Weekly Sales News – 22nd January 2019


Here in Ashford we saw sheep out again in numbers, strong demand and a firming trade for cull cows and a brighter trade for calves.  Read on for full auctioneers reports….

 

For forthcoming sales information – www.hobbsparker.co.uk/auctioneers/livestock-marketing/forthcoming-sales/

 


Finished Sheep

1,984 Sold

Top price per kilo – 227p – A Town: Top price per head – S T Phillips – £100

Report on trade: A smaller entry this week with just under 2000 finished lambs penned and a very mixed quality entry on offer. Trade was certainly sharper this week despite the averages not necessarily telling the full story as a number of leaner types were present to dilute the figures.

Best sold on the day were the heavier sorts which were of good quality this week and topped at £100 from “RAMSACK Sheep Farmer of the Year” S T Phillips. The hogget trade can be volatile in January and we are certainly seeing this over the first few weeks of the year but all types must be fully finished and presented in a clean, dry and empty state to really see the best returns.

Producers please note – For top results please present well fleshed lambs which are preferably dry and clean. Lairage facilities are available every Monday evening.

Dagging service is available on all Monday afternoons, please advise us of the number you wish to send.

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.

                                          New Season Hoggets
KgsTop PriceAve PriceTop Vendorp per kg
3669.8066.72D Thompson194.0
3875.0071.26M R Woodroofe197.0
3982.0074.52S P Howland210.0
4084.5069.80A Town211.0
4189.0075.71S P Howland217.0
4284.0078.08G P King200.0
4384.0076.33Langrish Farmers195.0
4482.2078.01G Lawrence & Son187.0
4588.0081.06S T Phillips196.0
4686.5082.43E & J H Maylam188.0
4792.0085.36M L Wilson & Son Ltd196.0
4895.0081.88A Town198.0
4991.0085.30J Lloyd & Sons186.0
5094.0090.25J Lloyd & Sons188.0
5196.0091.64A E Rumens188.0
5298.0093.62J Lloyd & Sons188.0
New Season Hoggets – pence per kg
Weight RangeNumberTopBottomAverageNational Av
Light 25.5 to 32 kgs31227.0156.0174.3176.8
Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs167210.0159.0189.2201.9
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs1,078217.0150.0179.6198.3
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs617198.0160.0178.7184.1
Other 52.5kgs plus91188.0162.0178.5168.9

Cull Ewes and Rams

780 sold

Report on trade: A slightly smaller entry of ewes on offer this week but these traded at very similar levels to what we have now become used to. Many of the graziers are now choosing to sell at this trade to reduce numbers instead of holding off for a price lift. This in turn is keeping numbers high for the time of year, without any of the scanned ewes even beginning to come forward in any great numbers.

Top prices included continental ewes to £78 from Mrs V Mc Donald, Suffolk crosses to £70 from Mrs J Walker and Mules to £70 from T Crick.

Store and Breeding Sheep

842 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07757 392903

Report on trade: A fantastic trade once again for all stores sold this week with genuine stores selling to £78.50 from Maytum Wharf Farm and with many stronger sorts selling in excess of £70. Mediums sorts made from £60 to £70 and only the very smallest or long terms types were selling below these figures.

Averages 842 sold to £78.50 and aver’ £63.85.

Sock Lambs

0 Sold

Finished Cattle

32 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Report on trade: Here we saw a few less cattle about and probably just as well as all buyers are reporting harder conditions in the beef market. It is January and this is, to an extent, is to be expected but with numbers fairly tight in the supply chain there seems little likelihood of any significant falls.

Rates were very similar overall with the smart set 200-215p per kg; commercials 180-195p and very few bottom end on offer this week.

Smart Limousin heifers from S Marsh to 216p and £1131 twice with the steers headed by a trio of Limousin from W Alexander (Shoreham) making up to 205p and £1258. Limousin steers from R F & E A Simmons made to 200p £1239,  Simmental x Sussex steers from Gillshaw Farms to 196p and a grand Aberdeen Angus steer from J S Tilley sold at £1308 (190p).

