New Season Lambs

Top price per head – £112.50 – M A Piper & Son Farms; Top price per kilo – 260p – D Isaac

Finished Hoggets

Top price per head – £122 – R H Smith; Top price per kilo – 235p – H P Vardy

Report on trade: A good entry of quality lambs on offer this week with several pens breaking the £100 barrier with a top price of £112.50 for some super heavier weights from M A Piper & Son Farms. The number of hoggets has very quickly dropped around the country thus forcing some of the bigger processors to switch their main focus to new season lambs and in turn push the prices up. More lambs will now come onto the market over the coming weeks so it will remain to be seen if we can maintain trade at this level. Very smart continental lambs sold to 260p per k g from D Isaac (40kg) which was closely followed by MB Farms at 259p (41kgs). Please advise us of numbers coming forward into the busy marketing period for lambs.

A big entry of hoggets for the time of year with almost 2500 penned including those with erupted teeth and what a trade we saw to go with it. A large percentage of the entry made over £90 with a lot of sheep over £100 again and in particular the heavy hoggets selling very well and in fact averaging more per kilo than the standard and medium weights on offer for the first time in almost 12 mths. Heavy sheep sold to £122 from the heavy hogget specialist J Smith and this was closely followed by a good run of heavy hoggets from Whitefields Farm which sold to £118 and £117. Despite the lift in heavy sheep prices, the handy weights were still in demand with 217p achieved by T Hope Snr for some Texel cross hoggets weighing 44kg.

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

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: A smaller entry and an improved trade throughout with all buyers showing a little more eagerness to buy sheep for the upcoming feast in the Muslim community which precedes the fasting period of Ramadan.  The best ewes sold to £98 from T Masters which was a shared top spot with M J Ashworth. Grazing Ewes traded between £45 and £55 which would have been £5 up on the week.

Report on trade: A small entry after Friday’s sale was still well received by buyers encouraged by the rain we’ve had. A pen of strong Mule ewes with Texel and Beltex cross lambs rang the bell at £161 for Mrs K Husk. Averages 40 ewes sold top £161 and aver£130.40 (£54.40 per life).

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Sale Report – Friday 19^th May

Report on trade: A more difficult trade for ewes and lambs  than was anticipated for the first Friday sheep sale of 2017 but this must be attributed to the unusual weather conditions we have seen this spring. The very recent rain we have seen at the 11^th hour before the sale may have just been too late for our buyers. Sheep traded generally between £40-50 per life with the majority of the entry being made up of older ewes. Averages top £126 and average £108.36 (£45.99)

This was a very different trade for the ewe tegs to what was seen on the couples earlier in the morning but it must be said that the dramatic lift in the finished hogget price had a huge impact on this trade and in fact most pens would have been underpinned by this. Romneys from G B Richards & Son sold to £100, Suffolk Crosses made to £104 from K Tapley, Texels to £122 form C Ashworth and Charollais crosses made to £94 from Stablechief Ltd. Averages – 160 Romneys to top £100 and average £88.31; 412 Suffolk x Mule to top £105 and average £92.89.

Report on trade: A similar trade for an increased number of finished cattle saw a Limousin cross steer topping the market at £1238 (214p) from regular vendor G L Boulden & Sons. Other top prices included a Blonde cross heifer at £1044 (214p) from S Marsh and an Aberdeen Angus cross heifer at £1105 (213p) from D W Ferguson Ltd.

More commercial types made 180p to 195p with a Limousin cross steer £1174 (192p) from R F & E A Simmons, British Blue cross £1130 (185p) from A J Down and Aberdeen Angus cross £1130 (180p) from J & A Lyon.

Friesian steers were slightly dearer on the week up to £971 (150p) from R Price & Son and the best of the over 30 mths up to £1248 (199p) for a Blonde cross heifer from G L Boulden & Sons and a Limousin cross heifer to £1155 (167p) from J A & P M Playfoot & Sons.

Report on trade: Cull cows remain a “full on” trade with demand continuing to outstrip supply the country over. We had another very decent entry for the time of year and buyers galore to take stock of all grades. Slaughter values remain the driving force in the trade with the grazing and feeding men reinforced by recent rains and near perfect grazing conditions.

