Weekly Sales News – 20th November 2018

Report on trade: A better quality show of lambs met an improved trade on the week with big premiums available for the best. Quality attracted prices in excess of 190p with 40kg Texel cross topping the market at £84.50 (211p) from L Stevens & Sons and 46kg Texel cross well sold at £92.50 (201p) from Ms H V Link. A bigger percentage of heavy and overweights on offer with the best around £85 and up to £95 from Dan Mackelden Ltd and £89 from R G Hobbs Farms Ltd.

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 poor show of ewes with a big percentage of lean ewes on offer with the majority of these selling in the £20 to £40 bracket. Generally a difficult trade with the few best ewes topping at £78 for Texel cross from L Stevens & Sons and Romneys up to £60.50 from G Homewood.

Report on trade: Another big entry with similar attendance around the ring and prices very much on a par with recent weeks. A bigger percentage of smart butcher type cattle on offer notably Limousin cross heifers £1276 (221p) from W S Furnival (Brookland), £1097 (220p) from D W Ferguson Ltd and £983 (212p) from T R Dickson. Quality heavier sorts around 210p with a Blonde cross steer £1277 (210p) from W Alexander (Shoreham) and Limousin cross heifer £1279 (212p) again from D W Ferguson Ltd. The best of the commercial sorts in the 190’s with Limousin x Friesian steer £1129 (197p) from A J Down and British Blue cross heifer £1100 (197p) from K E Budd.

A relatively small percentage of native bred cattle with heavy weight Aberdeen Angus cross steers grossing well £1405 (193p) from Llewellyn Farms and £1118 (182p) again from K E Budd.

A small selection of bulls with the best £1292 (194p) for Blonde cross from G L Boulden & Sons and the best of the OTM up to £1082 (165p) for Sussex heifer from Chandler & Dunn Ltd.

Report on trade: Not yet a turn around but no doubting that cows are getting a little dearer and that the better fleshed cows are certainly more sought after. The Christmas prime beef cutting period takes top priority but the big retailers will be after the processed beef for mince and ready meal promotion immediately after the festivities have finished. Cows in January are certainly going to be wanted but once again it will focus on the fleshed types and the better younger keeping types. Numbers are just tightening everywhere after a few wet weeks and this will also help the trade. Meat cows 100p -120p but remember fat isn’t wanted so move cows on when fit not fat!

Limousin cross 134p A J Miller; Aberdeen Angus cross 127p £1101 M A & F W Owen; Sussex 124p £920  Chandler & Dunn; British Blue cross 108p (Non FA) G J Ostridge.

Holstein Friesian 102p (2) £812 J S & M D Antrum & Son; 101p W S Furnival Ltd.

Report on trade: Another very good entry of store cattle for the time of year and though the quality is now beginning to ease overall there were again some very well bred weaned beef bred  youngsters on offer together with a full range of yearlings and older cattle. Plenty of buyers around the ring with a few more men looking for the younger cattle to winter. There is no doubting that with easier price levels in general this Autumn buyers have been a little more selective and it is the awkward, poorly bred and small for age that suffer most but smart, well presented and going forward types are still sharply contested.

Please remember no store cattle sale Tuesday 27^th November but good numbers expected for catalogued sale on 4th December.

Please enter cattle early for forthcoming sales to ensure proper cataloguing and marketing.

On day of sale please ensure cattle arrive at the market early to ensure proper sorting and accurate administration of paperwork.

Report on trade: Despite 16 successful individual buyers the trade was easier with prices reflecting the returns available in the store section. Generally the stronger quality calves are holding value better than the second quality sorts which are proving harder to place.

Remember we sell calves once a fortnight all through the year and have regular customers for all breeds and sexes.

Report on trade: A large entry again of finished pigs sold to six buyers. Mixed quality was again the order of the day but the trade was back on recent week for all pigs. The best made  80 to 94p per kg and the rest 20 to 75p. 110kg Duroc gilts made 90p (£99) for D J Cole and S Scott & Son’s well bred and fed gilts 94p (twice).

Cull sows were not quite the trade we have seen at recent sales but still a very good call. The best 62p and many 42 to 50p..

Store Pigs – one pen of 3 looked well bought at £16.

For up to date information on all livestock sales please contact

Elwyn Davies (Cattle & Sheep) 07710 803901 or 01233 861263

Peter Kingwill (Cattle & Sheep) 07795 200357

Martin Crowhurst (Cattle & Sheep) 07710 803903 or 01797 343936

Simon Husk (Cattle & Sheep) 07885 968077 or 01304 842393

Mark Cleverdon (Rams, Breeding Cattle, Pigs & Calves) 07741 845230

John Rossiter (Sheep, Machinery plus commercial vehicles) 07557 392903

Tom Hamplett (Calves) 07966 104532

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

The November editions of these popular regional farming magazines are now available here in the market. Hobbs Parker are regular contributors to the editorial content.

Romney Sheepbreeders News

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

RABI, Young Farmers Clubs and Kent Herdsmans Club news

Kent Herdsmans Club

The Club’s Christmas dinner will be held on Monday 10^th December, 7.30pm at the halfway house, Challock.

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

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

For Sale – 2 sheepdogs on a North Kent farm – a 6mth Collie bitch and 12 mth Kelpie dog. Ring 07850 224330

For Sale – 2 Brown Merles and 1 tricolour collie puppies on a mid Kent farm. Ring 07941 730588

Fodder Crop for sale and / wanted

For Sale – 600 conventional bales of 2018 season gathered wheat straw in mid Kent. Ring 07768 726286

For Sale – 50 2018 and 40 2017 season wrapped 4’ round bales of hayledge in West Sussex. Ring 07718 532971

Ashford Cattle Show – It

is Christmas Show time!!!

The Ashford Cattle Show of Primestock includes

87 Cattle, 192 Lambs, 29 Pigs, 49 Lamb Carcases

Show Day Monday the 26^th November from 2pm

Sale of Carcases will be on the Monday at 6.30pm

Livestock Auctions on Tuesday the 27th November from 9.30am

Free admission so bring the family for and afternoon an evening out in the Market.

Catalogue of exhibits and sponsors is available now from the secretary Julie Coney 07887 643002