Weekly Sales News – 24th March 2020

Top price per kilo- 250p – M & D Prebble; Top price per head – £114.50 – G Butcher

Report on trade: A very unusual day in the market, which revived memories of the difficult times we have seen in the past 2 decades. At the time of writing we are currently allowed to operate livestock markets as long as we adhere to the guidelines set out by the government, this is vitally important to the farming industry and the sale that took place yesterday should demonstrate to all vendors and farmers far and wide that they must stick to the rules to protect the service we can provide to you all.

On a Tuesday morning, and throughout the preceding day, the sheep trade had taken one of the biggest drops in recent memory and many doubted the trade we would see on Tuesday, but with the correct measures taken to operate the livestock market, we brought the right stock in front of the right buyers and market place and secured a very acceptable trade considering the circumstances. The team at Hobbs Parker Auctioneers urge our customers to do their utmost to protect this system and help us to help you. Please read carefully the enclosed yellow sheet for updates to operating restrictions for livestock markets.

At this week’s sale heavy lambs were the order of the day with the home trade butchers still selling meat in good quantities and these sheep selling in excess of £100 regularly to a top of £114.50 from G Butcher, closely followed by S P Howland at £114 and G Hosmer & Sons £113. Several pens of light weight, export grade hoggets sold well over 200p per kg and 220p to 230p was not uncommon and top price was taken by M & D Prebble at 250p. Many of these sheep sold at a similar price level to what we have seen in recent weeks.

We had a small entry of new season lambs on offer this week from Mrs V McDonald which were well sold to 240p and a top price of £102.

It would be greatly appreciated if you could “help us to help you” by arriving earlier to assist with appropriate sorting and penning of sheep. Lairage facilities are available from 2 to 6pm every Monday and we can accept stock from 6am every Tuesday.

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: Again, the same comments apply to the ewe trade today as the finished sheep with the trade being more than acceptable than expected but not quite the dizzy heights we have seen in recent weeks. We must all be realistic and realise that those prices were unsustainable and not the norm. We still smashed the £100 price barrier with a top price of £128 taken for a super pen of ewes from S T Phillips. An overall average of £83 was returned which is more than we would often see at this time of year.

Top prices included Suffolk crosses to £128 from S T Phillips, continental ewes to £125 from K Lukehurst, Romneys to £101.50 from T Beesley and Mules to £87 from M Button.

Report on trade: A decent trade under the circumstances (and remember every Tuesday we get a week later in what is now a short season to finish these sheep) with a very average entry of stores comprising few strong stores and a big percentage of small longer term sorts. Nevertheless the best on offer sold readily in excess of £70 and up to £82 from M J Ashworth while the majority smaller stores looked well sold in the £55 to £65 bracket.

If you have stores to sell you would be well advised to take advantage of these strong prices.

Report on trade: Throughput was well up on the week and while out of spec second grade cattle were slightly back on the week the general trade was probably better than expected under the circumstances. A run of quality continental cross heavyweights took the pick of the trade with Limousin cross heifers £1392 (198p per kg) and £1251 (196p) and steers £1308 (185p) all from G Bates Ltd. Other top prices from regular weekly vendors included Limousin cross heifer £994 (190p) and Limousin cross steer £1216 (188p) from W Alexander (Shoreham) and Blonde cross steer £1079 (182p) from G L Boulden & Sons.

A selection of bulls on offer with quality20 mths Charolais grossing well at £1515 (160p) from Highfields Park Farm and smart Blonde at £1184 (180p) from G L Boulden & Sons.

Report on trade: A sizeable entry for the time of year in the cull pens but no doubt accentuated by peoples immediate concerns surrounding the virus and its impact. Regular buyers were present or represented and whilst rates are quoted a little easier in the wholesale market because major users such as McDonald’s and Burger King and the whole of the restaurant sector our trade was considerably brighter than anticipated with good competition for all grades. Overall quality was very much more mixed with few best meat beef cows and fewer beef grades. A big show of dairy culls saw some good heavyweight fleshed cows a strong positive trade with the leaner steaking cows easier. A number of bulls were on offer and trade improved though this had more to do with a breeding future rather than the meat trade.

In the beef section Aberdeen Angus made 128pper kg and grossed £899 from G F Hawkins and 125p £691 J Berryman; Sussex 127p, 123p, 115p £907,£860,£840 H W Richards; Simmental cross 126p £733 M J Ashworth; Limousin cross 126p £733 J Berryman; Charolais 118p £928(now FA) Highfield Park and British Blue 116p, £912 (non FA) J Wickens.

IN dairy pens overage Holstein heifers 135p £912 J S & M D Antrum & Son and 135p £888 P J Forknall; Holstein Friesian cows 108p £941 J S & M D Antrum & Son, 108p,106p £876 Goddard & Son and 106p(2), 102p, £898, £890, £848 H O Champneys Ltd and Ayrshire 104p £868 J Howie.

