Weekly Sales News – 20th October 2020

Top price per head – £123 – Master Joey Burden: Top price per kilo – 226p – D C Foy

Report on trade: Another smaller entry of lambs this week but a good quality in the pens throughout with a number of well fed and finished lambs on offer which we have not seen in recent weeks. Trade was at a similar level to recent weeks despite the rest of the country showing returns that have certainly been in decline. Overall average today was 205p per kg, which for mid-October is a fantastic trade with lambs averaging £16 up on the corresponding week of last year.

Top spot was taken by Master Joey Burden with his annual consignment of lambs at £123, in fact taking 3 of the top four prices on the day with H Rivers selling to £103.50 also for a super run of well meated lambs.

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 similar entry with a large amount of leaner sorts on offer but trade would be just a little stronger on the day with grazers maybe £2 to £4 up on recent weeks. Meated ewes were in short supply and these sold to £85 from H Rivers.

Report on trade: The largest entry of finished cattle at Ashford Market for some time and while trade as not quite at last weeks level prices were competitive with specialist feeders putting a strong bottom in the trade for any a leaner and in need of further finish.

A big percentage of the entry comprised beef bred continental crosses with the best making around 220p with Limousin cross heifers taking the pick of the trade notably £1257 (236p) and £1305 (232p) from A J Thompson & Sons, £1108 (229p) from P N & C Burden and £1371 (222p) from W S Furnival (Brookland) while the best steers sold well at £1311 (229p) from W Alexander (Shoreham) and handyweight British Blue cross steers at £1183 (226p) from D W Ferguson Ltd. Slightly heavier sorts were a little less per kg with Limousin cross steers to £1402 (218p) and £1323 (221p) from W S Furnival (Brookland) and a Blonde cross heifer £1376 (217p) from Brockhill Park Performing Arts College.

Dairy bred stock made up to £1265 (208p) for a Limousin x Friesian steer and a Hereford x Friesian up to £1112 (184p) from A J Down and a run of Friesian steers topped at £1058 (174p) from H G Tompsett & Sons Ltd.

Leaner sorts looking relatively well sold with Limousin cross steers £1012 (222p) and £952 (230p) from R J Husk.

Report on trade: There is no stopping the cull trade which remains at extraordinary levels particularly when considering the time of the year. Flesh remains in short supply from both beef and dairy sectors and competition is intense. Confidence is high amongst the feeders and all younger cows with shape are being taken to feed. More older cows, of course, are now coming forward as the weather worsens but it is still only the oldest and plainest that are much below 100p per kg.

Beef meat cows regularly made 130p to 150p per kg with smart feeders 140p to 180p with a well shaped British Blue from F S Husk topping at 183p £1259.

Other top calls included British Blues 146p 142p £1024 £924 (Non FA) A  Skudder; Limousin cross 150p £978 (Non FA) A  Skudder, 138p £1052 E F & E A Simmons and 131p £907 L Palmer & Son; Sussex 147p 146p (2) 138p 137p £1026 £989 £903 J C & C Lewis, 146p £1004 L Stevens & Sons and 144p £947 H W Richards; Charolais cross 147p £1024 H & S Nesfield and 134p £1119 R V A Stannard; Simmental cross 135p £1001 L Palmer & Son and Aberdeen Angus cross 132p £967 L Palmer & Son.

This was a quieter day on the dairy front but some better types at the top end made well over 130p. Plenty of half meat cows up and down of 100p with only the very plainest below 70p. We also saw strong enquiry again for the overage black and white heifers and steers.

Dairy tops included Holstein heifers 167p 148p £1190 £1099 M W Goddard; British Friesian cows 138p £976 R & J Ledger; Danish Red 134p £981 Kingcott Dairy; Holstein Friesian 119p (2) £978 £954 P J Forknall with Holstein steers 158p 156p 154p £1151 £959 R W Jones & Sons.

Stock bulls again a good trade with flesh on offer. Limousin bull 118p £1063 and a Sussex 115p £1071.

Report on trade: A quality show of store cattle comprising mainly beef bred 16-20mths continental crosses and including large annual consignments from the North Kent marshes. The numbers and quality on offer attracted extra buyers from as far north as Northumberland and Devon and Somerset in the West Country competing with the regular more local feeding men ensuring competitive returns throughout.

The large annual consignment attracted lots of interest and competitive bidding notably 82 continental cross steers from E W & R E Hanks with the majority making from £940 to £1085 and 55 Limousin crosses from A J Bray with the steers £1020 to £1125 and heifers £865 to £1020. In addition, quality stock from both the Burden families rang the bell with the majority £1000 plus with heifers in particular selling well up to £1090 for Limousin cross from P N & C Burden and Aberdeen Angus cross to £1080 from Burden Bros.

