Weekly Sales News – 22nd September 2020

Top price per kilo – 254p – J Pitman Ltd: Top price per head – £114 – L Stevens & Sons

Report on trade: We can report a bigger entry of lambs this week with about 1,800 penned. Less weight was on offer but despite this, some smart and well finished sheep were in the pens. Trade was a bit slower than we have seen in the past month, but it is easy to see why with wholesalers fearing that social restrictions may impact on demand in the coming days and weeks. The export trade is still strong and the best types for this sector are still selling at up to 254p per kg from J Pitman Ltd and 243p from L Stevens & Sons. Heavy sheep from L Stevens & Sons again and P Gorringe sold to £114 and £109 respectively.

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 big entry of nearly 1,200 ewes were penned this week and big numbers of leaner sorts on offer again. Many of these are going on for further finishing as opposed to slaughter. This has been the case for many weeks now, showing a lot of confidence in the trade in the post-Christmas period.

Meated ewes sold to top of £90 from S & V Bullock for a super Suffolk ewe and rams to £102 to fight another day.

Report on trade: Another cracking trade with prices holding firm at Ashford despite downward pressure on returns nationally. The cream topped at £1234 (245p per kg) and £1198 (245p) for a Limousin cross steer and Beef Shorthorn respectively from S Marsh while a run of quality continental cross heifers from W S Furnival (Brookland) sold well with the majority making 220p plus and grossing from £1100 up to £1325 (237p) for a Blonde cross heifer. Other top beef bred prices included Limousin cross heifer at £1231 (229p) and steer at £1319 (215p) from W Alexander (Shoreham). The run of well fleshed dairy bred cattle from A J Down met a strong trade with Limousin x Friesian steers to £1272 (213p) and Hereford x Friesian to £1188 (197p).

Other native bred cattle to £1102 (201p) for Sussex cross heifers from R C & J L Pickering and Sussex bulls to £965 (176p) from J D Hickman.

Report on trade: A terrific entry which included some very good cows and overage cattle of all ages met one of the sharpest and most competitive of trades that we have seen for a long time. The Covid-19 pandemic is going to play a big part in household feeding habits during the next 6 months at least. Mince as a staple will stay in demand and all processors are gearing up to take supplies in this back end when numbers rise due to the pressure on food and straw supplies, and the eventual change in weather.

Good keeping beef cows were regularly making 140p to 180p per kg with meated heavyweights 125p to 155p with farm assurance making its presence felt. A few old plain cows made 70p to 90p but generally few made below 100p.

Highlights in the beef lines were British Blue cross 188p, £1048 (Non FA) A R J Cyster & Sons, 134p, £1035 W S Furnival (Brookland) and 132p, £960 J Loveridge; Limousin cross 187p, 160p, 151p, £1069 H & J Noakes, 183p, £858 L Palmer & Sons, 169p, £994 R F & E A Simmons and 160p, 155p, £1089, £998 J Loveridge; Sussex 154p, 135p, 128p, £881 J & S Harmer; Hereford cross 141p (Non FA) A J Britton; Blonde cross 144p, £969 J Loveridge; Charolais 140p, £1207 W S Furnival (Brookland) with Simmental cross 133p, £1087 (Non FA) Barfrestone Court Farms Ltd.

Some good meat cows amongst the dairy culls and all grades a very strong trade. Highligths included Flekvieh cross 135p, 133p, 124p, £1073, £1008 (Non FA) A R J Cyster & Sons; British Friesian 128p, 125p, 119p, 118p, £893 Debden Court Ltd, 120p, 119p and £877 B J Goodsell & Son; Holstein Friesian 125p, 124p, 123p, £1040, £1037 N J & G M Lambert, 121p R C & J L Pickering and 117p, £915 P J Forknall; Swedish Red 117p, £896 B J Goodsell & Son and Dexter 79p, 76p, 69p (2), £272 (Non FA) J Tobitt.