Bulls – Limousin 144p, 132p, 126p, £1512, £1324, £1151 and Sussex 81p, £769

Report on trade: A super show of store cattle with several big runs of quality continental cross single suckled beef bred sorts on offer and despite all the gloom and despondency trade was brisk throughout and on a par with recent weeks. The sale was attended by a relatively small number of potential buyers looking for large numbers to replenish finishing yards or to graze this summer.

Best yearling steers generally made in the £800 to £1,000 and the majority of heifers £650 to £780 while a pen of superb Limousin cross steers topped at £1090 from G Bates Ltd and heifers made up to £800 from S J M Evans. Stronger cattle to finish short term were also in demand with 2yr old Limousin cross heifers topped at £1090 from Hendon Manor Estates.

A small selection of native bred cattle saw Aberdeen Angus cross yearling steers topping at £920 from A J Thompson & Sons and18 mths Hereford cross steers well sold at £1055 from R Saunters t/a Darwell.

More cattle are now entered for forthcoming weeks and we do not expect any shortage of customers keen to restock empty yards and looking for cattle to graze this summer.

Report on trade: Our four principal wholesale customers all wanted pigs this week but numbers were short. The principle of supply and demand economics took over and the price rocketed from the first pen offered. Cull pigs are still wanted and the trade was just off prices achieved at the last sale but still well in front of this time last year.

Finished pigs were a tremendous trade to tops calls of 172p per kg and £158.40 per head. The best shaped pigs were on offer from HMP East Sutton, S Scott & Sons and S J M Evans while through the whole sale only 3 pigs made below 100p and only 4 grossed under £100.

Cull pigs, particularly the heaviest and full of meat models, made to 72p and all but the very small / ugly models made 66p plus.

Next pig sales – Tuesdays 7^th and 21^st April at 9am with stores immediately following the finished and cull..

Thank You

A successful day at Ashford Market cannot be achieved without the help and co-operation of so many people.

These difficult days will continue for some time and we ‘Thank You’ all for your help and understanding.

Current guidelines are set out on the yellow sheet enclosed and further  developments will be updated on our website as soon as available. Please remember it is essential we have an early indication from all sellers of stock numbers you wish to sell week by week – we phone and send text messages to buyers and agents every Monday evening and an accurate indication of numbers coming forward is essential with many buyers travelling substantial distances to attend.

It essential you read the enclosed yellow sheet for updates on arrangements for livestock markets go forward

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

Hay, Straw, Fodder and Forage Crop for sale and / wanted

For Sale – Top notch barn stored round and mini-hesston bales 2019 hay. Bulk whole oats in half tonne bags also available. Delivery arranged. East Sussex. 07768 771933.

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

For Sale – Border Collie puppies – 4 dogs and 2 bitches – in the Ashford area. Ring Tom on 07707 879642

Local Agricultural Show and ploughing match dates and news

Agricultural shows in the region which are now cancelled include Royal Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey County, Kent County and Essex Young Farmers, South of England and Heathfield (see press release below).

Heathfield Show Press Release

The Heathfield & District Agricultural Show Society Council is sad to announce that the 2020 Heathfield Show has been cancelled.

The Show Council has taken into consideration all the Government instructions relating to the virus and has come to the conclusion that there is no option other than to cancel.

The Show Secretary, Nicola Magill commented, “Everybody realises what a big decision this is, and it hasn’t been taken lightly.

“All the Government guidelines have been examined and the Show Council are in agreement that the responsibility for the health of all our visitors, exhibitors, guests, trade stand holders, volunteers, stewards and committee members has to be the main priority.  Combining this with the financial health of the Society is also important.  Unrecoverable expenses have already been incurred but the closer to Show day the more this figure will escalate.”

“Taking both these factors into consideration, with the necessity of preserving the Society assets for future Shows, it seems sensible to decide to cancel sooner, rather than later.”

We rely on a considerable number of local volunteer organisations to help us run the Show on show day and in return we make donations to their organisations.  The cancellation of the Show will hit them hard as it means there will be no donations this year – today is a very sad day.

We would like to thank everyone involved with us for your continuing support.  Please bear with us whilst we work on arrangements going forward.

The date for the next Show will be 29^th May 2021.

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

From the point to point racing Co website “This is a formal announcement to confirm that the British point-to-point season is closed for this season”

Hobbs Parker and Ashford Livestock Market

We are the South East’s principle livestock market selling over 255,000 head of cattle, sheep and pigs in 2019.

Weekly sales throughout the year of all classes of stock, principally on Tuesdays, run by a fully professional team of auctioneers and support staff provide an unmatched level of service and commitment to the livestock farmer in the area. Come and see us on market day soon and bring your livestock for us to sell.