Weekly Sales News – 24th October 2017

Top price per kg – £2 – Mr A Denning; Top price per head – £98.50 – N & C Hedges

Report on trade: A very small entry this week, as  appears to be the theme nationally in the past couple of weeks with the exception of the very North of the country and in Scotland where many farms are being forced to move sheep on due to the adverse weather conditions. This has had an impact on national prices with many large wholesalers sourcing “cheaper” stock from these areas. Overall, the sheep were just a touch dearer this week in comparison to 7 days ago and interestingly averaged some £2 above the corresponding week in 2016. Best continental lambs sold to £2 from A Denning (42kg at £84) with a run of well bred Charollais lambs from Passmore Coombes selling to 190p. Heavier sorts sold to a top price of £98.50 from N & C Hedges.

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 of ewes on offer this week but a little more spark was seen in the trade with the overall average price returned just about £5 up on the week. This lift can be attributed to the lack of numbers in the area that are being offered for sale, especially the lack of meat ewes on offer and the high prices that are still being achieved by the leaner sorts to go on for further farming.

Best meated ewes sold to £85.50 with the majority of the grazers selling between £35-55.

Top prices included strong continental ewes from NA Balcomb & Son to £85.50, Suffolk ewes from the same vendor to £78, Mules to £65 from J Hooker and Romneys to £70.50, once again from NA Balcomb & Son

We are now have only 3 more Friday sales and bigger numbers will be coming forward on Tuesdays. Please prebook large consignments with our auctioneers or fieldsmen

Report on trade: A good firm trade for finished cattle with a handy weight British Blue cross heifer topping the market at £1055 (229p) from D W Ferguson Ltd and a Limousin cross steer to £1329 (222p) from W Alexander (Shoreham).

Commercial sorts generally in the 185p to 200p bracket with a Limousin cross steer £1196 (205p) from J Hooker and a British Blue x Friesian steer at £1123 (199p) from A J Down.

Several native bred cattle on offer were well received with Aberdeen Angus cross steers to £1224 (208p) from A J Thompson & Sons and £1211 (215p) from W Alexander (Shoreham ) and a Sussex steer grossed well at £1211 (184p) from Gillshaw Farms Ltd. A run of fleshed British Friesian steers sold well up to £913 (180p) again from A J Down.

An increased entry of bulls attracted several buyers with heavy Charolais grossing well up to £1686 (190p) and £1457 (185p) from J Boomaars and a Simmental at £1286 (194p) from     I Milsted.

Support the live market and compare deadweight returns. Buyers are in attendance every week  for all qualities of finished cattle and specialist feeders competing well for cattle to feed

Report on trade: The cow trade remains at excellent levels for the time of year and although the entry had a very seasonal look about it,  with a noticeable lack of flesh on offer, rates held up particularly well with a strong attendance of buyers. Few best meat cows but all keenly sort; fleshed steakers a good trade; plain cows are a little less but generally few on the beef side below 100p. Prospects remain positive with feeders keen with feed so plentiful this season.

Limousin cross 141p £941 P N & C Burden; British Blue cross 138p A J Thompson & Sons, 127p £923 High Chimney Farms; Longhorn 131p, 125p, 124p, £957 C R Cook; Aberdeen Angus 135p £1197 RPM Investments; Aberdeen Angus cross 130p, 129p, 127p W S Furnival(Brookland); Red Poll 125p(Non FA) F J Horsnell; Sussex 124p D J Miles, 123p Chandler & Dunn; Simmental 123p £1049 (Non FA) I Milsted.

Little flesh about the dairy culls but rates very similar.

British Friesian 130p, 124p, £920 R & J Ledger; Holstein Friesian 125p £1021 M A & F W Owen, 125p £957 Huddlestone Farmers; Jerseys 92p £540 Hickson Bros.

Stock bulls in demand but require flesh. Simmental £1226, 108p;Aberdeen  Angus £1012, £1007, 107p(2).

Report on trade: A reduced entry of cattle comprising a mix of Continental cross and native bred stores and generally not the quality of recent weeks. However, the sale was well attended and trade competitive throughout with the better bred sorts in the £800 to £1000 bracket, strong stores to feed short term up to £1210 for a British Blue cross steer from S M Mountfort and an Aberdeen Angus cross steer up to £1100 from Mrs J Fuller. The majority of younger sorts ranging in the £400 to £600 bracket.

Principal prices include:                                                                                                                  

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Report on trade: An excellent entry of young rearing calves and a few pens of weaned stirks. Very short of beef crosses and more wanted to satisfy a strong company of buyers from across the region. Buyers for all grades of calves and with a large attendance in the calf section, helped by half – term there was a good atmosphere from start to finish.

