Weekly Sales News – 21st February 2017

Top price per kg – 205p – Mr P Gorringe; Top price per head – £88 – Mr J Wayman

Report on trade: This week saw one of the largest entries of finished sheep we have seen this year with just under 3000 in the pens and produced a similar trade to last week with our heavier sheep selling on an improved trade to a top price of £88 from Mr J Wayman. With more standard and medium weight hoggets on offer around the country on Monday, their price is slightly less on the week. Once again the numbers on offer is dictating the trade we see every week and it shows the importance of presenting clean, empty and farm assured sheep to ensure that vendors get the most out of the trade we have, regardless of what the level it is at.

Best export grade hoggets from Mr P Gorringe sold to 205p per kg for some 36kg Beltex lambs which was closely followed by R G Gibson & Sons at 199p for 38kg Charollais lambs.

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: Another good entry of over 800 ewes sold to a similar trade to last week. Still a good number of scanned empty ewes on offer which we would envisage to decrease in the coming weeks as we get into the lambing period which in turn could have a positive effect on prices but in the current volatile world of livestock sales it s hard to predict with confidence. Best ewes traded to £91 from N & D Attwood.

Top prices included Suffolk crosses to £91 form C Moss & Sons, Charollais crosses to £91 from N & D Attwood, Mules to £76.50 from Mr T Crick and Romneys to £69 form M & K L Studd.

Auctioneers: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901 and John Rossiter

Report on trade: A fantastic trade for store hoggets saw several runs of strong sorts on offer and selling readily at around £65. The highlights included a run of 109 Charollais cross from K Axell topping at £70 and averaging £66.40 and a run of 155 Texel cross from P J Hewett selling well up to £67 and averaging £66.10. Other top prices included Texel cross to £68.80 from Botley Hill Farm and £67 from E J Clough with Suffolk crosses to £67 from P R Vellacott. Only very small long keeping sorts made below £50. Averages: Top £70 and aver £56.04).

The breeding section included a small dispersal of in lamb ewes which sold to £120 for some Texel crosses back in lamb to a Texel ram. The first offering of ewes and lambs sold to £46 per life for some Dorset ewes with 1.25 lambs at foot. More in lamb ewes and ewes and lambs will be offered next week. See forthcoming sales news page for details

Sock lambs – 13 Sold

Auctioneers: Mark Cleverdon 07748 202688

Report on trade: An increased entry and the best (but not really strong made £15 to £19 and only 2 below £8. Averages: Top £19 and aver £14.

This section will be sold at 10.30am every week through the season – please ring with entries so we can advise purchasers of likely numbers week by week.

Report on trade: A good solid trade for an entry comprising mainly of commercial sorts and lacking smart butcher type cattle. A Blonde cross heifer topped the market at £1158 (215p per kg) from G L Boulden & Sons while a run of heavier cattle from Gillshaw Farms Ltd grossed well with a Charolais  cross steer at £1301 (179p) and a Limousin cross steer at £1224 (186p). A Limousin x Friesian steer sold to £1022 (183p) from A J Down and a small selection of native breeds topped at £1187 (186p) for a South Devon cross steer consigned by Dan Mackelden Ltd.

Report on trade: Another quite extraordinary cow trade with a reasonable entry in terms of numbers and quality meeting a superb trade. Quite simply processing beef is in short supply nationally, and will remain so! Imported  beef prices have been driven higher by exchange rate changess so those fortunate enough to have culls to sell are reaping a good reward.

Some very good  purebred beef cows showed what can be achieved in the open market with Limousin cows from L Colbourne making up to 182p per kg, plenty of well fleshed commercial cows 130-150p and several grossing over £1100. All feeders were also wanted.

Limousins made 182p, 165p, 160p, 142p and £1068, £1053, £1038 from L Colbourne, 152p £1120 A J Strand & Sons (Non FA), 142p and £969 G Bates and 138p Llewellyn Farms (Exempt); British Blues 143p £1012 M J Ashworth; Charolais 141p £1013 A J Strand & Sons (Non FA) and 139p Foyle Farmers; Simmental 136p £1179 Llewellyn Farms (Exempt); South Devon 136p £1050 H&S Nesfield and Sussex 128p Chandler & Dunn.