Other top prices on the day included a quality Limousin cross steer to £1245 from Brockhill Park Performing Arts College, Limousin cross heifer £1180 from W G Watkins & Sons and a superb bunch of pure Charolais steers £1205 from R V A Stannard.

Report on trade: A handy selection of breeding cattle forward this week with both cow and calf outfits as well as in calf cows from a variety of vendors.

Cow and calf outfits look well enough sold to a top of £1,080 from CTS Farms for a run of TB Edge Limousin cross cows with May-June born Simmental cross calves at foot. A 2013 TB Low British Blue cross cow with a shapely Limousin bull calf at foot sold to £1,020 from N A Vincent.

In calf cows from a variety of vendors and a mix of TB statuses sold to £880, this being a TB Low, 2012 born Hereford cow from Alpha farms. A pen of TB Edge in calf cows from A P Skudder sold to £800, these being British Blue cross cows all 2017 born and 3-4 months in calf.

Vendors with in calf cows and cows and calves to sell at this time of year should consider splitting outfits for best returns. If in doubt, please do pick up the phone to discuss the best way to market your stock!

Store and Finished Pigs – 65 Sold

Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07741 845230

Report on trade: Again, not enough pigs to meet buyer’s orders and the best and better second quality pigs were a very good trade. No sows or stores were penned this week

The best finished were 120p to 152p per kg, grossing to £150.50 for heavy pigs (105kg) and £134 for regular weights (93kg). S Scott & Son sold 13 pigs to average 141p and £116. P Lanham and Miss J Judge saw their pigs make £116.80 and £133.20. Hard farmed second quality pigs made 50 to 78p grossing to £78

Next pig sales – 3^rd and 17^th November with stores being sold immediately following the finished and cull at 9am.

Hobbs Parker Car Auctions news – We are back in business!!

Vehicles are being traded in substantial numbers in our weekly online sales. For all details please long onto the Hobbs Parker website and select Car Auctions or pick up the phone 01233 506266 and speak to John Chapman or James Johnson

Farm Dispersal Sale – Saturday 31^st October

We have instructions from John Paine Farms Ltd to conduct a dispersal sale of farm machinery and equipment on the Romney Marsh.

Approx 700 Lots including:

• Case Puma 185-2018-1500hrs • Claas Challenger 75E • Agco Challenger MT765B-2008 • 6 x John Deere Tractors: 6630-6930-6920-6410 • Massey Ferguson 4355 c/w front loader • John Deere 3400 Telehandler • Stewart GX14-19S Trailer-2019 • 20 x Asstd Agri Trailers
• 10 x Asstd Road Trailers • Vaderstad Rapid 800S • KRM 4m Mounted Disc Drill • 4 x Land Rover Defenders • Irrigation equipment • Cultivation Equipment • Grain handling equipment inc Mecmar Dryer and many farm sundries

Catalogues are now available – both printed and online

COVID-19 social distancing and other guidelines will apply. No included items can be accepted.

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

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

Wanted – Experienced stock person required. Supervising & training residents at HMP East Sutton Park. Full Job specification and application on Ministry of Justice jobs website.

Call Chris for more info 07968908641

For Sale – 36 British Blue x Friesian heifers, 24mths which are scanned in calf to Limousin bull – North Kent. Ring Simon on 07885 968077

For Sale – Pedigree Aberdeen Angus (Red) bull bn 2016 – Essex. Ring Mark on 07741 845230

For Sale – Pedigree Limousin bull, Gotham bred and born 2016 on a Romney Marsh farm. Ring Mark Cleverdon on 07741 845230

For Sale – 9 Holstein x Friesian heifers, 24mths and in calf to an Aberdeen Angus bull – East Kent. Ring Peter Kingwill on 07795 200357

For Sale – ready for work Limousin bull. East Sussex. Ring Mark Cleverdon for details 07741 845230

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

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

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 TB! Holdings.

Covid-19 Protocol at Ashford Market – updated July 2020

In common with the Livestock Auctioneers Association’s recommendations to its members Hobbs Parker Auctioneers ask that their customers wear a face covering whilst at market.

Social distancing, high standards of hygiene and responsible behaviour to others is also recommended.

Strict control of the numbers attending market is asked for and both buyers and sellers should not bring additional people with them to market.

We still recommend a ‘Drop and Go’ policy for vendors but if a vendor has a need to attend, they should always be on their own and respect social distancing.