All overage fleshed steers and heifers were a superb trade and this is definitely the time to have a look for cattle to sell, even at some old favourites! Flekvieh heifer 186p, £900 A R J Cyster & Sons; Holstein Friesian heifers 172p, 170p, £1132, £1110 N J & G M Lambert; South Devon steer (3 yrs+) 172p, £1372 R Scott; Limousin cross heifer (7 yrs+) 154p, £1081 R Scott; Holstein steers 158p, 150p, 148p, 146p, 145p etc., £1218, £1055 (2) E T Ledger & Son Ltd; Aberdeen Angus cross steer (4 yrs+) 139p and a Guernsey steer (5 yrs+) 137p, £969.

Young Blonde stock bull 186p, £1083; older Aberdeen Angus 103p, £1092. Good trade!

Report on trade: A large entry of store cattle early in the season with the continuing dry weather forcing producers to sell sooner than usual. Despite large entries recent sales have been well attended by specialist beef finishing men keen to buy and prices have been good throughout. Today’s entry comprised a large percentage of dairy and native bred cattle and while the stronger cattle to finish short term sold exceptionally well some of the poorer bred younger sorts proved harder to sell.

Beef bred yearlings were in short supply and those available attracted strong prices with 9-10 mths Limousin cross steers and heifers £960 and £850 respectively from L Palmer & Sons while quality 18 mths Limousin cross heifers topped the continental section at £1140 from Hawkfibre Ltd.

A good selection of Aberdeen Angus cross stores on offer were well received with the majority 15 mths plus making from £800 to £1000 and up to £1115 for 18 mths steers from H H B Raveningham Farms, Norfolk.

Other highlights included Hereford cross steers topping the market at £1200 from R C & J L Pickering, a Beef Shorthorn steer £1180 from I M Symonds and a run of 20 mths well done Friesian and Swedish Red cross steers looked well sold with the majority £800 plus and up to £850.

Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07741 845230

Report on trade: In calf Limousin cross heifers to £1170 with 6 averaging £1115 from Horne & Son. Two Hereford in calf heifers made to £950 from T J K & S I Purchese.

Next week’s sale includes a herd dispersal of 36 in calf beef cows from Blythe Model Farms – see earlier in this report for details

Report on trade: Not enough pigs to meet buyer’s orders. A small entry met strong demand with buyers looking for the best, in particular the finished pens. The cull trade followed national trends lower with further huge disruption in processing plants on the continent not helping.

The best finished were 120p to 144p per kg, grossing to £118.40 with S Scott & Son seeing their run of 11 average 132p and £98.

Cull sows made 24p to 29p with average gross very much in line with last Fridays reported deadweight quotes.

Stores – we have buyers looking for stock.

Next pig sales – Tuesdays 6^th and 20^th October with stores being sold immediately following the finished and cull at 9am.

Farm Dispersal Sale

We are pleased to confirm instructions from Mr C Peach to conduct a sale of farm machinery and equipment on

Thursday 1^st October at 11am – In all we will offer approximately 200 lots and a full catalogue with photographs has now been published.

Covid 19 control guidelines will need to be followed – this will not be a “Social” event

Message from Peter Barker of Barkers Animal Health

Barkers Animal Health retail store here in the market will be open on Tuesday and also on Fridays through the sheep sale season. If possible, please pre order so goods are ready for your collection. New local representative Mossy is available 24/7 on 07739 723623 to discuss your requirements

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 is a regular contributor to the editorial content.

Hobbs Parker Car Auctions news – We are back in business!!

Vehicles are being traded in substantial numbers in our weekly online sales. For all details please long onto the Hobbs Parker website and select Car Auctions or pick up the phone 01233 506266 and speak to John Chapman or James Johnson

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

For Sale – 9 Holstein x Friesian heifers, 24 mths and in calf to an Aberdeen Angus bull – East Kent. Ring Peter Kingwill on 07795 200357

For Sale – ready for work Limousin bull. East Sussex. Ring Mark Cleverdon for details 07741 845230

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

Ashford Cattle Show news

It is with huge regret the committee of the show association have decided that this year’s Show (and also dinner) will not take place.

The 150^th Ashford Cattle Show will now be held in 2021.

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

Simon Husk (Cattle & sheep) 07885 968077 or 01304 842393

Mark Cleverdon (Pigs) 07741 845230

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

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