In the dairy lines there were not quite the number of fleshed cows this week but all grades were once again very dear. Best meat made 120p plus; flesh 100p plus; lean 80-100p and plain 50- 70p.

British Friesians 133p,126p,123p (3) and £979 from Debden Court; Holstein Friesian 125p and 122p Brede barn Farm, 120p £986 D Murdoch & Sons and 120p £962 J Warnock & Sons; Brown Swiss 126p £853 D Murdoch & Sons; Jersey 106p £618 Hickson Bros and 91p Llewellyn Farms (Exempt).

An Aberdeen Angus stock bull grossed £1094 (110p) (Exempt).

Report on trade: A good entry of store cattle comprising of several runs of top quality single suckled continental crosses were well received and competitive prices were achieved throughout. A superb run of 12-15 mths Limousin cross steers from R A Wade sold exceptionally well topping the market at £1130 and another quality run of yearling Limousin cross steers from J C Loveridge attracted lots of interest with several pens making in excess of £1000.

Several native bred cattle were also on offer with Aberdeen Angus crosses in particular taking the pick of the trade notably yearling steers to £825 from J Bower and a run of heifers up to £765 from Betchworth Estate Farms.

Other top prices include:

Breeding Cattle – 6 females Sold

Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07748 202688

Report on trade: Plenty of demand and the strong cull trade supporting this section of course. Older pedigree Hereford in calf cows made to £730 with a black Hereford cross in calf cow £815.

Dispersal sales of Sussex and Galloway cows will feature in our sales over the three weeks – see the forthcoming sales information for more details.

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.

For information on all livestock sales please contact at anytime

Elwyn Davies (Sheep) 07710 803901

Peter Kingwill (Cattle) 07795 200357

Mark Cleverdon (Pigs/Calves) 01233 506288

John Rossiter (Sheep) 07557 3929033

Martin Crowhurst (Cattle/Sheep) 07710 803903

Simon Husk (Cattle/Sheep) 07885 968077

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Livestock entry forms, FCI declarations and movement licences

It is essential that these forms are fully completed for every consignment of stock brought to the market. Please help us to provide you with the high level of service you expect from us by getting this right.

It is a legal requirement that entry form and food chain declarations are competed correctly.

We regularly notice that the information is missing from forms. Please can you ensure that all information is completed in future.

It would be very useful to market staff and thereby help with the speed of processing your stock, if a few further simple rules were followed on entry forms particularly for larger entries.

1. Steers and heifers are listed separately. 2. Passports are presented in numerical order. 3.Breeds are listed separately – for example Aberdeen Angus away from Limousin

Lairage bookings for Monday and Thursday evenings

Please ring David Martin on 07860 114650 to confirm when you are delivering stock to the market for overnight lairage.

DEFRA and our Local Authority trading standards officers egularly remind us of our responsibilities regarding unfit animals. No unfit animal should be exposed for sale in a market.

We have been reminded by the Local Authority that it is against current Welfare and Market Regulations to move stock to market, or any other holding,  in the final stages of pregnancy ( final 4 weeks). Please be careful with dates on breeding stock and cull stock that might turn out to be in lamb or in calf.

All animals should be fit to travel. All in milk cows should to be milked out prior to movement to market. Do not present lame sheep or those, for any reason, which are not fit to be transported.

Thanks for your attention to these matters.

Notices – Nick Husk

The family have asked us to advise the very sad and untimely passing of Nick after a fight with illness. Nick was well known within farming circles in East Kent and market community here in Ashford and will be terribly missed, particularly by family and close friends.

There will be a service at Barham Crematorium on Wednesday 1^st March at 12 noon.