Simmental cross bulls £345, £298 R L W Parrett, £315(2) H O Champneys Ltd; Simmental cross heifer £282 H O Champneys Ltd; British Blue cross bulls £322 H O Champneys Ltd, £265 W S Furnival Ltd, £260 D Murdoch & Sons, £258, £245 J E Scutt & Sons, £255 P J Forknall; British Blue cross heifers £282(2) H O Champneys Ltd, £225(2) J E Scutt & Sons, £216 W S Furnival Ltd. Aberdeen Angus cross calves a sharp trade throughout. Bulls £295(2) H O Champneys Ltd, £270 A & W J Hitchcock, £240, £228, £210 A L Betts, £214, £212(2) Kingcott Dairy; heifers £172(3) A & W J Hitchcock, £158 P J Forknall.

Good demand for the rearing Holstein and Ayrshire calves. Generally £40 – £80 there was plenty of buyers and good competition.

Weaned calves wanted. Aberdeen Angus cross bulls £400(3), £360, Aberdeen Angus cross heifers £380, Holstein cross bulls £370 A & W J Hitchcock; Hereford cross steers £382, £370(2), Hereford cross heifers £395(3), £340(3), Limousin cross heifers £405(3) M Gammons

Please keep your entries of calves coming – we have customers for all classes . At our fortnightly sales we expect to have plenty of enquiries for all shapes, sizes and ages of stock. Thank you all for texts and messages with early notice of your entries for forthcoming sales – it does help.

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Report on trade: A very small show of finished pigs and though quality was again mixed all grades sold extremely well. A nice run of good shaped pigs from T Talar 126p and 121p.

Sows and boars sold to £142 (43p) from S J M Evans.

A very ordinary collection of coloured stores sold at moderate levels.

Plenty of interest in a smart sow and litter of 12 piglets which sold for £300.

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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Vehicle Parking on busy market days – Congestion in the bottom / livestock parking area

Please help us to help you. The upper car park on the top side of the market buildings is available for all cars and Land Rovers with trailers.

Notices – Herbert Batchelor

We are sorry to report the recent death of Herbert (Hughie) Batchelor. Hughie was well known in the farming community and his expertise in crop production and character will be remembered for a long time.

A funeral service will be held on Monday 30^th October at 1 pm at AV Saints Church, Church Lane, Boughton Aluph, Ashford. TN25 4EU.

Romney Sheepbreeders news

The Romney Sheep Breeders Annual Dinner is being held at the George Inn, Rye on the Friday 3rd November.  Please contact Julie Lukehurst on 07538 938425 to book your tickets for this increasingly popular event.  Don’t miss out  – book early to avoid disappointment!!

Miscellaneous wanted and Livestock for sale ex farm

For Sale – 15 Pedigree Holstien heifers – freshly calved at 24 to 30mths and cubicle trained from a herd averaging 11,500 ltrs. West Kent. Ring Elwyn on 07710803901

For Sale – 3 Pedigree British Blue bulls at 18 to 30 mths, one black and 2 blue and white – Suffolk – Contact Mark Cleverdon for details – 07748 202688

Wanted – upto 10 pedigree Hereford cows (with calves and/or in calf) for an Essex farmer.

Wanted – Full time Shepherd/farm worker required on a busy forward thinking family farm based in Wittersham, Kent. Over 1000 ewes split into 3 flocks including Pedigree breeding. You will be required to help out in all areas of the business including hay making and other tractor work throughout the year. Must be personable and happy to deal with the general public in our other diversified enterprises. You need to be able to work alone as well as part of a team. Please contact Ed on 07970 913934 or 01797270129.

RABI, FCN and Kent Herdsmans Club News

RABI – Forthcoming events were they will be represented or are promoting include:

Monday 27^th and Tuesday 28^th November – Ashford Cattle Show

Sunday 2^nd December Maidstone Symphony Orchestra charity evening in connection with George Jessel, High Sheriff at Mote Hall, Maidstone Leisure Centre. ME15 7RN

Tuesday 5^th December – Live nativity Carol evening at 6pm in the auction ring at Ashford market

Kent Herdsmans Club

Monday 13th November at 7.30pm – a talk by Caroline Pinchbeck of Canterbury Diocese about her work in the community and with RABI at the Conningbrook Hotel, Canterbury Road, Ashford TN24 9QR

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

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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

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions run over 200 auction sales every year. Our next Auction Sales are ..

Commercial Vehicles

Thursdays 2nd November 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 8^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 10^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 29^th November at 6.30pm

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