Weekly Sales News – 21st August 2018

Top price per head – £93.50 – C & J Georgetti & Sons; Top price per kilo – 206p – C & J Georgetti & Sons

Report on trade: A small entry of lambs this week as the expected trade was difficult to predict with many buyers unable to attend the market due to their commitments on the wholesale front post festival. Despite this trade settled at a similar level to last week with averages a couple of pence behind which would entirely be due to the overall quality of the lambs on offer. There was no real fireworks in the trade but a consistent level for the best fleshed offerings which were all sold in excess of 185p per kg and up to 206p for some smart heavy sheep from C & J Georgetti & Sons. Grass finished lambs are still showing signs of the lack of grazing and made between £65-75 which is still just ahead of the prices available in the store ring.

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 small entry of sheep on offer this week again as a result of the festival taking place on market day and also due to the big numbers we have seen for the past two weeks. A similar trade was seen with a few more buyers present again for the leaner sorts which did increase the averages slightly on the week. Meated ewes were a little behind last week as the wholesale market is full of these types from the past two weeks big numbers.

Top prices included Suffolk Crosses to £90 from S W Mount & Sons Ltd, Crossbred ewes to £83 from G H Dean & Co, Romney ewes to £64 from J Saunders & Son.

Report on trade: This week saw a small entry of cattle with trade very much on a par with recent weeks. A smart Limousin cross heifer topped the market at £1133 (225p per kg) while steers topped at £1029 (215p) for a handy weight Limousin cross, both from D W Ferguson Ltd. A run of Limousin cross heifers made 200 to 210p and grossed up to £1175 from W S Furnival (Brookland) and British Blue x Friesian steers sold up to £1141 (196p) from A J Down.

Please contact us if you have finished cattle to sell. We have regular customers keen for cattle every week. Competitive prices available.

Report on trade: Again very good numbers for the season but desperately short of cows with any real weight or flesh. This is certainly going to be a feature of this autumn and winter with the reported shortage of forage. The live market will be more important than ever in facilitating the movement of cows not only to the best abattoirs but also into the hands of feeders who can finished cows and produce the carcases that the meat trade is really after. Empty beef cows post weaning certainly need the question asked of their immediate future. A dairy cow’s future will be determined by her production but any chance of keeping flesh on bones in late lactation will be to the producers advantage.

Beef Shorthorn cross (Non FA) made 120p per kg and 118p from M Britton.

Holstein Friesian 125p £1071 P J Forknall and 121p, 120p(2) £920, £880, £872 J Leggat & Son. Imported cows made to 109p and £765 with Guernseys to 100p £741 W G & T A Manford.

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

Hobbs Parker and Ashford Livestock Market

We are the South East’s principal livestock market selling around 250,000 head of cattle, sheep and pigs in 2017.

Weekly sales throughout the year of all classes of stock, principally on Tuesdays, run by a fully professional team of auctioneers and support staff, they provide an unmatched level of service and commitment to the livestock farmers in the area. Come and see us on market day soon and bring your livestock for us to sell.

Sheep Tagging

All sheep sent to market require to be correctly tagged.

Sheep under 12 mths – Single electronic batch tag and ewes and over 12 mths – Double tagged

Incorrectly tagged sheep may have to be returned home. Single electronic batch tags are not acceptable for ewes and sheep over 12 mths.

Fodder Crop for sale and / wanted

For sale – Large quantity of maize silage available in the Cranbrook area, excellent analyse and quick loading. Please ring 07860623196/01580 240479.

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

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

For Sale – 2 Pedigree Beef Shorthorn bulls, bn 2015 (proven) and 2017 (ready to work) – ex farm in North Kent. Ring Mark Cleverdon for more details

For Sale – 24 British Blue x Friesian cows, mainly 2^nd to 4^th calvers, due to calve again from late February and through March to a Limousin bull – East Sussex. Ring Mark Cleverdon for more details

For Sale – 20 Beef cross cows, mainly 2^nd to 6^th calvers, due to calve again from December onwards to a Parthenaise bull – East Kent. Ring Simon Husk 07885 968077

For Sale – Working Collie puppies, ready mid September.  West Kent. Ring 07961 893682

