Weekly Sales News – 24th January 2017

Top price per kg – 211p – K Lukehurst; Top price per head – £81.50 – T Telling

Report on trade: A similar sized entry in the pens today which sold to a stand on trade to last week with the overall average returned within 0.5p of last weeks figures. The marketplace for finished sheep does appear to be somewhat lacklustre at the moment with many buyers suggesting that the wholesale demand for sheep meat is quiet, in particular for the heavier carcasses on offer. With this in mind we still have had the best export grade continental hoggets selling in excess of 200p per kg from K Lukehurst and the heavier sorts making in excess of £80 from J Prior & Sons, T Telling and K Brundle to a top price of £81.50 from T Telling.

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: Once again the old case of supply v demand showed that when we see a few less ewes in the pens, the trade lifts. We saw a smaller entry this week with what appeared to be less scanned empty ewes on offer in the pens and the overall average went up by almost £4. We also had some super Texel ewes on offer from Mrs K Potter which sold to £106.

Top prices included Texel ewes to £106 from Mrs K Potter, Suffolk crosses to £73 from R & S L M Smith, Mules to £76.50 from R E Hanks and Romney’s to £65 from P J Hewitt.

Already entered for next Tuesday’s (31^st) sale are 150 potential grazing / feeding ewes from one farm

Store and Breeding

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901  

Report on trade: A large entry with many producers opting to sell stores as opposed to finishing. The trade was competitive throughout with the stronger sorts £60 plus and only very small long keeping stores below £50. Averages: Top £64.80 aver £52.63

Please inform us of possible entries so we can notify potential customers.

 Top prices include:                                                                                                                          

Report on trade: A similar entry met a stand on trade to recent weeks with no exceptional prices. The few smart butcher type heifers on offer made around 205p per kg notably a Blonde cross at £1053 (205p) from G L Boulden & Sons and a Charolais also at £1053 (207p) from J Boomaars. A run of Sussex and Sussex cross steers sold well with the majority around 190p and topping at £1109 (204p) from the Bowes Lyon Estate. Heavy weights were grossing around £1200 including a Simmental cross steer at £1219 (171p) from A J Thompson & Sons and a Limousin cross steer at £1177 (183p) from R F & E A Simmons. An Aberdeen Angus cross heifer grossed well at £1109 (178p) from A R Dunlop.

Report on trade: Another good entry of beef and dairy culls this week with over 100 penned again. In terms of quality it was just what the processing sector was after with plenty of fed cows full of flesh and most farm assured! A decent entry of feeding types was also well received.

A good show of beef cows and the policy of feeding empty culls seen as reaping good rewards. Meat cows generally made 120-130p with a few of the smartest 130-140p with gross returns regularly exceeding £1000. Limousin 135p C & J Georgetti & Sons, 135p, 127p £1069 G Bates Ltd, 133p £1265 R A Wade, 126p Beslee Farms, and 122p (Non FA) D S & D Mack; Charolais 129p £983 Campbell Bros, 123p £975 M J Ashworth, 120p Beslee Farms and 119p £942 (Non FA) A J Strand & Sons; Simmental 130p, 127p, 124p £1067, £1027 C & J Georgetti & Sons, 128p(2) £956, £949 Campbell Bros, 125p, 123p £1108, £1036 (Non FA) M W Rix and 125p (Non FA & Exempt) M S Worssam; British Blue 126p Beslee Farms; Sussex cross 128p, 127p, £966, £949 Campbell Bros and 126p K  & P M Sinden & Son; Sussex 128p, 124p £842 A B Jones & Ptrs and 124p Raveningham Farms; South Devon 116p D A Dark and  Hereford 108p £903 (Non FA) J Wells & Ptrs.

Fleshing generally good amongst the dairy culls as well for all breeds and no slowing in the trade though buyers were  wary of middle and waste! Competition was strong with the processing market in a good place with exports up and imports down!