Some very good fleshed beef cows made up over 160p per kg with the best of the feeders in a similar bracket. Plenty of fleshed commercial types 120-140p with very little under 100p. Keep finding those who are not working hard enough for you and take the opportunity to replace or simply to save cost on non performers!

Charolais 166p, 163p, 153p, 150p (2) and £1225 from P J Baldock and 150p £1174 from J Boomaars; Aberdeen Angus 143p, 142p £1090 Gallagher Farms; Limousin cross 140p J Berryman; British Blue 134p (Non FA) M Palmer; Sussex 132p (Non FA) I Strang and  Simmental cross 132p, 131p, £1026 (Non FA) B Dennis.

A mixed show of dairy culls again but no let up in demand for all grades even down to the plainest and lightest. Full flesh 130-140p; half meat 110-130p and lean and light 80-100p.

Holstein heifers 138p and British Friesian 137p (3), 132p, 131p £1118 PHR Farms; Holstein 128p M W Goddard, 127p Huddlestone Farmers, 127p, 126p, 124p, £1031 Ledger Farms; Imported cows to 100p £726 and Jerseys to 80p Hickson Bros.

Fleshed stock bulls wanted. Simmental £1148 112p; Blonde cross £977 121p and Beef Shorthorn £946 108p.

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Report on trade: Good numbers for late season but quality very much more variable overall. Trade was excellent with the grass growing well after recent rains and the warm weather. Summer stores are certainly going to remain in demand so please let us know so that we can inform potential purchasers.

Swedish Red & White bulls 15mths £690 and £620 from N & G Marshall; Sussex cross steers 12mths £620 and heifers £580 Mrs A Bott; Friesian cross steers 15mths £615 N & G Marshall; Blonde cross steer 14mths £730 and heifers £740 W A Daw & Son; Piedmontese cross steers 12mths £760 and heifers £805 R J Hodge & Son; Simmental cross heifers 10mths £865 from G Gregory; Limousin steers 20mths £865 and heifers £890, £865, £845 A J Husk; Sussex cross steers 11mths £710 I Strang; Simmental cross steers 12mths £755, £720 and heifers £700 Gladwin Farming Ptnrs and  Limousin x Friesian steers 12mths £880, £832 A J Down. All through a good trade.

Report on trade: Market helper Hayley Dent saw her 2014 born Black Limousin bulls make £3000.

Report on trade: This was an entry dominated by beef cross calves and including “beef out of beef cow” crosses from 4 farms. Plenty of bidders were on hand and a good trade resulted confirming the confidence going forward in the beef trade.

Highlights from the sale ring this week included:

T Castle and Son sold British Blue x British Friesian bulls to £360, heifers £340 and Limousin heifers to £300 born late February to late March.

P J Baldock sold Charolais out of beef cows steers to £372 and heifers £275 born late April to early May.

A & W J Hitchcock sold Aberdeen Angus cross bulls to £320 and heifers £200, Limousin bulls to £305 and heifers £230 plus a Friesian bull at £110 all early March and April born

F W Hamlyn and Son sold British Blue bulls to £380 and heifers £245, Simmental cross bulls to £345 and heifers £305 plus Sussex cross bulls to £255 and heifers £170 late March and April born.

Beef Farmers Direct sold Limousin bulls to £340 and heifers £295 and Simmental bulls £310 – all out of beef cows and late April and May born.

W S Furnival Ltd sold British Blue heifers to £300, Aberdeen Angus bulls to £310 and heifers £270, Sussex bulls to £260 and heifers £242 plus Friesian bulls £105 and all March and early April born.

M Gammons sold British Blue steers to £445 and heifers £415, Simmental steers to £455 and heifers £445, Hereford steers to £450 and heifers £425 and Friesian steers to £285 and all born November and December.

Report on trade: Again this week we can report good demand and a very competitive trade for both finished and store pigs offered in good numbers.

The best heavy pigs again grossed over £100 from S Scott & Son (9) to 126p per kg and £123, C B Hope (4) to 130p and £104, P W & P Sim (4) £105 and J Watt (6) £105). The remainder made 45p to 100p for a selection of breeds and crosses.

In the cull pens only 2 light boars were penned.

