Weekly Sales News – 20th July 2021

New Season Lambs – Top price per head – £137.50 – Miss J J Butcher: Top price per kilo  – 273p – G H Dean & Co

Report on trade A smaller entry this week with numbers coming under pressure nationally in recent weeks. This is nothing like the number of lambs during the same period last year due mainly to the different keep situation and reduced national flock. This has helped to maintain the trade approximately 30p kg above the same week last year.

This week’s lambs were a very mixed bunch with the best finished and concentrate fed lambs really setting the trade with the lesser grass finished examples being harder to sell in the lower weight brackets. A super run of over 280 well finished lambs from C & J Georgetti & Sons sold exceptionally well to average in excess of £115 and a smart run of Beltex crosses form G H Dean & Co topping the pence per kg charts at 273p. A few pens of very heavy lambs made over £115 top spot on the day being taken by J J Butcher at £137.50 for some 50 kg continental lambs.

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

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901 / James Cook O’Connell

Report on trade: This week in the cull ewe department we saw a big drop in the number of on offer. This follows a large influx of ewe’s in recent weeks in the lead up to the Qurbani Festival which is now underway. In addition, people are finally managing to get on with their hay making and are prioritising getting that job done.

There were some good ewes on offer today with the top price of the day £143 for Mrs J Lukehurst for some smart Blue Texel’s followed by S W Mount and Sons selling Suffolk cross ewes to £131. Grazing ewes are wanted with buyers competing well for them and seeing them change hands from £50 to £70 per head.

Top price’s included Suffolk’s to £131 from S W Mount and Son, continentals to £143 from Mrs J Lukehurst, Mule’s to £117 from P H Hope and Romney’s to £126 from G P Compton.

Report on trade: Another cracking trade throughout with the best continental cross beef bred cattle 230p per kg and very few below 210p. A superb run of Charolais cross heifers made 227p up to 251p and grossed £1200 plus and up to £1465 from W S Furnival (Brookland) while a quality run of the same breeding made 220p to 238p and grossed up to £1413 from A J Thompson & Sons. Other top continental crosses included Limousin cross steers £1336 (237p) and £1284 (222p) from Gallagher Farms, Limousin cross heifer £1214 (228p) and £1279 (223p) from R F & E A Simmons and handyweight Blonde cross heifers £1150 (226p) from G L Boulden & Sons.

Dairy bred cattle were a similar trade with Limousin x Friesian steers 209p to 226p and grossing up to £1355, British Blue x Friesian steers to £1294 (228p) and Hereford x Friesian steer looking well sold at £1387 (219p) all from A J Down.

The best of the native bred cattle made in excess of 210p with a purebred Hereford heifer £1235 (222p) from J Vant with Sussex heifers to £1038 (214p) from J Hooker & Son and an Aberdeen Angus cross heifer £1152 (210p) from D J Miles.

More cattle wanted to satisfy strong demand.

Report on trade: This was an excellent number for the time of the year and overall quality was very good with more flesh on offer, as well as a little more youth amongst the feeders. Demand is exceeding supply and there is no doubt that the trade is outstanding so if you have suitable candidates take advantage. Look at your cows that are doing themselves better than their calves and ask the question!

Some good, fleshed beef cows made 150p to 185p per kg and were grossing up to £1651 for Limousin cross heavyweights from W S Furnival (Brookland). Feeders very strong with some younger types making 160p to 180p and some of the oldest and leanest 120p plus.

Headliners were Stabiliser cross 183p, 182p, 170p, 169p, 165p £1042, £1012, £1007 (Non FA) A & N Bullen; Hereford cross 183p, 165p, £1095 H & J Noakes, 160p £1188 W S Furnival (Brookland) and 151p, £1046 (Non FA) E Tilley; Limousin cross 179p (2) £1651, £1339 W S Furnival (Brookland), 164, 158p, 156p, 150p, £1046 J Berryman and 160p, £1292 C & J Georgetti & Sons; Aberdeen Angus cross 174p, 173p, £1388, £1277 B G & M A Tompsett; Simmental cross 160p, £1203 C & J Georgetti & Sons; British Blue cross 160p, £949 J Batchelor & Sons; South Devon 144p, £1170 (Non FA) E Tilley; Sussex 149p, £1032 (Non FA) E Tilley and Dexter 116p, £485 (Non FA) H Challis.

A smaller show of black and whites were offered this week with fewer of the best fleshed types but trade was at very similar overall levels. Maiden heifers and even young, calved types were very dear indeed.

