Weekly Sales News – 22nd February 2022


Read on the all the news from Ashford Market …..

For forthcoming sales information – www.hobbsparker.co.uk/reports/forthcoming-sales 


Finished Sheep

1,569 Sold

Top price per kilo –305p – W J Waters: Top price per head – £137 – O’Neill Smith Ltd.

Report on trade: A smaller entry this week with many finishers taking a week out from selling due to last weeks declining returns. This coupled with the additional shortage caused by some producers unable to get hoggets out on Monday due to adverse weather has helped the trade to recover a little on last week with averages up approximately 10p on the week. Heavies were still the hardest to sell with few breaking the £130 barrier but a few that did were from O’ Neil Smith Ltd who topped at £137 and R L Pack at £136 with M R Woodroofe close third at £132. Export types saw the best improvement on the trade with the best over £3 kg from W J Waters and O’ Neil Smith Ltd, with the averages at 266p kg. Numbers on offer are once again dictating the trade at this time of year, so it would be much appreciated if you can let us know numbers you wish to send. Lairage facilities available form 3-6pm on Monday afternoons.

 

Vendors Note – All consignments of sheep to Ashford must now be accompanied by a Sheep Entry Form, in addition to the AML1, to ensure we adhere to recent regulation changes. These are available to collect from the sales office, lairage and weighbridge. – Thank you

 

 

 

Hoggets

KgsTop PriceTop Vendorp per kg
36100.50S Hewett279.0
37102.00P Ashlee276.0
40104.00Lovejoy Farms Partnership260.0
41125.00W J Waters305.0
42124.00O’ Neil Smith Ltd295.0
44117.50R L Pack267.0
45120.50M R Woodroofe258.0
46125.00O’ Neil Smith Ltd272.0
47134.00M R Woodroofe285.0
48129.00R L Pack269.0
49132.00O’ Neil Smith Ltd269.0
51137.00O’ Neil Smith Ltd269.0
52120.00H & J Noakes231.0
53123.00M R Woodroofe232.0
55124.00Eastlands Farm225.0
56136.00R L Pack243.0
58129.00R & S L M Smith222.0
 

Hoggets – pence per kg

 Weight RangeNumberTopBottomAverageNational
Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs73279.0130.0264.4262.6
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs524305.0244.0265.6266.7
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs810285.0219.0247.1246.7
Other over 52.1 kgs161243.0193.0222.2228.0

 

Cull Ewes and Rams

547 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook O’Connell

Top price ewe: £175 H V Link Partnership.               Overall Ewe Average £107.50

Top price ram: £164 R Mair & Son. Overall Ram Average £111.50

Report on trade:

A tremendous trade today and even dearer on the week even with larger numbers in the market. Buyers in competitive mood and keen to secure numbers with the strong fleshed ewes particularly firm. Several excellent runs of quality ewes from regular vendors with H V Link Partnership selling to £175, M Keeley to £157, T Lyle & Partners to £147, and C & J Georgetti & Sons and C Woodhead to £140. Plenty of pens £110-£130.

Trade looks to be well set for the near future with national numbers in tight supply. Look through your flocks for those empty ewes and take advantage of this strong trade for all grades.

Top prices included:

Continental ewes to £175 H V Link Partnership

Suffolk cross to £140 C Woodhead

Mules to £120 C Woodhead

Romneys to £119 H&J Noakes.

Store and Breeding Sheep

668 Sold

Auctioneers: John Rossiter 07557 392903 and James Cook O`Connell 07712 246474 

Report on trade: A smaller entry of stores this week with numbers starting to dry up a little. Best stores still hovering around the £100 mark with the top on the day going to J & M Carr at £99.50 and D G Millen at £98. Only long-term sorts under £80 hd.

Report on trade: A good show of older 129 Romney ewes from DA Thompson, in lamb to Charollais at 165%, sold to £140. Further Romney and Romney x ewes (scanned @ 168%) from Mr & Mrs C Swingland selling to £144.