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Livestock for sale by private treaty – ex farm

Updated 14th February 2017          

For Sale 700 Suffolk x Mule shearlings, on Heptavac system, which have run with Charollais and Texel rams from 5^th November – to be scanned. On an East Anglian farm. Contact 07710 803901.

For Sale 12 Various cross beef cows (herd ages) and due to calf from mid march to Aberdeen Angus bulls on an East Kent – TB Low

South East Point to Point Meetings (www.pointingse.com)

Updated 21^st February 2017            

The fixture list for the season has been circulated with this report recently. Further copies are available here in the market

Sunday 5^th March – Mid Surrey Farmers Drag; Godstone, Surrey. RH9 8DB, Surrey – 1pm

Saturday 18^th March – Crawley & Horsham; Parham, Storrington, West Sussex. RH20 2ER – 1.45pm

Sunday 26^th March – Old Surrey, Burstow and West Kent; Penshurst, Kent – 1.30pm

Sunday 9^th April – Southdown & Eridge; Godstone, Surrey. RH9 8DB at 2.15pm

Saturday 15^th April – Ashford Valley; Charing, Kent. TN27 0JS – 2pm

Monday 17^th April – East Kent: Aldington, Kent. TN25 7EJ – 2pm.

Hay, Straw and fodder

Updated 14^th February 2017

For Sale – 300 Round bales of 2016 meadow hay. Hurst Green, East Sussex. Stored under cover with good access to the A 21. Ring 07795 200357

For Sale – Large quantities of 2016 made and gathered organic hay, haylage and silage. Buckhurst Park, East Sussex. Ring 01892 770220 or email: office@buckhurstpark.co.uk

For Sale – 100 Mini Hesston 4 string bales of oat straw, 60 Mini Hesston 4 string and 200 4’ round bales of exceptional hay. Transport can be arranged get at cost. East Sussex. Ring 01580 819000 or 07768 771933

For Sale – 157 Massey Ferguson 8’ x 4’ 6 string bales of 2016 season gathered winter barley straw, stored dry. East Kent. Ring 07703 130575

For Sale – 2000 Conventional bales of 2016 season made meadow hay. East Kent. Ring 07885 305520.

For Sale – 150 Claas Quadrant 2016 season gathered winter barley straw, stored dry. Ashford area. Ring 07850 789113.

For Sale – upto 500 Conventional bales of 2016 season made hay. West Kent. Ring 07905 269113.

For Sale – 200 Round bales of 2016 season made meadow hay. Maidstone area. Ring 07813 741636

For Sale – 50 Round wrapped bales of 2016 season made haylage from organically farmed grassland. Mid Kent. Ring 01233 756468.

For Sale – 500 bales of 5` long mini Hesston bales of July 2016 meadow grass haylage with delivery available at cost. Chiddingfold, Surrey. Ring 01428 654695 or 07966 452256.

For Sale – 300 to 400 wrapped 4 string bales of 2016 season haylage and 50 7’ long 6 string bales of meadow hay. Kent / Sussex borders. Ring 07773 384271 or 07973 634519.

For Sale – up to 1,000 tonnes of 2016 season clamped maize silage and large quantities of hay. Ring 07860 623196.

To advertise your stocks in this section please speak to Mark Cleverdon or Adam Leonard for details of our very reasonable charges

RABI, FCN, Kent Herdsmans, Ashford Cattle Show and YFC Club news

Updated 14^th February 2017

Fund raising events over the next few months include:

Plumpton Race Day – Monday 27^th February. Charity race day in exclusive R.A.B.I marquee. 12.30 for 1pm. Lunch, afternoon tea, parking, full race card, bar and tote facilities. Ring David Chantler 01622 850207 or Sally Field 01903 882741. £65

Clay Pigeon Shoot – Friday 31^st March. West Kent Shooting School, Brenchley. TN12 7DG. 70 bird R.A.B.I Charity shoot. Ring Sally Field 01903 882741 or Charles Tassell 01622 858733. £75

