Weekly Sales News – 22nd October 2019

Top price per head – £88 – E Stretton: Top price per kilo – 200p – Lovejoy Farm Ptnrs

Report on trade: This week saw a good trade throughout and ahead of nationally reported averages for the third consecutive week. Just nowhere near enough lambs to satisfy the demand but saying this, the number of finished sheep available in the area is at one of the lowest points we have seen for many years. If trade were to jump £20 per head, we still wouldn’t be able to draw more numbers forward to sell as they just are not there at the moment.

Good to see some different names at the top of the roll of honours in the Lovejoy Family and also E Stretton, two of the (slightly) more youthful sheep producers that we see in the market regularly.

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: Trade has started to pick up a shade in the ewe department as we have probably come towards the end of the big numbers of the autumn cull. This always helps aid a lift in prices. Best ewes sold in the £80 bracket once again to a top of £81 from K Lukehurst. Several grazing ewes once again in the entry and these still traded at the same levels of £25 to £50. They look well sold in comparison to some of the meated sorts.

Top prices included continental ewes to £81 from K Lukehurst and rams to £70 from Scott and Montgomery.

Report on trade: An increased entry of finished cattle with prices on a par with last week. Better quality sorts were making in excess of 180p per kg while heavier cattle and dairy bred sorts generally ranged between 155p to 170p.

A smart Limousin cross heifer topped the market at £1158 (202p) from W S Furnival (Brookland) while other top prices included a Blonde cross steer £937 (188p) from G L Boulden & Sons, Simmental cross steer £1109 (187p) from M A Piper & Son Farms, Limousin cross steer £1077 (185p) from W Alexander (Shoreham) and Limousin x Friesian heifer £1091 (184p) from A J Down.

Heavy weights grossed to £1122 (160p) for a British Blue cross steer from R G Wood while the best of the native bred cattle included an Aberdeen Angus cross heifer £981 (186p) from A & M Lyon and Hereford x Friesian steer £1055 (181p) from A J Down.

Report on trade: A real back end mixture of stock sold to a good competitive trade but at the slightly easier trends prevailing. Quality very mixed with a few best beef cows but little flesh on the dairy culls and the majority of beef culls. The weather and the state of the industry in general is going to increase numbers nationally this winter but prospects, with fodder in plentiful supply, ought not to be too bad.

A few best shaped continental cows made 120p-150p per kg but harder work now on the older, colder, leaner types.

Highlights in the beef lines included Limousin crosses to 156p and £878 (Non FA) R J & C S Wratten and 152p, 131p £983 C W Jones; British Blue cross 130p £913 C W Jones; Charolais cross 130p £861 D J Miles and 126p, 120p (Non FA) C W & E F Willson; Simmental 116p £888 R Coleman & Sons and Hereford 100p £685 (Non FA) Southwood Farms.

It takes quite a good dairy cull to top 100p but again plenty of half meat types made 90p-100p. Overall a poorer selection carrying winter ration weight and trends are easier for these at this time of the year.

In the dairy lines Holstein Friesian 96p, 95p £780 J Warnock & Son; 95p R P Kent & Son and 91p J Gormley.

Several overage steers came forward and, if fleshed and assured, selling well. Friesian steers 36mths plus 112p and £908; Holstein steers 48mths plus 118p, 114p £922 and Ayrshire steers 48mths plus 111p, 106p £1010 R W Jones & Son.

Bulls still difficult.

Report on trade: Another big entry and similar competitive trade with all regular customers in attendance competing for all on offer. While trade is competitive many vendors are disappointed having to accept significantly reduced prices on the year as buyers continue to suffer low returns for the finished product which has lagged well below last year and showing no signs of any improvement short term.

Despite the depressed finished returns and disappointment for store cattle vendors the prices are holding relatively well particularly for the stronger better bred sorts which are attracting prices in excess of £800. British Blue x Friesian steers topping the market at £990 from W F Farms and Aberdeen Angus cross steers topped the native bred sector at £900 from M A & F W Owen.

Younger cattle and those not so well bred proved a little more difficult to sell and many at prices not reflecting the costs of production.