Please let us know in advance of any in lamb ewes so we can advertise them.

Please let us know if you have In Lamb ewes to sell so we can get them advertised in advance.

Sock Lambs

9 Sold

Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07741 845230

Report on trade: A stand on trade with all lambs sold between £18 and £22.

Finished Cattle

43 Sold

Report on trade: An absolute cracking trade with increased number of buyers at ringside competing fiercely for all on offer. Smart Limousin cross heifers took the pick of the trade with top quality sorts from regular vendors selling at £1538 (268p) and £1512 (259p) from S Marsh and £1470 (259p), £1476 (255p) and £1449 (253p) from D W Ferguson Ltd. More commercial heavyweights grossed well notably for a British Blue cross steer £1648 (233p) and £1574 (232p) from K & P M Sinden & Son. The best quality dairy bred cattle steers £1570 (244p) and £1452 (226p) and heifers £1471 (234p) from A J Down.

A large percentage of native bred cattle sold well with top quality Aberdeen Angus cross steers £1648 (238p) and £1513 (237p) from R G Gibson & Son and Hereford cross heifers looked well sold at £1319 (220p) and £1292 (212p) from T Russell.

Smart young bulls to £1504 (232p) for Blonde cross from G L Boulden & Sons.

 
ProducerWeightAge and breedP per kgGross £
A J Down64523 mths Limousin244.01570
R G Gibson & Son69422 mths Aberdeen Angus238.01648
R G Gibson & Son64023 mths Aberdeen Angus237.01513
A J Down61524 mths Limousin236.01448
K & P M Sinden & Sons70923 mths British Blue233.01648
Leading heifer prices
S Marsh57522 mths Limousin268.01538
D W Ferguson Ltd56923 mths Limousin259.01470
S Marsh58519 mths Limousin259.01512
D W Ferguson Ltd58023 mths Limousin255.01476
D W Ferguson Ltd48423 mths Limousin255.01231

 

Average prices

Steers 551 to 650kg                            13           220 to 244p          Av 228.8 p

Steers over 651+                                   3           232 to 238p          Av 234.9 p

Heifers 300 to 500 kg                            2           228 to 255p          Av 241.4 p

Heifers 501 to 590 kg                          14           214 to 268p          Av 244.8p

Heifers 591 +                                          9           210 to234p            Av 219.9p

Cull Cows and Bulls

78 Sold

Report on trade: Outstanding!  Without doubt the dearest we have ever seen the cull stock with the overall average a colossal £1063.06, including the little one at £318.84! To be fair it was a good show of both beef and dairy culls, but buyers were taking no prisoners and were out to secure stock!

The open market system works so well to give buyers and sellers the options they require that it is such a disgrace that some dairy producers are prevented by contract to market stock in the manner they deem best. Puzzling meddling by big business?

28 cows over 170p; 52 over 150p; and only 3 below 100p tells its own story! Cows present from Hampshire to Essex and 12 successful buyers around the ring, with some others leaving empty handed.

Best beef feeders well over 200p whilst the good meat cows regularly 160-190p.

Aberdeen Angus cross 207p,175p(2), 174p, 173p(2) £1397,£1374,£1370,£1337, £1322,£1310  M A & F W Owen, 207p 178p 175p £1180 (Non FA)  Barfrestone Court  Farms Ltd; Limousin cross 191p £1057 C W Jones, 179p £1392 L Palmer & Sons, 177p 176p 172p £1255 £1200 Burden Bros, 170p £1363 A J Thompson & Sons;  Sussex 190p £985 (Non FA) Dr R J & C S Wratten,171p 158p 156p £1084 £1073 £1039 (Non FA) RB Coles & Ptnrs, 161p £1172 J G & D G White; British Blue cross 188p, 176p, 174p(4) £1430, £1404, £1379, £1284 M A & F W Owen; Simmental cross 179p £1160 (Non FA) N Shorter, 167p £1099 (Non FA) F Pearce & Son; South Devon 168p £1156 Gardners, 161p £1156 Burden Bros.