Highlights included Flekvieh cross maiden heifers 194p, £1035 E P Knight; Norwegian Red cross 190p, 185p, £938, £922 E P Knight and British Friesian cross 173p. in the cows Holstein Friesian 146p, 140p, 138p, £1242, £1141, £1037 J S & M D Antrum & Son and British Friesian 138p, 136p, 135p, £1167, £1085 R & J Ledger.

Stock bulls included Limousin 120p, 117p, £1326, £1101.

Keep feeding them! They are certainly wanted! Many thanks.

Report on trade: It was nice to have a decent seasonal entry and to meet such an exceptional level of trade. Cattle are short and will remain so for some time but there is no reason not to take advantage of this level of trade at any time. As we move beyond harvest producers must not be tempted to hold onto forward cattle simply because of keep supplies but to get stock into finishing units early enough to meet the autumn and Christmas requirements of the meat sector.

Big or small, young or old and smart or otherwise all cattle were a very strong trade.

Leading prices

• Simmental cross steers, 14-16mths £1190, £1125 C & J Georgetti & Sons
• Limousin cross steers, 22mths £1060 J B Marshall
• Aberdeen Angus cross heifers, 20mths ££1080 J B Marshall
• Hereford cross heifers, 24nths £1070 J B Marshall
• British Blue x Friesian heifers, 17-20mths £1050 J S & M D Antrum & Son
• Shorthorn x Friesian steers, 20mths £995, £845 R Winstone
• Shorthorn x Friesian heifers, 20mths £865 R Winstone
• British Blue x Friesian steers, 16mths £975, £970 R Winstone
• British Blue x Friesian heifers, 16mths £870 R Winstone
• Hereford x Friesian steers, 18-20mths £990, £915, £885 R Winstone
• Hereford x Friesian heifers, 18-20mths £885 R Winstone
• Limousin cross steers, 16-18mths £940 Miss J J Butcher
• Limousin cross heifers, 16-18mths £900 Miss J J Butcher
• Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers, 15-18mths £890 H & S Nesfield
• Aberdeen Angus x Friesian heifers15-18mths £930 H & S Nesfield
• Limousin cross steers, 8mths £890 M Goodsell
• Hereford cross steers, 14mths £910 A G Dodd
• Hereford cross heifers, 14mths £950 A G Dodd
• British Blue x Friesian steers, 12mths £860 P R Lanham

Please consult auctioneers and field staff if you are considering selling to help us manage sale dates.

Please note if you do not 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 – reopening fully

Normal service has nowl resumed with the usual full range of eat in meals, snacks and drinks.

It was good to see the “Seniors” breakfast club meeting reconvened on Tuesday !

We would respectfully ask that masks are still worn when queuing and away from a table in this area.

Local Agricultural Show and ploughing match dates and news

Edenbridge & Oxted Show – Sunday and Monday 29^th and 30^th August – For further information contact the show office on 01342 832307 or visit www.edenbridge-show.co.uk

Moreton in Marsh Show, Gloucestershire – Saturday 4^th September – For all details go to www.moretonshow.co.uk

Saturday 11^th September – Swale & District Ploughing Match at Greenway Court, Hollingbourne, Maidstone. For more information ring Chris Hildyard 01795 470556 (email chris@georgewebbfinn.com) or Andrew Mew 07759 320496

Weald of Kent Ploughing Match – Saturday 18^th September at Honey Farm, Munday Bois Road, Pluckley, Ashford, TN27 0SU (by kind permission of the Gwillim family). Full details available from Secretary Liz Copping 07872 501951or on www.wkpma.co.uk

East Kent Ploughing Match – Wednesday 29^th September at Upper Venson Farm, Eastry near Sandwich CT13 0JH (by kind permission of the Ledger family. Full details available from joint secretaries Sarah Ledger on 07802 974 838 or Lorna Astbury on 07538 547 010 or www.ekpma.co.uk

Livestock for sale by private treaty – ex farm

For Sale – Pedigree Aberdeen Angus bull (Tomsett bred), bn 2019 – Maidstone area. Contact Mark Cleverdon for details

For Sale – 3 In calf Holstein Friesian heifers (Pickering bred), bn early 2019 which ran with Aberdeen Angus and Limousin bulls and are due to calve in September – mid Kent. Contact Peter Kingwill for details

Ashford Cattle Show news – Summer competitions and Christmas Show.

Show day – Tuesday 30^th November. We are pleased to announce a list of classes for this year.

Due to the ongoing Covid situation and the uncertainty of this year we have decided not to host a full 2-day show. We will instead hold a one-day event judged in pens on this Tuesday.