British Friesian 123p, 120p(2), 119p £901 PHR Farms, 119p £924 W G & T A Manford, 118p £899 R J Stickland and 118p, 117p B J Goodsell & Son; Holstein Friesian heifers 139p, 137p £879 M W Goddard; Holstein Friesian cows 120p,118p (2) £917 R C & J L Pickering, 118p,116p £946 W G & T A Manford, 118p D Murdoch & Sons, 117p £996 J W Boyd & Sons; Brown Swiss 118p D Murdoch & Sons; Swedish Red 117p B J Goodsell & Ptrs; Guernsey 117p, 108p, 104p £908 W G & T A Manford and Jersey 91p, 90p, 87p(2), 81p Hickson Bros.

Report on trade: A good entry of store cattle early in the year this week with several consignments of top quality single suckled continental cross store on offer. The sale was well attended by our regular buyers with several big feeding customers from the Eastern counties in attendance. The bidding was keen throughout with a tremendous trade for the best continental cross yearlings on offer and those strong stores to finish short term.

A small selection of native breeds were on offer with a 22 mth Hereford cross steer at £990 from F Pearce & Sons and 20 mth purebred Sussex steers to £800 from A & A Barr Farms taking the pick of the trade.

Generally buyers in  bullish mood and if you have cattle to sell over the coming weeks please get in touch to discuss appropriate marketing.

Principal prices include:

Anthrax declarations

Producers should be aware that these are not required at present.

Lairage bookings for Monday and Thursday evenings

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

Hay, Straw and fodder

Updated 24^th January 2017

For Sale – 200 Mini Hesston 4 string bales oat straw, 800 4′ round bales wheat straw and 100 Mini Hesston 4 string bales, 600 4′ round bales and 200 4′ round bales of  hay. Transport can be arranged get at cost. East Sussex. Ring 01580 819000 or 07768 771933

For Sale –200 Round bales of 2016 season made meadow hay. Maidstone area. Ring 07813 741636

For Sale – 50 Round wrapped bales of 2016 season made hayledge 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 hayledge and 50 7’ long 6 string bales of meadow hay. Kent / Sussex borders. Ring 07773 384716 or 07973 634519.

For Sale – up to 1,000 tonnes of 2016 season clamped maize silage and large quantities of hay. Ring 07860 623196.

To advertise your stocks in this section please speak to Mark Cleverdon or Adam Leonard for details of our very reasonable charges

Notices – Cyril Saunders

The family have advised that sadly Cyril passed away recently. He was well known within the farming and shooting community in the Rye area and a supporter of the livestock market here in Ashford.

There will be a funeral service at Rye Harbour Church at 2pm on Friday 3^rd February.

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales are ……

Special Vehicle sale

Wednesday 8^th February at 4pm

This auction of cars will include a special sales of 4 X 4, Diesel, sports and MPV vehicles and will be followed by our general car sale

Commercial Vehicle sale

Thursday 9^th February at 3.00pm

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

Horse & Saddlery Sale

Thursday 16^th February at 10am.

Catalogues will be available about a week before the sale – please can we have your entries immediately.

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

Collective Machinery & Equipment sale

Friday 24^th February at 9.30am.

Catalogues will be available about a week before the sale – entries close on Friday 3^rd February.

New tools, farm & agricultural equipment, timber plus large selection of miscellaneous items.

New & newly near mowers & garden machinery

Store and Breeding Sheep sale

Friday 3^rd March January at 11am

This is our first of 2 store and breeding sheep sales in early 2017 and a full catalogue will be produced for these sales.

South East Point to Point Meetings (www.pointingse.com)

Updated 24^th January 2017              

The fixture list for the season has been circulated with this report recently. Further copies are available here in the market

Sunday 19^th February – South East Hunts Club; Charing, Kent. TN27 0JS – 12noon

Sunday 5^th March – Mid Surrey Farmers Drag; Godstone, Surrey. RH9 8DB, Surrey – 1pm

Saturday 18^th March – Crawley & Horsham; Parham, Storrington, West Sussex. RH20 2ER – 1.45pm

Sunday 26^th March – Old Surrey, Burstow and West Kent; Penshurst, Kent – 1.30pm

Sunday 9^th April – Southdown & Eridge; Godstone, Surrey. RH9 8DB at 2.15pm

Saturday 15^th April – Ashford Valley; Charing, Kent. TN27 0JS – 2pm

Monday 17^th April – East Kent: Aldington, Kent. TN25 7EJ – 2pm.