A good entry of 10 pens sold to £53 for medium feeders from P & R Marshall and £45, £38 and £31 for pure Welsh from D Finch

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Romney Sheep Breeders News

Open day – Thursday 1^st June at 2.30pm – Rushfield, Giggars Green Road, Aldington. More details from 07392 319813. The Romney High Index Scheme members invite you to this event kindly hosted by Paul Boulden, which will include a short talk about worm control with a special look at salivary and Iga testing, followed by a farm walk and hog roast.  Please RSVP to Emma Steele on 07392 319813 or email emma.steele@ahdb.org.uk

Breeding Cattle for sale ex farm

6 Pedigree Sussex bulls – 3 in West Sussex and 3 in Kent. All well bred and from high health herds here in the South East. TB Low. Mark Cleverdon can provide further details – 07748 202688

2 Pedigree Limousin bulls, 18 mths from a Welsh farm

Ashford Cattle show summer competitions

Flocks Entries are now welcome for this event. Forms will be sent to regular exhibitors but new faces are always welcome. For all information please ring Edward Langrish on 07973 977074. Judge will be confirmed and entries close on 28^th May with judging to take place in the 2^nd week of June.

Beef herds and Crops Details will be published shortly. Charles Bull 07825665498 and Tim Porter 07919 196068 have all information on these 2 competitions.

Entry forms for all competitions are now available here in the market

Cattle sales reports

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For up to date information on all livestock sales please contact

Elwyn Davies (Sheep) 07710 803901 or 01233 861263

Peter Kingwill (Cattle & Sheep) 07795 200357

Martin Crowhurst (Sheep & Cattle) 07710 803903 or 01797 343936

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

Mark Cleverdon (Rams, Breeding Cattle, Pigs & Calves) 07748 202688

John Rossiter (Cull ewes & store sheep plus commercial vehicles) 07557 392903

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Sheepdogs for sale

2  Border terrier puppies. Eight weeks old. One bitch and one dog. Fully vaccinated, wormed and microchiped. East Kent . Contact 07885 968077 for more information

5 Collie puppies (3 dogs) – farm bred, well socialised and nicely marked. 07814 972010. Essex.

15mth old registered well bred collie bitch. Just broken sides and a stop and easy to handle video available. Also 3 5mth old registered collie dog pups whose breeding includes Ross Games Roy and Kevin Evans Sawmill Jess . Microchipped, vaccinated and very keen. Please ring 01403 864361 or 07718902953. West Sussex

Lairage bookings for Monday evenings

Please ring David Martin on 07860 114650 to confirm when you are delivering stock to the market for overnight lairage.

RABI, FCN and Kent Herdsmans Club News

RABI Fund raising events over the next few months include:

Watch this space for details of more events next week and ongoing

Kent Herdsmans Club

Monday 12th June 2017 at 7.30pm – visit to Robert Hank’s and his families farm – Islingham Farm, Wainscott, Rochester. ME3 8BP to view his cattle and sheep enterprise.

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

Livestock for sale

4 Maiden Boer nanny goats , 12 to 14 mths on an East Sussex farm. Ring 07946 640949

NSA Eastern Region Youthful Shepherds Day

Saturday 10^th June 2017 at the Rutland Stud, Saxon Street, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 9RS. Open to all NSA members and friends from 11am with catering available through the day.

A range of practical demonstrations will be going on for visitors to view, with the opportunity to quiz the mentor at each. 

Incorporated into the day will be the option to compete in the Next Generation Shepherd competition, open to young shepherds aged 26 and under.

Visitors will also get the chance to take in the surroundings at Godolphin Stud with a farm walk, looking at the how the commercial flock operates within the working stud.  Interested? Contact NSA Eastern Region Manager Jonathan Barber for entry forms and more information on 01973 607860 or office@ceressoultions.co.uk

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DEFRA and our Local Authority trading standards officers regularly remind us of our responsibilities regarding unfit animals. No unfit animal should be exposed for sale in a market.

We have been reminded by the Local Authority that it is against current Welfare and Market Regulations to move stock to market, or any other holding, in the final stages of pregnancy (final 4 weeks). Please be careful with dates on breeding stock and cull stock that might turn out to be in lamb or in calf.