Some good flesh amongst the dairy cows but still many leaner and lighter types and all a marvellous trade both for slaughter and feeding.

Holstein Friesian heifer 183p £1068 Goddard & Son; Cows 162p £1340 Goddard & Son; 156p £1174 Huddlestone Farmers; 150p £1241 P J Forknall; 149p,139p £1151 £1019 D Murdoch & Sons; Dairy Shorthorn 170p (Non FA) £1019 M Elphick; Ayrshire 122p; Foreign Swedish Red 116p; Foreign Holstein 116p.

Stock bulls wanted with heavyweight Angus to 128p,120p, £1607 £1303.

 

Classification

NoTopBottomAverage
Beef cows6020779162.4
Dairy cows1517092130.0

Store Cattle

258 Sold

Report on trade: The first decent sale of store cattle this season attracted good buyer attendance keen to replenish empty yards and hard open yarded cattle to turn out early in the spring. Trade was brisk throughout not only reflecting the strong trade for finished stock but also the tight supplies of stores this spring.

Top quality continental cross yearlings took the pick of the trade with smart runs notably from J C Loveridge, Dr R J & Mrs C S Wratten and L Palmer & Sons selling well in excess of £1000 and up to £1150. Strong older cattle with frame were in short supply and those available were keenly sought after and attracted prices over £1200 and topping at £1440 for a Simmental cross steer from M A & F W Owen.

Native bred cattle equally sought after with the best of yearlings around £1000 and up to £1030 for Hereford cross steer from P J Goldsmith while outwintered 15 mths Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers topped the section at £1075 from S W Batch.

Store cattle

Continental cross

Principal prices include

10 mths Limousin cross heifer                          £850                       F S Husk

11 mths Limousin cross heifer                          £875                       N A Vincent

10 mths Blonde cross steer                               £930                       Mrs H Edmonds

11 mths Charolais cross steer                           £1090                    J C Loveridge

11 mths Charolais cross heifer                         £1000                    J C Loveridge

11/12 mths Limousin cross steer                      £1150                    Dr R J & Mrs C S Wratten

11 mths Limousin cross heifer                          £980                       Dr R J & Mrs C S Wratten

12 mths Limousin cross steer                            £1125                    L Palmer & Sons

14 mths Limousin cross heifer                          £1000                    L Palmer & Sons

15 mths Limousin cross heifer                          £1090                    A J Thompson & Sons

19 mths Limousin cross steer                            £1370                    A J Thompson & Sons

18 mths British Blue cross heifer                      £1130                     M A & F W Owen

32 mths Simmental cross steer                         £1440                    M A & F W Owen

Native bred

11 mths Hereford cross steer                            £1030                    P J Goldsmith

12 mths Hereford cross steer                            £940                       F Pearce & Son

12 mths Sussex cross steer                               £1025                    High Chimney Farms

12 mths Purebred Sussex steer                        £865                       R B Coles & Ptnrs

15 mths Aberdeen Angus cross steer              £1075                    S W Batch

18 mths South Devon steer                               £1030                    E & J Beer

Breeding Cattle

0 Sold

Calves

0 Sold

Store and Finished Pigs

31 Sold

Report on trade: A disappointingly small entry meant buyers could not really get started. The pig sector across is still struggling with very low returns and high costs.

The entry of finished pigs saw 2 pigs from C Bull make 62p and gross just £50.

The cull trade is still very difficult with deadweight quotes not changing a lot. 5p to 10p per kg covered all sows sold which grossed up to £25.

Store pigs saw 3 pens of young growers make £8 and £9.

General information

Please note – 33% of our customers receive their prices via e-mail on sale day. If you would like to receive your prices on the day, please give our auctioneers team a call and leave the rest to us.

