Weekly Sales News – 24th September 2019
While the rain is very welcome here in the South East political uncertainty is still affecting trading conditions, lets hope for a resolution soon. Meanwhile huge numbers of stock continue to be traded each week (both on Tuesdays and Fridays). Read on for full reports….
For forthcoming sales information – www.hobbsparker.co.uk/auctioneers/livestock-marketing/forthcoming-sales/
Finished Sheep
1,131 Sold
Top price per head – £82 W G Watkins & Sons: Top price per kilo – 180p – C H Ellis Ltd and J A & P M Playfoot
Report on trade: Another entry around the 1000 mark with a mixed level of quality on offer. The better finished sheep were in demand and sold to a marked premium over the standard level grass finished sheep. Trade nationally is pretty lacklustre and wholesale demand is still on a low with the exchange rate working against the export trade. Top level export lambs sold to 180p from C H Ellis and J A & P M Playfoot with the top honours for the heavier offerings taken all the way through the weight bands by W G Watkins to a top of £82.
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.
| New Season Lambs | ||||
| Kgs | Top Price | Ave Price | Top Vendor | p per kg |
| 36 | 55.00 | 55.08 | S Bell | 153.0 |
| 37 | 66.50 | 59.82 | C H Ellis Ltd | 180.0 |
| 38 | 57.00 | 57.00 | R & T Mariner | 150.0 |
| 39 | 69.50 | 63.95 | C H Ellis Ltd | 178.0 |
| 40 | 72.00 | 65.86 | J A & P M Playfoot & Sons | 180.0 |
| 41 | 71.50 | 66.21 | J R Lilley | 174.0 |
| 42 | 74.00 | 67.16 | C H Ellis Ltd | 176.0 |
| 43 | 75.00 | 69.63 | C H Ellis Ltd | 174.0 |
| 44 | 72.00 | 68.38 | J Hooker | 164.0 |
| 45 | 72.50 | 68.26 | Wanstall Farms | 161.0 |
| 46 | 78.50 | 72.91 | W G Watkins & Sons | 171.0 |
| 47 | 82.00 | 81.78 | W G Watkins & Sons | 174.0 |
| New Season Lambs – pence per kg | ||||||
| Weight Range | Number | Top | Bottom | Average | National Av | |
| Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs | 100 | 180.0 | 108.0 | 161.8 | 169.2 | |
| Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs | 782 | 180.0 | 95.0 | 161.2 | 168.2 | |
| Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs | 103 | 174.0 | 144.0 | 158.2 | 158.9 | |
| Other over 52 kgs | 1 | 130.0 | 130.0 | 130.0 | 146.9 | |
Cull Ewes and Rams
1,113 sold
Report on trade: Over 1,000 penned this week and again a huge number of lean ewes on offer finding homes with the grazing men at a price level from £20-45. Best meated sorts still approaching the £80 mark but with very few of these on offer, it is hard to really report on the trade for them.
Top prices included crossbred ewes to £83 from J Hooker, continental ewes to £81 from C A Worley Farming Ltd and Romneys to £57 from A J Grantham.
Store and Breeding Sheep
0 Sold
Sock Lambs
0 Sold
Finished Cattle
46 Sold
Report on trade: A shortage of quality cattle and the best available topped at £1023 (190p per kg) for a smart British Blue cross heifer from W Alexander (Shoreham) while a run of very decent Limousin cross heifers ranged between 170p to 187p and grossed up to £1023 from W S Furnival (Brookland). Other top prices included a Limousin cross steer at £1059 (180p) from R G Wood and a Limousin cross heifer at £908 (186p) from A J Thompson & Sons.
The poorer quality second and third rate cattle and leaner sorts proved difficult to sell with the majority selling from 150p to 165p.
A small entry of native bred cattle saw an Aberdeen Angus cross steer topping at £966 (170p) from J A & P M Playfoot & Sons and heavyweight Friesian steers to £936 (127p) from E T Ledger & Son Ltd.