All animals should be fit to travel. All in milk cows should to be milked out prior to movement to market. Do not present lame sheep or those, for any reason, which are not fit to be transported. Thanks for your attention to these matters.

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Hay, Straw and fodder

For Sale – 60 Round wrapped bales of 2016 season made hayledge, stored undercover . East Kent. 07775 794556

For Sale – 400 4ft round bales of 2016 season made hay on a West Kent dairy farm. Ring 07769 697934.

For Sale – Large quantities of hay. Ring 07860 623196.

For Sale – Large quantities of 2016 made and gathered organic hay, haylage and silage. Buckhurst Park, East Sussex. Ring 01892 770220 or email:

For Sale – 100 Mini Hesston 4 string bales of oat straw, 60 Mini Hesston 4 string and 200 4’ round bales of exceptional hay. Transport can be arranged get at cost. East Sussex. Ring 01580 819000 or 07768 771933

For Sale – 157 Massey Ferguson 8’ x 4’ 6 string bales of 2016 season gathered winter barley straw, stored dry. East Kent. Ring 07703 130575

For Sale – 2000 Conventional bales of 2016 season made meadow hay. East Kent. Ring 07885 305520.

For Sale – 150 Claas Quadrant 2016 season gathered winter barley straw, stored dry. Ashford area. Ring 07850 789113.

For Sale – upto 500 Conventional bales of 2016 season made hay. West Kent. Ring 07905 269113.

For Sale – 50 Round wrapped bales of 2016 season made haylage from organically farmed grassland. Mid Kent. Ring 01233 756468.

For Sale – 500 bales of 5` long mini Hesston bales of July 2016 meadow grass haylage with delivery available at cost. Chiddingfold, Surrey. Ring 01428 654695 or 07966 452256.

For Sale – 300 to 400 wrapped 4 string bales of 2016 season haylage and 50 7’ long 6 string bales of meadow hay. Kent / Sussex borders. Ring 07773 384271 or 07973 634519.

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Local Agricultural Show dates

Saturday 27^th May – Heathfield Show.. For all other show enquiries please ring Show secretary, Nicola Magill, on 01435 864587 or visit www.heathfieldshow.org.

** Visit us on our stand – we are pleased again to be sponsoring both Sussex and commercial beef classes in the cattle section **

Monday 29^th May – Surrey County Show. All show enquiries please ring Show secretary, 01483 890810 or visit www.surreycountyshow.co.uk

Wednesday 31^st May and Thursday 1^st June – Suffolk Show. All show enquiries please ring Show secretary, 01473 707110 or visit www.suffolkshow.co.uk

Thursday 8^th to Saturday 10^th June – South of England Show, Ardingly, Sussex. More details from Wiz Cuff on 01444 892700 or on www.seas.org.uk

** We are pleased again to be sponsoring the Beef interbreed group competition in the cattle section **

Wednesday 28^th and Thursday 29^th June – Royal Norfolk Show, Norwich. Full details  01603 748931 or visit www.royalnorfolkshow.co.uk

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions

run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales are ……

Horse & Saddlery Sale

Thursday 1^st June at 10am

Catalogues will be available about a week before the sale.

Entries expected of riding ponies, event horses and youngstock

New & nearly new saddlery & tack, grooming kit, yard equipment, rugs, harness Riding boots, show jackets, jodhpurs, body protectors, yard clothing & boots

Commercial Vehicles

Thursday 8^th June at 3.00pm

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

Collective Machinery & Equipment sale

Friday 16^th June at 9.30am.

Catalogues will be available about a week before the sale.

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

Special Auction Sale of Convertible Cars

Wednesday 14^th June at 6.30am

Special sale of convertible cars with the normal car auction to follow

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Kent Young Farmers Clubs News

A Dairy Stock judging competition was recently held at Court Farm, Thurnham and  45 members from 7 clubs participated in 4 age categories.  The winners were Freya of Cobtree YFC in the Mini Juniors, Louisa of Homewood School YFC in the Maxi Juniors, Frank Reynolds of Weald of Kent YFC in the Intermediates, and Emma Stewart of SWAN YFC in the Seniors.  The next round is the national final at the Great Yorkshire Show in July. Many thanks to judges Trevor Warren and Colin Leggat.