For Sale – 3 Kelpie x Collie puppies. East Sussex. Ring 07403931695

Events / Meetings in the area of interest to farmers

Tackling TB here in the South East

The TB Advisory Service have organised 2 meeting in the area to update livestock farmers on policy and progress. These will be on Wednesday 5^th September at 7pm at the Kings head, Lower Horsebridge BN27 4DL and Thursday 6^th September at 10am at Westpoint Vets, Dawes Barn, Bognor Road, Warnham RH12 3SH

For more details and to register to attend please phone 01306 628086, visit website www.tbas.org .uk or email info@tbas.org.uk

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales include……..

Special Sports, High Performance, 4 x 4 and General Cars plus Commercial Vehicle Sale

Monday 27^th August at 10am

This auction of vehicles is one of our largest vehicle sales of the year with up to 500 vehicles on offer.

Sale of Boats and Maritime items at Ramsgate Harbour

Saturday 15^th September

A good large entry of boats and other maritime items is expected for this sale

Birchen Knoll Farm, Fairlight, Hastings

Saturday 22^nd September

Farm dispersal sale of arable machinery and equipment. Entries immediately please

Chilli Farm Machinery sale

Saturday 29^th September at 9.30am

Large entries of tractors, trailers, vehicles, arable equipment, haymaking equipment, tractor attachments & spares, livestock kit, garden machinery, workshop tools and a large and varied selection of rural bygones. Entries close Saturday 8^th September

National Sheep Association news

South Sheep 2018 – This bi annual event, promoted by the National Sheep Association is this year being held on Saturday 8^th September at South of England showground, Ardingley. RH17 6TH. For more details please contact event organiser Bob Blanden  01666 860308 or enquiries@southsheep.org.uk

Something different ……

Sunday and Monday 26^th and 27^th August – Edenbridge & Oxted Show.  Ardenrun Showground, Tandridge Lane, Tandridge, Surrey RH7 6LL. For more info ring 01737 645843. www.edenbridge-show.co.uk – Hobbs Parker are pleased to be sponsoring the commercial lamb classes

Monday 27^th August – Aylsham Show.  North Norfolk. https://theaylshamshow.co.uk/

Saturday 1^st  September – Moreton in Marsh Show, Gloucestershire. www.moretonshow.co.uk

Sunday 2^nd September – Romney Marsh Ploughing Match at Kent Ditch Corner, East Guildford, Romney Marsh, TN31 7PB – Ploughing starts at 10am, Fun dog show at 12pm and also sheep shearing, local hounds and  craft stalls. For more information 07785 783662 or email: romneyploughing@yahoo.co.uk

Saturday 8^th September – Swale & District Ploughing Match at Home Farm, Borden, Sittingbourne, ME9 8JR. For more information ring Chris Hildyard 01795 470556 or Andrew Mew 07759 320496

Sunday 9^th September – Charity Tractor Run and Family Fun day at The Jolly Farmer, Whitewood lane, Godstone. RH9 8JR. Proceeds to Brooklands School for children with additional needs. For more information 07974 668306 or 07484 664011

Saturday 15^th September – Weald of Kent Ploughing Match at Four Oaks Farm, Plumtree Road, Headcorn. TN27 9PB. Full details available from secretary Karen Wheeler 01580 753206 or on www.wkpma.co.uk.

Sunday 16^th September – The Southern Rover Owners Club are holding a family and friends off road open day at Copford Farm, Dern Lane, Horam, TN21 0PN. We welcome anyone to come along to our annual charity day where once again all money raised will be going to RABI.
The SROC are always looking for severe land such as old quarry workings on which to test their Land Rovers to extremes. For more information www.sroc.co.uk.

Saturday 22^nd September – Gravesend & Rochester Ploughing Match at Tudor Farm, Stoke Road, Upper Stoke, Rochester. ME9 3SF. Full details available from secretary Tom French  01233740077 or Tom.French@btfpartneraship.co.uk

Wednesday 26^th September – East Kent Ploughing Match -, Malmains Farm, Waldershare, Dover CT15 5BG by kind permission of E.I Overy & Sons. For more information www.ekpma.co.uk or 07802 974 838