Weekly Sales News – 20th June 2017

New Season Lambs

Top price per head – £127 – Dan Mackleden Ltd.

Top price per kilo – 259p – C & J Georgetti & Sons

Report on trade: A smaller entry of new season lambs on offer today with close to 2700 in the pens. Trade would have been on a comparable level to last week with the heavier lambs the best sold whilst the trade for the lighter weights was a little easier than  where we have seen them throughout the month of June. Several lighter weight grass finished lambs were sold between £70-75/hd with the heavier concentrate fed lambs selling from £90-£110/hd. More of these lighter sorts have come onto the market nationally as farmers are cashing these lambs that will undoubtedly struggle to see this level of trade without keeping for a long time or concentrate feeding. This influx has shown our averages to drop but it would be fair to say that trade is more in line with last weeks than it appears. Smart continental lambs sold to £95 (244p/kg) for some super Beltex crosses form GH Dean & Co with the same vendor selling heavier sorts to £104.50 (44Kg). Heavier lambs sold to £127 for some very heavy lambs from Dan Mackledon Ltd with second spot taken by C & J Georgetti at £115.50.

An end of season entry of hoggets with all sorts on offer but the best still in good demand and selling to £118 form Mr Mark Gammons with sheep with erupted teeth selling to £110 from S Newman. Numbers are fast declining and we would recommend any hoggets that are still out there are sold asap.

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 strong trade for ewes this week with the end of the Ramadan fasting period coming this weekend. All types of ewes on offer selling to a strong demand with rams on offer to £121 from Link Bros and Ewes to £108 from DG & JW Gore. Several ewes on offer selling in excess of £90/hd with grazing types on offer selling between £45-55/hd.

Top Prices were as follows:

Rams to £121 from Link Bros, Charolais Ewes to £108 from DG & JW Gore, Suffolk Crosses to £96 from C & J Georgetti & Sons, Mules to £79.50 form PG Brightling and Romneys to £79.50 from I Hobden.

Report on trade: A shortage of top quality butcher type cattle with the best available in excess of 200p, notably a Limousin Cross heifer to £1078 (204p) from W S Furnival (Brookland) and a Limousin Cross steer at £1190 (204p) from R F & E A Simmons.

More commercial types generally 180p to 190p with the best including a Limousin Cross steer at £1301 (191p) from R F & E A Simmons, Charolais Cross heifer £1146 (187p) from A & M Lyon and a Limousin Cross steer to £1120 (195p) from A J Down.

Several native bred cattle on offer with a South Devon Cross grossing well at £1220 (170p) and a Sussex Cross to £1137 (184p) both from A & M Lyon and an Aberdeen Angus cross steer up to £1140 (189p) from M A & F W Owen.

A few bulls on offer with the best up to £1053 (169p) for and Aberdeen Angus Cross from C R Cook and a Sussex bull to £994 (172p) from C E & W S Millson.

Over 30mths cattle sold well topping at £1354 (172p) for a heavy weight Charolais Cross steer from A D Bentley.

Auctioneer: Richard Wood

Report on trade: An outstanding entry of cows for the time of year and just like the weather the trade was red hot, and as dear as we have seen it this year. Low national numbers, short imported supplies and weather conditions that assist the processed meat market is driving prices higher and higher!

Meat beef cows in short supply and all wanted. Older autumn calving cows now need looking at and the question asked of their future. All feeders very dear with confidence high.

Charolais 154p, 151p £973 (Non FA) AD Bentley; South Devon 152p, 146p, £1182, £1060 Gardners; Blonde x 150p £1127 AJ Thompson & Sons; Sussex 149p £1002  RC&JL Pickering, 148p £1084 RL Goodman & Son, 147p £1017 (Non FA) SFG Wall, 140p £1025(Non FA) PJ Goldsmith; Angus 143p £905 AJ Thompson & Sons; Dexter 152p £561 (Exempt/ Non FA) D&P Bryan.

A little more weight and flesh amongst the dairy culls this week though all grades were a great trade throughout.

Holstein Friesian 140p, 136p £1123 J Leggat & Son, 137p, 136p, £1133, £1058 RC&JL Pickering, 136p £1165 MW Goddard; Dairy Shorthorn 145p, 136p, 133p, £1069 Chichester College; Jersey 97p, 88p(3) £501 Hickson Bros.

Report on trade: A large show of cattle for this time of year with and excellent attenadance of buyers ensuring competitive prices throughout.

The single suckled beef bred stores took the pick of the trade with 12-14 mths Aberdeen Angus cross steers toppiong the market at £980 from Barfrestone Court Farm and smart Limousin cross heifers sold well at £870 from Little Buds Farm.

The majority of dairy herd youngsters generally sold in the £400 to £650 bracket.

A few beef cow and calves on offer with the best up to £1240 for a Limousin cross cow with Aberdeen Angus cross steer calf at foot from A J Thompson and Sons.

Please keep in touch regarding future entries so we can contact potential customers.