Amongst the heifers a nice Aberdeen Angus from Mrs J Bell made 191p £991 and a British Friesian sold at 177p £994 T Castle & Son

Young bulls were well sold with a Limousin at 189p £1159 from G L Boulden & Sons; Charolais x Friesian 186p £1215 T Castle & Son.

Finished cattle averages – pence per kg
ClassificationNoTopBottomAverage
Medium bulls (551 – 650kg)1188.5188.5188.5
Heavy bulls (over 650kg)1185.5185.5185.5
Light steers (370 – 550kg)4204.5195.5201.3
Medium steers (551 – 650kg)7204.5177.5192.2
Heavy steers (over 650kg)1189.5189.5189.5
Light heifers (330 – 500kg)5215.5180.5189.7
Medium heifers (501 – 590kg)6215.5176.5190.2
Heavy heifers (over 590kg)2183.5179.5181.5
Leading steer prices
W Alexander (Shoreham)55021 mths Limousin205.01128
W Alexander (Shoreham)53521 mths Limousin205.01097
W Alexander (Shoreham)61521 mths Limousin205.01261
S Marsh54516 mths Limousin201.01095
R F & E A Simmons62123 mths Limousin200.01242

 

Leading heifer prices
S Marsh50016 mths Limousin216.01080
S Marsh52516 mths Limousin216.01134
Gillshaw Farms Ltd55122 mths Aberdeen Angus195.01074
Gillshaw Farms Ltd49022 mths Simmental191.0936
Mrs J Bell52020 mths Aberdeen Angus191.0993

Cull Cows and Bulls

46 Sold

Report on trade: We can report “Better again!” here and there was no doubt that we had a better show of cows in terms of quality but all buyers were keener and prices are certainly moving forward particularly for the fleshed animals. Numbers, as predicted, are tightening everywhere and there are clear signs that after a difficult forage supply period that finished stock, prime or cull, will be in increasingly short supply as the late yarding period progresses.

Well fed heavyweight beef cows made 110-120p per kg with a few youngsters 130-150p. There was more interest in the forward feeders with the older plainer cows taken for eventual grazing and the long term!

Highlights included Aberdeen Angus UTM cow 148p and £1114 from Llewellyn Farms, and another Aberdeen Angus 111p £927 C & J Georgetti & Sons; Limousin 127p, 119p £1007 G Bates Ltd, 119p (2) A J Bray and 115p C & J Georgetti & Sons; Simmental 124p (2), 120p, 118p £1080 G Bates Ltd and 117p C & J Georgetti & Sons; Sussex 111p C E & W S Millsom; Beef Shorthorn 105p, 104p J Howie and Hereford 105p D R Miles (Non FA).

We also report a more encouraging lift in the mid range dairy culls this week with the best fleshed types remaining in short supply.

British Friesian UTM cow 132p £861 and OTM 116p £791 Debden Court; Holstein UTM 114p H O Champneys Ltd; Holstein OTM 110p £772 Kingcott Dairy and Ayrshire 104p £750 J Howie.

Please do not hesitate to ring at anytime for marketing advice.

Cull cattle section – pence per kg
ClassificationNoTopBottomAverage
Beef cows32147.539.5103.4
Dairy cows14131.545.593.2

Store Cattle

28 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Report on trade: Another small January offering of stores but nothing wrong with the trade with a good attendance around the ring. An In calf British Blue heifer £910 P H Hope, Lincoln Red bulls 8mths £430 A W Vincent; British Blue cross steers 9mths £620 High Chimneys Farms and Aberdeen Angus cross steers 14mths £560 and heifers £530 Mrs J Bell.