This show and sale is for quality livestock prepared for the pre-Christmas trade and supported by Hobbs Parker, Ashford Cattle Market Co and Ashford Cattle Show committee

Entry forms will be available closer to the event. Any requests for forms and any questions and information regarding the event should be directed to the show secretary Julie Coney preferably via email ashfordcattleshow@gmail.com

All judges still to be confirmed. Entries are limited to on exhibit per exhibitor per class. All YFC entrants must be fully paid-up members of an affiliated club

Cattle Classes – for cattle born after 30^th May 2019.

1)            Best steer exhibited by a Young Farmers Club or individual Young Farmers Club member.

2)            Best heifer exhibited by a Young Farmers Club or individual Young Farmers Club member.

3)            Best steer sired by a continental breed bull

4)            Best heifer sired by a continental breed bull

5)            Best steer sired by a native breed bull

6)            Best heifer sired by a native breed bull

Sheep Classes – for lambs born in 2021.

7)               Best pen of 3 lambs sired by a continental breed ram and exhibited by a Young Farmers Club or individual Young Farmers Club member.

8)               Best pen of 3 lambs sired by a Native breed ram and exhibited by a Young Farmers Club or individual Young Farmers Club member.

9)               Best pen of 3 lambs sired by a Continental breed ram.

10)             Best pen of 3 lambs sired by a Native breed ram.

Pig Class – for pigs born in 2021.

11)             Best pen of 3 pigs.

In a year when the Ashford Cattle Show in its recent form, a 2-day event with lamb carcases as well a dead stock judging classes and many other fringe events, could not be planned with any certainty it was decided to hold a one day show and sale in the Market.

Bar any unforeseeable problems a full event will return in 2022 and the Show Committee plan a special event to mark the 150^th annual exhibition in Ashford Market.

Young Farmers Clubs news

Everyone associated with Kent Young Farmers clubs should be congratulated on their attendance at the Kent County Summer Fayre last week and the show, particularly of livestock, they presented.

Seven open clubs presented cattle, sheep, pigs and goats judged over two days and paraded on both days – well done Ashford and Canterbury, Jeskyns (North Kent) and Mount Lodge (Benenden), Tonbridge and Weald of Kent and not forgetting Vigo clubs

Social media is the place to find information on Kent Young Farmers Clubs and many reports with photographs of this event.

Forthcoming store and breeding sheep sales

Friday 30^th July

First sale of store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 13^th August

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 27^th August

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 3^rd September

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 10^th September

Store lambs and breeding sheep with a special show and sale of crossbred ewe lambs

Friday 17^th September

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Monday 20^th September

Catalogued ram sale and the annual show and sale of South East Texel Groups breeding females and rams at 3pm

Friday 24^th September

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 1^st October

Romney Day sale of ewe lambs, ewe tegs and breeding ewes together with Romney Sheep Breeders Society show and sale of pedigree rams

Friday 8^th October

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 15^th October

Store lambs and breeding sheep including catalogued ram sale

Friday 29^th October

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 12^th November

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 26^th November

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 10^th December

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Sales generally commence at 11am unless advised otherwise

Auction of Boats and Marine related items

Hobbs Parkers car auctions team have arranged an online auction to be held on Tuesday 7^th and Wednesday 8^th September.

Entries invited and for more information on entering your vessel, or for the Auction process please contact Hobbs Parker auctioneers or enquire at Ramsgate Harbour Office.

Ashford Cattle Show News – continued

It is with great pleasure the Ashford Cattle Show committee announce this year’s president is Mr Trevor Richards.

Trevor has been a valued member of the committee for many years and is a prominent figure in the farming community and representing farmers on wool industry bodies. We thank the 2019 President Mr George Horne for all his hard work, and he has agreed to continue to be part of the committee as we look forward to the 150th Show in 2022.

Trevor accepted the position saying “I am extremely honoured to have been elected President of the Ashford Cattle Show when it celebrates its 150th show in 2022. I follow in the footsteps of my Grandfather (1966) and Father (1979 and 1998) who both held this position. I have been involved in the show for nearly 50 years as a steward, committee member and chairman and have regarded the show as a highlight of the local farming year. To celebrate 150 shows is a remarkable achievement and we plan to do this in style. Get the dates of Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th November 2022 in your diaries”.

The show next year will be a big event, and anyone interested in learning more about how we run the show and how we put on the biggest winter showcase in Kent together please contact the secretary via email ashfordcattleshow@gmail.com. We would love to hear from anyone who is keen to help the committee take the show forward in the years to come.