 

 

Romney Sheep Breeders News

The RSBS has an upcoming vacancy for a secretary to manage day to day society matters, oversight of flock book, communications, and liaison with members.
Up to 15 hours duties a month. Commencement January 2022. Rates and full list of duties to be advised upon request.

 

Vacancy also for a part time Treasurer
The RSBS has an upcoming vacancy for a treasurer to manage day to day society accounts and bookkeeping. Up to 5 hours a month is anticipated. Commencement January 2022. Rates and full list of duties to be advised upon request.

All enquiries for either of these positions should be made to the RSBS Chairman on 07973326160.

 

 

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

For Sale – Litter of Border Collie puppies bred from working parents with excellent temperaments – West Kent.  Ring 07961 893682 for details.

 

Cattle Producers, Please Note – Revised Advice Inconclusive Reactors

All IRs from high risk or edge areas that have had a negative (clear) result on retesting remain restricted on their holding for the rest of their life and can only move direct to slaughter or an approved finishing unit (AFU).

In a low-risk area if there has been a TB breakdown (i.e., with reactors) then again, any IRs that subsequently have a negative test are still only allowed to go direct to slaughter or an AFU, however if only IRs are identified in a low-risk area herd test then no movement restrictions are placed on those animals if they subsequently retest negative (clear).

Should any low-risk area producer have any doubts, about the position please do not hesitate to contact Peter Kingwill.

 

Cattle Passports

We remind producers that on no occasion should the details on a cattle passport be changed other than by returning it to BCMS.

If details are incorrect return and advise BCMS, or advice the auctioneers on market day without writing on the passport.

 

 

Hay and Straw register

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 auctioneers office on 01233 502222.

For Sale – Freshly dug fodder beet available in large quantities in the Ashford area. Can be delivered. Ring 07764 273798

For Sale – 3,000 conventional wheat straw bales from the Ashford area. 07876273254

For Sale – Conventional baled and 4 string big bales meadow hay on a farm in the Ashford area. Can be delivered. Ring Michael on 07715651766 or 01233 820261

For Sale – large quantities of hay, haylage and straw in the Ashford area. Ring 07707 879642

For Sale – large quantities of top-notch feed and bedding – Round bale naked hay, Round bale wrapped haylage, Mini Hesston bales naked hay, Round bale wrapped silage, Round bale naked wheat straw, Round bale naked barley straw, Round bale naked oat straw, Whole Wheat and barley in crane bags, Logs of all varieties, shapes, sizes and prices.

All from our own Red Tractor certified farms (with full field traceability) and keenly priced ex farm or delivered locally or nationwide. Richard Barnes (Farms) Ltd, Etchingham, TN19 7AZ.

01580 819000, 07768 771933

For Sale – 1500 Second quality conventional baled meadow hay, clean and thistle free, £2 per bale, ideal for cattle. Genuine enquiries only please, from a farm around the Tenterden area 07805847071.

For Sale – 200 8’ Meadow hay bales from a Kent farm. Ring 07787 150165

For Sale – 900 1st cut, 4 string, 6-layer wrap haylage from a Kent farm. Ring 07787 150165

 

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

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

 

 

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

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

Simon Husk (Cattle & sheep) 07885 968077

Mark Cleverdon (Pigs) 07741 845230

Tom Hamplett (Calves, weanlings, breeding cattle & rams) 07966 104532

James Cook O`Connell (Sheep- Ewes and Breeding Sheep) 07712 246474

 

 

AHDB Review

In April 2022, as a levy payer you will be able to have your say on the challenges you want AHDB to focus on and the services they deliver for you in the future. This is your chance to influence how your levy money is spent on the things that matter to you the most.  In order to vote you must first register at www.ahdb.org.uk/shapethefuture before 12 noon on 31st March 2022. Each business will have one vote for each sector you pay levy to (beef, lamb, cereals & oilseeds, pork and dairy). You will need to register for each one separately, using the link above.