Report on trade: The quality on offer in this section was very mixed and demand a little limited with long term, prospects for the beef sector very confused. Even so cows and calves made to £900 for a young Aberdeen Angus cow and British Blue steer calf from J C & P C Dallaway. In calf cows made to £960 for a Charolais cross cow from E Chantler & Son and a consignment of 12 Aberdeen Angus cross young cows (in calf to Hereford bull for late spring calving) from Montreal Estate making to £760

RABI, Young Farmers Clubs, 91 Club, Kent Herdsmans Club and FCN news

RABI – copies of a summer newsletter are available here in the market.

For further information on all RABI events in Kent ring Charles Tassell – 01622 858733, 07973 412179 or email charles@tassell.co.uk

Kent Herdsmans Club.

Monday 11th November at 7.30pm – Julue Zlujehyrst will be talking about her trip to South Africa, showing lots of photos, at the Conningbrook Hotel, Canterbury Road, Ashford TN24 9QR

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

Ashford Young Farmers – copies of their August / September newsletter are available here in the market.

For all details on Ashford Young Farmers please contact Amy Langdon at amy.langdon1234@hotmail.co.uk

Tonbridge Young Farmers – Debbie Broad and friends in the area have reopened this club.

For all details of plans for the future please contact the Broads through Debbie’s Facebook page or email tonbridgeyfc19@gmail.com

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

The October edition of this popular regional farming magazine is now available here in the market. Hobbs Parker are regular contributors to the editorial content.

Romney Sheepbreeders News

Friday 15^th November – Romney Sheep Breeders Dinner at The Swan, Chapel Down Vineyard, Tenterden. TN30 7NG at 7pm for 7.30. £39.50 per ticket. Places are limited.

The recent edition of the breeders Society newsletter, produced by breed secretary Julie Lukehurst, is available here in the market. For all society information Julie can be contacted on 07538 938425

Notices – Judy Bishop, Cranbrook

Family and friends have asked to advise that Judy sadly passed away recently after a long battle with illness. Judy, with husband Chris, have farmed at Cranbrook with livestock for a number of years now and been regular supporters of the market. She will be missed by all who met and knew her within the market and rural community in the area.

A private funeral will be followed by a memorial service at Goudhurst Church on Wednesday 6th November at 11:30 am.

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers livestock sales catalogues are always available online on the auctioneers pages of our website www.hobbsparker.co.uk All entries are listed on these regularly updated pages

Ashford Livestock Market has its own Facebook page where news and reports are now being posted on a regular basis www.facebook.com/AshfordLivestockMarket/

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers email a livestock market short report on the afternoon of every livestock sale day. To receive this email report you need to log on to the auctioneers pages of our website www.hobbsparker.co.uk and click the link to email alerts.

To ensure you continue to receive the email it should be opened on a regular basis.

Livestock for sale by private treaty – ex farm

For Sale – 2 pedigree polled Hereford bulls, 17 mths on a West Kent farm.

For Sale – 15 Aberdeen Angus x Friesian heifers, 20-24 mths on a West Sussex farm

Notices – John Rye, Wittersham

Margaret Rye has asked us to thank all who attended the recent service and contributing to the retiring collection which enabled her to donate £878 to The Pilgrims Hospice.

Ashford Cattle Show – It is Christmas Show time!!!

Monday and Tuesday 25th and 26th November

Annual show of livestock, crops, carcases and much much more. All details from Julie Coney 07887 643002 or email ashfordcattleshow@gmail.co.uk

Last minute entries now please

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions

run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales are ……

Commercial Vehicles

Thursday 31^st October at 3.00pm

A wide selection of up to 40 vehicles are generally offered in these sales

Special 4 x 4, Diesel and MPV Vehicle sale

Wednesday 6^th November at 4pm

This auction of cars will include a special sale of 4 X 4, Diesel and MPV with the normal car auction to follow

Collective Machinery & Equipment sale

Friday 8^th November at 9.30am

Catalogues will be available about a week before the sale.

Lots will include new & nearly new mowers & garden machinery. New tools, farm & agricultural equipment, timber plus large selection of miscellaneous items.

Special Sports and High Performance Vehicle sale

Wednesday 27^th November at 5pm

This auction of cars will include a special sale sports and high performance cars with the normal car auction to follow