General news

Updated 24^th January 2017

Wanted – experienced lambing person for a 600 ewe flock on the North kent / Surrey borders from 12^th March for about 3 weeks. Ring 07970 549013

Wanted – General farm worker required for mixed farm on Romney Marsh during spring period with possibility of full time employment. Experience with cattle, sheep and modern farm machinery including gps will be an advantage. Call 07785 542805 for more information

For Sale – Beautiful male working collie puppy from working parents who can be seen. Very well socialised , well grown and healthy and looking for good active country home (ideally working but not essential ). On a north Kent farm ring 07875356294.

Wanted – trained mid aged working sheepdog, preferably a bitch. Ring 01424 870892

RABI, FCN and Kent Herdsmans Club news

Updated 10th January 2017

Forthcoming dates, including many fund raising events, begin with farmhouse breakfasts

Wednesday 18^th January. Medway Yacht Club, Lower Upnor, Rochester. ME2 4XB at 8.30am. Ring Karen Smeed, NFU Meopham 01474 444243. £12.50

Wednesday 25^th January. Greenfield Shooting School, Sturry, Canterbury, Kent. CT2 0NG at 8.30am. Ring Andrew Brealy 01227 741023 or Canterbury NFU Office. £12.50

Friday 3^rd February. Hempstead House Hotel, London Road, Bapchild, Sittingbourne. ME9 9PP at 8.30am. Ring Anthony Hyde 01795 830355or Rollo Parsons (NFU) on 01795 472774

Wednesday 8^th February. The Dirty Habit, Upper Street, Hollingbourne, Maidstone, Kent. ME17 1UW at 8.30am. Ring David Chantler 01622 850207. £12.50

Thursday 9^th February. Elham Valley Vineyard. CT4 6LA at 8.30am. Ring Robert Pickard 01227 832045. £12.50

Wednesday 15^th February. Here in Ashford Market at 8.30am. Ring Chris Older 01233 720395 or Richard Beaugie 01233 732580 for full details. £12.50

Thursday 16^th February. Dog & Duck, Plucks Gutter, Canterbury. CT3 1JB at 8.30am. Ring Robert Pickard 01227 832045. £12.50

Wednesday 22^nd February. Poacher & Partridge, Tudeley. TN11 0PH at 8.30am. Ring Sheila Adams 01622 831429 or Charlie Chantler 07801138243. £12.50

Friday 24^th February. The Alma, Painters Forstal, Faversham. ME13 0DU at 8.30am. Ring Tish Neaves 01795 890515 or Charles Tassell 01622 858733. £12.50

Events later in the year include

Plumpton Race Day – Monday 27^th February. Charity race day in exclusive R.A.B.I marquee. 12.30 for 1pm. Lunch, afternoon tea, parking, full race card, bar and tote facilities. Ring David Chantler 01622 850207 or Sally Field 01903 882741. £65

Clay Pigeon Shoot – Friday 31^st March. West Kent Shooting School, Brenchley. TN12 7DG. 70 bird R.A.B.I Charity shoot. Ring Sally Field 01903 882741 or Charles Tassell 01622 858733. £75

Kent Herdsmans Club

Monday 13th February 2017 at 7.30pm. AGM followed by Mark Cleverdon speaking about his experiences as an Auctioneer – at the Conningbrook Hotel, Canterbury Road, Ashford. TN24 8QR.

For all details on Herdsman’s Club events contact Chairman Sandra Brown on 01233 502796 or Jo Masters 01580 240568

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New stall here in the market on Tuesdays

Gail Thomas trading as “In the Country” will be attending the market with a range of Hunting, Shooting and Outdoor clothing and associated itmes for sale. From Badlesmere Gail has a retail outlet in the village and her web address is www.inthecountry.co.uk and she can be contacted on 01233 742700.