Weekly Sales News – 22nd December 2020

Top Price Per Kilo  – 264p – Mr P Gorringe

Top Price Per Head – £123 – Tom Husk

This was a similar sized entry to recent markets with some good quality sheep on offer again. Despite the concerns over the export demand due to the port closures, all were sold on an improved trade to last week with the export grade sheep selling to a top of 264p per kg from P Gorringe who also sold Beltex crosses to £116. Bigger home trade type cutting lambs were the best trade on the day with the top weights selling to £123 from Tom Husk with numerous pens making in excess of £100.

Don’t forget we will be holding a sheep only market again on Tuesday 29^th December and as always we would appreciate if you would let us know what you are planning to send on this day.

There were a few less on offer this week but we saw strong competition once again for all types the ewes. The bigger and stronger they are the better  they sell. Best ewes made to £122 this week form Mr Tom Husk with several other over £100 from N Balcomb and Son, A J Down and Nodes Farm. Grazers weren’t on offer quite so much this week but anything that was available was over £50 and up to £70.

Continental ewes made to £122, Suffolks to £100 and rams to £105.

Calves – 42 Sold

Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07741 845230

Report on trade: A small entry immediately pre Christmas was offered with enough buyers to make a competitive and fair trade without any real highspots. Best British Blues from J E Scutt & Sons made to £240 for bulls and £220 heifers with an Aberdeen Angus heifer £235. J W Boyd and Sons best British Blue bull £240, heifers £160 and 7 black and white bulls £35 to £60. North Kent College (Hadlow) sold young Sussex cross to £118 for bulls and £108 heifers. J Warnock and Son 5 black and white bulls from £28 to£50 and then R & J Ledger saw their Simmental cross bulls make to £225 and heifers £210 and young Aberdeen Angus bulls to £125 and heifers £125

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers LLP would like to wish all our customers, staff and clients a very Happy Christmas and we hope to see you all again throughout 2021.

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

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

In addition, our Property Consultants Outlook for Winter 2020 is included with this month’s publication and again are available here in the market.

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.

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

For Sale – a pedigree Hereford bull, 6 yrs old, on a Romney Marsh farm. Ring Mark Cleverdon 07741 845230

Wanted – up to 50 both spring and autumn calving beef suckler cows for a Kent grazing farm. Details of availability to Mark Cleverdon 07741 845230

Wanted – a pedigree Red Aberdeen Angus bull to run with Sussex cows on a Kent farm. Details of availability to Mark Cleverdon 07741 845230

Wanted – J Warnock and Sons have a full-time position for a general agricultural worker, duties to include, milking, yard work, tractor driving, basic animal husbandry, and farm and machinery maintenance. Driving license essential

For more information please contact Robert Warnock at r.warnock@hotmail.co.uk

Hay, Straw and fodder

For a small charge we are quite happy to advertise your hay, straw and fodder for sale in this register which will now run until early May for further details please ring our auctioneer’s office on 01233 502222 or Mark Cleverdon 07748 202688

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

Help and support from The Farming Community Network

Farming Community Network (FCN) volunteers regularly attend local livestock markets and whilst we cannot be present at sales currently, our helpline is still open from 7am to 11pm every day, staffed by people who understand farming.

FCN is a charity and voluntary organisation that helps farmers to stay resilient. We provide practical and pastoral support to those experiencing difficulties in England and Wales.

During these challenging times we are encouraging everyone to think about their own physical and mental health and that of their families and staff.

We can help with contingency planning against the backdrop of the Corona virus outbreak and our FarmWell website (www.farmwell.org.uk) offers a wealth of free information about managing change and maintaining personal wellbeing.

The FCN helpline can be reached on 03000 111 999 or via email at help@fcn.org.uk. Confidentiality is assured.

Forthcoming Livestock Sales.

The next Weekly Sale is Tuesday 29^th December and will include Finished, Cull plus Store and Breeding Sheep and Finished, Cull and Store pigs.

We will not be offering cattle (Finished, Cull, Store or Breeding) on this Tuesday. Please ring if you have cattle to sell as it is important, we give buyers of expected entries for Tuesday 5^th January and subsequent Tuesdays in January. It is, as always, essential we know when you intend to sell cattle.

Looking ahead

We will hold livestock sales every Tuesday throughout 2021 – all dates will be confirmed on our website as will dates for the autumn programme of store and breeding sheep sales.

Hay, Straw and fodder

For a small charge we are quite happy to advertise your hay, straw and fodder for sale in this register which will now run until early May for further details please ring our auctioneer’s office on 01233 502222 or Mark Cleverdon 07748 202688. See later in this report for current availability.

Hobbs Parker calendars for 2021

We would advise that because of uncertainties over arrangements for auctions for the coming year, due to the continuing Covid pandemic, the Hobbs Parker calendar has not been published.

Livestock auctions will continue, as has been the case throughout the pandemic, on Tuesdays. Seasonal Friday sales, for sheep, will be confirmed in due course as will dates for farm machinery and collective auctions, both on farm and on site in the market.