| Finished cattle averages – pence per kg | ||||
| Classification | No | Top | Bottom | Average |
| Heavy bulls (over 650kg) | 1 | 99.5 | 99.5 | 99.5 |
| Light steers (370 – 550kg) | 1 | 153.5 | 153.5 | 153.5 |
| Medium steers (551 – 650 kg) | 10 | 179.5 | 148.5 | 162.7 |
| Heavy steers (over 650kg) | 1 | 151.5 | 151.5 | 151.5 |
| Light heifers (330 – 500 kg) | 5 | 185.5 | 127.5 | 164.5 |
| Medium heifers (501 – 590kg) | 14 | 189.5 | 154.5 | 176.2 |
| Heavy heifers (over 590kg) | 2 | 163.5 | 141.5 | 152.5 |
| Leading steer prices | ||||
| Producer | Weight | Age and breed | P per kg | Gross £ |
| R G Wood | 590 | 18 mths Limousin | 180.0 | 1062 |
| R G Wood | 570 | 20 mths Parthenaise | 178.0 | 1015 |
| R G Wood | 565 | 20 mths Parthenaise | 176.0 | 994 |
| J A & P M Playfoot & Sons Ltd | 570 | 30 mths Aberdeen Angus | 170.0 | 969 |
| H G Tompsett & Sons | 615 | 26 mths Sussex | 158.0 | 972 |
| Leading heifer prices | ||||
| W Alexander (Shoreham) | 540 | 21 mths British Blue | 190.0 | 1026 |
| W S Furnival (Brookland) | 535 | 19 mths Limousin | 187.0 | 1000 |
| W S Fuenival (Brookland | 514 | 19 mths Limousin | 187.0 | 961 |
| A J Thompson & Sons | 490 | 17 mths Limousin | 186.0 | 911 |
| W S Furnival (Brookland) | 510 | 18 mths Limousin | 186.0 | 949 |
Cull Cows and Bulls
71 Sold
Report on trade: Decent numbers once again and trade holding at similar rates with the best shaped and fleshed beef cows perhaps a little stronger. The weather has not really changed yet but with housing and scanning around the corner sooner rather than later attention to culls would be advised. The country has, fortunately, plenty of forage but all cattle sectors are short of confidence and marginal and non-performers ought to go!
Some very best continental beef cows 130-150p per kg with meat in demand and plenty over 100p. Smaller older cows were harder work by comparison but tidy keeping types certainly wanted.
Beef highlights – Limousin cross 147p £1253 MB Farms; 144p, 134p, 130p £911 (Non FA) J Windibank; and 126p £753 (Non FA) J A Cox; British Blue cross 130p £958 MB Farms; Simmental cross 124p, 118p £1069, £976 (Non FA) J E Wickens and Beef Shorthorn cross 116p (Non FA) Ms E Wood.
Dairy culls a very similar trade overall but fewer best meat cows forward and certainly more aged and leaner types. Good meat 100-115p; lean meat 75-95p and plain 50-70p.
Holstein Friesian 113p, 107p (2), 106p, 105p(2) and £1000, £851, £836, £830, £825 R C & J L Pickering; 106p(2), 104p, 102p £886, £817 Appleton Farms and 104p £890 P J Forknall.
| Cull cattle section – pence per kg | ||||
| Classification | No | Top | Bottom | Average |
| Beef cows | 24 | 146.5 | 17.5 | 91.2 |
| Dairy cows | 47 | 112.5 | 45.5 | 85.6 |
Store Cattle
327 Sold
Report on trade: This was a similar trade with several customers and competitive bidding for the best stronger cattle on offer. Second quality and plainer younger sorts are proving more difficult to sell and generally reflecting the depressed returns in the finished market.
The majority of the entry comprised reasonably strong dairy bred stores and these sold relatively well from £880 to £1000. A pen of 6 mths single suckled Charolais cross steers sold at £560 from M J Goodsell.
Younger cattle and poorly bred sorts generally sold from £300 to £600.
| Principal prices included: | ||
| 6 mths Charolais cross steers | £560 | M J Goodsell |
| 18 mths Limousin x Friesian steers | £940 | A J Down |
| 18 mths British Blue x Friesian steers | £900 | A J Down |
| 18 mths Limousin cross steers | £970 | H G Tompsett & Son Ltd |
| 20 mths British Blue x Friesian steers | £890 | K E Budd |
| 20 mths Limousin cross heifers | £900 | R A Wade |
| 22 mths British Blue x Friesian heifers | £790 | Hall Place Farms |
| 24 mths Simmental x Friesian steers | £885 | P R Lanham |
| 24 mths British Blue x Friesian steers | £875 | T Carr |
| 24 mths British Blue x Friesian heifers | £800 | T Carr |
| 24 mths Continental cross heifers | £1010 | Langrish Farmers |
| 12 mths Aberdeen Angus cross steers | £750 | Valley Park School YFC |
| 18 mths Aberdeen Angus cross steers | £815 | G S W Squire |
| 18 mths Aberdeen Angus cross steers | £915 | R & H Vincent |
| 18 mths Aberdeen Angus cross steers | £885 | Reps of J Rye |
| 22 mths Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers | £860 | Hall Place Farms |
| 24 mths Aberdeen Angus x Friesian heifers | £795 | T Carr |
| 30 mths Aberdeen Angus cross steers | £875 | B W C Brooks |
Breeding Cattle
3 Females Sold
Report on trade: J A Cox sold his last breeding cattle today and pedigree Limousin cows with young calves made to £900 and a similar British Blue cross cow and calf made the same money
Pedigree Sussex bulls and females plus other breeding stock will be offered on Tuesday 8th October. Further entries for this day are still welcome
Calves
0 Sold
Store and Finished Pigs
0 Sold
General information
RABI, Young Farmers Clubs, 91 Club, Kent Herdsmans Club and FCN news
RABI – copies of a summer newsletter are available here in the market.