Principal prices include:                                                                                                                  

Calves – 73 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Report on trade: A blistering hot day in the calf section and, without doubt, a certain degree of wariness amongst rearers with some of the secondary class calves in these hot conditions. Good competition for the nice shaped Continental bulls and heifers.

Plenty of customers around the ring with particularly good demand for the weaned 4-6 month stirks from M Gammons.

Limousin bulls £325 DE Hodges, £305 RL Goodman & Son; Limousin heifer £270 T Castle & Son.

Blue bulls £280 JE Scutt & Sons, £270 WS Furnival, £260 T Castle & Son, £235 JW Boyd & Son; Blue heifers £250 (2) T Castle & Son.

Blonde bull £275, South Devon bull £235 WS Furnival; Angus bull £175 JW Boyd & Son, heifers £200 A&WJ Hitchcock.

Stirks:-  Simmental x steer £520, £500, £430, £400 AJ Thompson & Sons; £468 RL Goodman & Son; Angus x steers £450, £415; Limousin x steers £450, heifers £408; Black Hereford x heifers £400; Holstein Friesian £ 290, £275, £255 M Gammons.

Please keep your entries of calves coming. At our fortnightly sales we expect to have plenty of enquiries for all shapes, sizes and ages of stock. Thank you all for texts and messages with early notice of your entries for forthcoming sales – it does help.

Store and Finished Pigs – 151 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Report on trade: A strong number of pigs and another excellent trade for all grades, and particularly the best. Plenty of buyers present and competing strongly.

Best pork and cutting pigs 130-140p; heavier types 110-120p. Sows to 57p.

A small show of stores but good demand with clean white stores to £53.

Our pig sales are held once a fortnight and with the summer now we are seeing plenty of competition and more confidence in the pig sector after very low levels which prevailed for about 3 months in the spring. Please keep in touch with us here in Ashford if you have pigs to sell.

Mrs Violet Link funeral donations

Following the funeral of Mrs Violet Link the family would like to thank those attending and others who were so generous with donations that enabled  in excess of £900 being donated to the RABI and the British Heart Foundation.

Local beef farmers discussion group

If anyone would like to join a Kent Based Beef Group could you email your name and contact email address to hughr@john-lewis.com. We aim to have ‘Visits of Interest’, ‘Farm Walks’ and ‘Topic’ based debates or speakers. So please bring your ideas forwards as well please.

Breeding Cattle for sale ex farm

16 British Blue x Friesian heifers, 24 mths which have been scanned 5 mths in calf to a Limousin bulls on a mid Kent farm (TB low). Ring 07885 968077

2 Charolais bulls, 4 yrs old and proven from the Chesham herd. West Kent

3 Pedigree Sussex bulls – well bred and from a high health herd in Kent. TB Low. Mark Cleverdon can provide further details – 07748 202688

2 Pedigree Limousin bulls, 18 mths from a Welsh farm.

Local Agricultural Show dates

Wednesday 28^th and Thursday 29^th June – Royal Norfolk Show, Norwich. Full details  01603 748931 or visit www.royalnorfolkshow.co.uk

Friday 7^th to Sunday 9^th July – Kent County Show, Detling. Full details available from Show Office 01622 630975. ** Hobbs Parker are again pleased to be sponsoring competitions in both the cattle and sheep rings **

Sunday 16^th July – Singleton Rare Breeds Show, Chichester. Full details available from the museum on 01243 811348.

RABI, FCN and Kent Herdsmans Club News

RABI Fund raising events over the next few months include:

Watch this space for details of more events next week and ongoing

Kent Herdsmans Club

Monday 3rd July at 7.30pm – visit to PHR Farms, East Brabourne, Ashford. TN25 5LD to view their dairy herd and other enterprises.

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

Livestock for sale

4 Maiden Boer nanny goats, 12 to 14 mths on an East Sussex farm. Ring 07946 640949

25 Aberdeen Angus x British Friesian Heifers, 20 mths. High health status herd. Pedigree registered Aberdeen Angus Bull. Suitable for bulling. Ring 07710 803901

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Ashford Cattle show summer competitions

Flocks For last minute entries and all information please ring Edward Langrish on 07973 977074. This competition will be judged by Larry Cooke (Rye) in the 3^rd week of June.

Beef herds For last minute entries and all information please ring Charles Bull on 07825 665498 This competition will be judged by Richard Georgetti and Don Masters the last week of June.

Crops For last minute entries and all information please ring Tim Porter 07919 196068.

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

The June edition of this popular regional farming magazine is now available here in the market. Hobbs Parker are regular contributors to the editorial content.

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions

run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales are …..

Land & Property

Wednesday 5^th July

Commercial Vehicles

Thursday 6^th July at 3.00pm

Commercial vehicle sale

Classic car, vintage tractor and rural bygones auction

Friday 14^th July at  10am

Large entries expected in all sections.

First store lamb sale

Friday 28^th July at 3.00pm

Collective Machinery & Equipment sale

Friday 4^th August at 9.30am.

Catalogues will be available about a week before the sale.

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

Horse & Saddlery Sale

Thursday 10^th August 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