Livestock for sale by private treaty – ex farm

For Sale – 2 pedigree polled Hereford bulls, 17 mths on a West Kent farm.

For Sale – 15 Aberdeen Angus x Friesian heifers, 20-24 mths on a West Sussex farm

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions

run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales include ……

Classic Car Auction

Friday 25^th October at 12pm

A wide selection of Vintage and Classic Motorbikes, Campervans, Sports Cars, Commercials and other vehicles are generally offered in these sales

Model Railway, Collectable and Toy Auction

Friday 25^th October

Featuring a large collection of Hornby, Triang and other model trains memorabilia, books, etc