Saturday 5th October – Harvest Supper in the Amos Hall, Ashford Market. 6.30pm for 7pm
For further information on all RABI events in Kent ring Charles Tassell – 01622 858733, 07973 412179 or email charles@tassell.co.uk
Kent Herdsmans Club.
Monday 14th October 2019 at 7.30pm – a talk by David Potter about his life in farming, at the Conningbrook Hotel, Canterbury Road, Ashford TN24 9QR
For all details on Herdsman’s Club events please contact Chairman Alan Jull 07708283220 or Jo Masters 01580 240568.
Ashford Young Farmers – copies of their August / September newsletter are available here in the market.
For all details on Ashford Young Farmers please contact Amy Langdon at amy.langdon1234@hotmail.co.uk
Tonbridge Young Farmers – Debbie Broad is keen to reopen this club.
For all details of plans please contact the Broads through Debbie’s Facebook page
South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines
The September edition of this popular regional farming magazine is now available here in the market. Hobbs Parker are regular contributors to the editorial content.
In addition our Property Consultants Outlook for Autumn 2019, is included with this months publication and again are available hare in the market.
Forthcoming store and breeding sheep sales
Friday 4th October
Store lambs, breeding sheep and catalogued ram sale
See full details earlier in this bulletin
Friday 11th October
Store lambs and breeding sheep
Friday 18th October
Store lambs and breeding sheep
Friday 1st November
Store lambs and breeding sheep
Friday 22nd November
Store lambs and breeding sheep
Friday 13th December
Store lambs and breeding sheep
All sales commence at 11am with ram sales at 10am
Livestock entry forms, FCI declarations and movement licences
It is essential that these forms are fully completed for every consignment of stock brought to the market. Please help us to provide you with the high level of service you expect from us by getting this right.
It is a legal requirement that entry form and food chain declarations are competed correctly.
We regularly notice that the information is missing from forms. Please can you ensure that all information is completed in future.
It would be very useful to market staff and thereby help with the speed of processing your stock, if a few further simple rules were followed on entry forms particularly for larger entries.
- Steers and heifers are listed separately.
- Passports are presented in numerical order.
- Breeds are listed separately – for example Aberdeen Angus away from Limousin
Romney Sheepbreeders News
Friday 15th November – Romney Sheep Breeders Dinner at The Swan, Chapel Down Vineyard, Tenterden. TN30 7NG at 7pm for 7.30. £39.50 per ticket. Places are limited.
The recent edition of the breeders Society newsletter, produced by breed secretary Julie Lukehurst, is available here in the market. For all society information Julie can be contacted on 07538 938425
Notices – John Rye, Wittersham
Family and friends have asked to advise that John sadly passed away on Friday 6th September. John, a livestock farmer on Romney Marsh and Wittersham all his life and one of the markets most regular attenders, will be missed by all who met and knew him.
A service will be held at Charing Crematorium on Wednesday 2nd October at 12 noon.
Summer events / meetings in the area of interest to farmers
East Sussex Ploughing Match – Saturday 28th September – Broad Farm, Hellingly, East Sussex by kind permission of Richard Mortimore-Lee. For more information www.espms.co.uk or 07752 247469
RABI and FCN would like to invite you to a County Harvest Thanksgiving on Sunday 6th October at Ashford Cattle Market at 17.30 in support of RABI and FCN, followed by a reception. For more information please contact Karen Adams at kadams@diocant.org
Miscellaneous livestock and general goods and services for sale and wanted ex farm
For Sale – Border Collie puppies from excellent working parents. 3 Boys, tri coloured and black/white – Call Holly on 07850524206
Livestock for sale by private treaty – ex farm
For Sale – 2 pedigree polled Hereford bulls, 17 mths on a West Kent farm.
For Sale – 15 Aberdeen Angus x Friesian heifers, 20-24 mths on a West Sussex farm
Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions
run over 200 auction sales every year
Our next Auction Sales are ……
Commercial Vehicles
Thursday 3rd, 17th and 31st October at 3.00pm
A wide selection of up to 40 vehicles are generally offered in these sales
Classic Car Auction
Friday 25th October at 12pm
A wide selection of Vintage and Classic Motorbikes, Campervans, Sports Cars, Commercials and other vehicles are generally offered in these sales
Model Railway, Collectable and Toy Auction
Friday 25th October
Featuring a large collection of Hornby, Triang and other model trains memorabilia, books, etc
Special 4 x 4, Diesel and MPV Vehicle sale
Wednesday 6th 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 8th 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 27th November at 5pm
This auction of cars will include a special sale sports and high performance cars with the normal car auction to follow
Ashford Cattle Show
Monday and Tuesday 25th and 26th November
Competition schedules are now available