Older cattle met a very strong demand and more are wanted. Blonde heifer 25mths £1080 and steers £975 P M Langridge; Aberdeen Angus cross steers 22mths £1000 J S Tilley; Hereford steers 26mths £900 J S Rye; Aberdeen Angus cross steers 24mths £1005 D Ward and Charolais cross steer 17m £995, Limousin steer 15m £870 M Grady

Please enter cattle early for forthcoming sales to ensure proper cataloguing and marketing.

On day of sale please ensure cattle arrive at the market early to ensure proper sorting and accurate administration of paperwork.

Breeding Cattle

0 Sold

Calves

78 Sold

Report on trade: A better trade all round than in previous weeks with buyers keen to secure calves of all makes and models. Top call today saw a fantastic British Blue bull calf race away to hit the £400 mark.

Continental calves were sought after with size and fleshing certainly the order of the day. The continental bull section was topped by a tremendous British Blue bull (see above) presented amongst a strong run of calves from H O Champneys Ltd, who also had one at £330. D Murdoch & Sons also sold a quality British Blue bull in their run to £365. Younger continental bulls with less size and flesh generally made £150 – £250 with continental heifers a good trade topping at £320 (x2) again for H O Champneys Ltd. Smaller and younger continental heifers generally made £150 to £200, however only a handful were forward.

Again size and fleshing the order of the day in the native bred section. H O Champneys Ltd selling registered sired Aberdeen Angus bulls to £270 and £250 respectively. J Gormley sold a month old Aberdeen Angus cross bull to £260 and a further one to £220. Native bred heifers generally sold in the £150 – £240 bracket topping at £260 for an Aberdeen Angus cross bull from A & W J Hitchcock, with the same vendor also seeing the second highest price of £240 for a heifer of the same breeding.

Vendors, please make every effort to register the sire of your calves. This is important in order to achieve the highest prices for them!

The strongest trade we have seen for a while in the black and white section with only a small handful under the £20 mark and none below £15. Most small to medium type black and white bulls made £20-£40 and anything slightly stronger £40 – £70. Most black and white calves forward today were young, the majority being born within the last month. Topping the trade was J Gormley at £72 with D Murdoch and Sons selling 2 Norwegian Reds to £68. No real superstar prices in this section however a strong trade given the age of the calves forward.

A handful of stirks met a more lethargic trade with four British Blue heifers from the John Graham Centre eventually being sold away at £400 each. A Simmental straight off the cow made £360 to conclude the stirks for this week.

Calf averages – £ per head
DescriptionNoTopBottomAverage
Continental bulls9400.00140.00246.11
Continental heifers10320.0045.00194.00
Native bulls6270.0060.00188.33
Native heifers9260.0085.00167.22
Friesian bulls – 1st172.0072.0072.00
Friesian – 2nd3170.0020.0043.13
Friesian – 3rd and bobbies618.0010.0016.17
Stirks
Continental heifers5400.00360.00392.00

Store and Finished Pigs

103 Sold

Report on trade: The pig trade is still not in a good place. All major retailers are reporting this as being a typical January, with very slow demand at the same time as large volumes of pigs are coming off farms finished following the Christmas and New Year period disruption to regular slaughter patterns. Roll on the spring!! A small, generally good quality entry did nothing to inspire buyers. The cull trade was maintained at recent levels and there was a chink of light for the store pig sellers with a few more bidders and lookers prepared to pay a slightly better price for young pigs.

The finished pigs penned sold at less money than recent sales with good sorts 75p to 86p per kg and others 48 to 50p.

Another large entry of cull sows made to 54p and the rest 28p to 50p.