Beef Dinner, British Beef Week – Saturday 22^nd April. London Beach Hotel, Tenterden. TN30 6HX. Limited to 100 tickets. Ring David Chantler 01622 850207

Kart Racing – April or May, date TBC. Buckmore Park. Ring Charles Tassell 01622 858733

Elmley Bird Sanctuary private tour and barbeque  – Sunday 14^th May. Emley, Isle of Sheppey. ME12 3RW. Ring Roger Pickard 01227 832045 for full details

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

David Chantler has asked us to say “The RABI breakfast at The Dirty Habit Hollingbourne saw over 50 sit down to a most enjoyable breakfast and over £600 was raised for RABI. At the breakfast The Maidstone Fatstock Show Society presented RABI with a cheque for £7500. We wish to express our grateful thanks to them for their most generous support”

Weald of Kent YFC – a new club

This new young farmers club is being launched and the trustees are promoting an initial fundraising event.

Saturday 25^th February at 7.30pm – The Big Farming Quiz at Marden Cricket and Hockey Club. Teams of upto six welcome and for more details email: eckleyfarms@waitrose.com.

General news

Updated 21^st February 2017

Wanted – part time milker on a West Kent farm. Ring 07771657402 for detials

Wanted – Plumpton College are currently seeking a professional, enthusiastic, well organised and experienced tractor driver / relief stockperson to form an integral part of our new farm team on our 800 hectare mixed farm.

The ideal candidate will need to:-

• Be both qualified and experienced in a wide range of field work and machinery operations.
• Be well organised and have the drive and enthusiasm to work with students as part of their daily work.
• Have the interest and ability to support a variety of livestock enterprises at certain times of the year.
• Be a good communicator, have good IT, literacy and numeracy skills, and be able to work as part of a small farm team with a flexible approach to work.
• Hold a full clean driving & trailer license.

As well as a competitive salary, you can also look forward to a great range of benefits including 26 days holiday plus bank holidays, membership of the Local Government pension scheme, child care voucher scheme and free on-site parking.

For further information about the role including job description and application please visit the vacancies section of our website www.plumpton.ac.uk.  Alternatively contact the HR department at

Plumpton College, Ditchling Road, Plumpton, East Sussex, BN7 3AE.  Tel : 01273 890454, email:hr@plumpton.ac.uk

Next week here in the market

Updated 21^st February 2017

Sarah Burden (Dale’s wife) will be setting up a charity stall in the foyer next Tuesday to raise money for the charity Prostate Cancer Awareness.

She will be selling chutney, jam and cakes/biscuits and would be very grateful if you could spread the word and support her cause.

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We have been asked by Kent Police to help support their work fighting Rural Crime

Updated 21^st February 2017

Their campaign “Rural crime – Building up the picture!” means they are keen that more incidents, big or small, are reported. By dialling 101 or contacting an officer in the rural team a bigger and better picture of rural crime can be established.

Rural theft, livestock worrying, hare coursing, illegal off-roading, poaching, discarded horses, arson – there is plenty about!

For serious incidents still dial 999 immediately. The contact details for the rural team are:

East Kent – PC Wayne Wright 07980 770585 and PC Dan Perry 07967 331664

West Kent – Sgt Marc Pennicott 07980 700534 and PC George Laidlow 07980 770580

North Kent – PC Preston Frost 07980 770574 and PC Darren Reed 07989 992283

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Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions

run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales include ……

Farm Dispersal sale

Thursday 16^th March at 11am

Bonhurst Farm, Birtley Green, Bramley, Guildford. GU5 0LA for Mr Trevor Telling (retiring).

Items for sale will include Tractors, Farm Machinery, Sheep handling equipment, farm sundries and accessories. Further entries still welcome

Agri Expo 2017

Hobbs Parker Property Consultants are  pleased to announce they will be attending this major event in the regions farming calendar on Wednesday 1^st March.

Come along and speak to any of our team at the event

Full details are of Agri-Expo are available on http://www.agri-expo.co.uk or from Karen Wheeler on 01622 815356