5 Pens of store pigs saw the very best forward feeders £34 and younger coloured pigs £9 to £20

Pig averages
DescriptionNoTopBottomAverage
1st Quality finished – p per kg1686.076.081.3
                                  £ per head69.0057.6062.66
Finished others – p per kg1470.048.0102.5
                                  £ per head67.6755.0049.04
Sows – p per kg2954.028.046.4
                                  £ per head145.2656.00108.86
Boars – p per kg110.010.010.0
                                 £ per head12.5012.5012.50
Small Stores – £ per head3120.009.0012.55
Strong Stores – £ per head1234.0034.0034.00

General information

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

Tom Hamplett (Calves) 07966 104532

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

For Sale – 84 Suffolk x Mule ewe tegs which have been scanned in lamb to a Charollais ram (181%) and are due to lamb from 12th March – on an Essex farm. Ring Mark Cleverdon for details

Wanted – Cattle grazing wanted for 50 store cattle or 30cows and calves anywhere in Kent. Any grazing considered but marsh grazing preferred. References available and good rates of rent paid. Please contact eithier Richard 07889882422 or Roger 07933229030.

Wanted – general farm worker for a mixed farm in the Reigate area. Work will include supporting a beef calf rearing unit. Accommodation available. Please ring 07885 649666

For Sale – 130 Romney in lamb ewes due to Romney rams from the 2nd week of March on a Romney Marsh farm. Ring Simon Husk on 07885 968077

Fodder Crop for sale and / wanted

For Sale – a quantity of 7’ long 6 string bales of 2018 made meadow hay on a farm in the Tenterden area. Local delivery available. Ring 01580 761009

For Sale – 25 double wrapped 4’ round bales of 2018 made hayledge on a farm East of Ashford. Ring 07778 057902

For Sale – 100 4’ round bales of Pea Straw, 100 4’ round wrapped bales of whole crop wheat silage, 100 4ft round bales of winter oat straw on a Romney Marsh. Ring 07976 553752

Notices – Brian Bromley, Charing

The family and friends of Brian have advised that he very sadly passed away last weekend. Brian, with his family, had farmed under the trading title of E & M E Brundrett for the majority of his life. He was a well known and prominent member of the wider farming community in the Ashford area as well as an Ashford market supporter.

Funeral arrangements will be published as soon as available.

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

The January editions of these popular regional farming magazines are now available here in the market. Hobbs Parker are regular contributors to the editorial content. This month’s edition includes a full Ashford Cattle Show report.

RABI, Young Farmers Clubs, Kent Herdsmans Club and FCN news

Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institute (RABI)

Farmhouse Breakfast season

Tuesday 29th January. Poacher & Partridge, Tudeley. TN11 0PH. Ring Charles Tassell 07973 412179 or Charles@Tassell.co.uk

Tuesday 5th February. Macknade Fine Foods, Selling Road, Faversham, Kent. ME13 8XF at 8.00 for 8.30am. Ring Rollo Parsons: 07879 641611 or Anthony Hyde: 01795 830355 or

anthony.hyde@farm-line.co.uk

Wednesday 6th February. Dirty Habit, Hollingbourne, Kent. ME17 1UW. Ring Charles Tassell 07973 412179 or Charles@Tassell.co.uk

Thursday 7th February. Elham Valley Vineyard, Elham, Kent. CT4 6LA. Ring Charles Tassell 07973 412179 or Charles@Tassell.co.uk

Tuesday 12th February. The Alma, Painters Forstal. ME13 0DU. Ring Charles Tassell 07973 412179 or Charles@Tassell.co.uk

Thursday 14th February. Medway Yacht Club, Lower Upnor, Rochester. ME2 4XB. Ring Charles Tassell 07973 412179 or Charles@Tassell.co.uk

Thursday 21st February. Dog & Duck, Plucks Gutter, Canterbury. CT3 1JB. Ring Charles Tassell 07973 412179 or Charles@Tassell.co.uk

Friday 1st March. Stockpot, Ashford Market, Ashford. TN24 0HB. Ring Charles Tassell 07973 412179 or Charles@Tassell.co.uk

More dates and venues will be confirmed as will further fund raising days and events

 

Kent Herdsmans Club

For all details on Herdsman’s Club events contact Chairman Alan Jull 07708283220 or Jo Masters 01580 240568.