Weekly Sales News – 25th January 2022

Top price per kilo – 313p – D C Foy: Top price per head – £139.00 – Black Robin Farm Partnership

Report on trade: A bigger entry of Hoggs on offer today, with over 2000 penned and another very pleasing trade for all on offer with the smaller and lighter lambs selling from £2.70-£3 kg which is certainly underpinned by the very strong demand for the store hoggets that we have seen in recent weeks. The heavier sheep were not quite so buoyant this week as there was more on offer today at Ashford and nationally on Monday but still the best end of these were sold in excess of £130 hd to a top price of £139 form Black Robin Farm Partnership, with H & J Noakes and S Wickens selling at £136 and £134 respectively.

At this time of year, it is very much appreciated if you can let us know what you plan to send, with lairage facilities available form 3-6pm on Monday afternoons.

Auctioneer: James Cook O’Connell

 Top Price Ewe: £134 from P Pierson

Top Price Ram: £197 from S Husk

Report on trade: Good numbers continue to come forward and yet another fantastic trade for the best fleshed ewes. Overall, the entry was more mixed but customers strong for all grades. Numbers are short nationally and with scanning percentages higher and numbers of empties considerably lower this may continue to influence the numbers we will be seeing. Highlights to mention: – Charollais P Pierson £134, Suffolk cross T Masters to £133, Texel S Husk to £125, Beltex N C & C Hedges to £118 and Romney cross S J Reeve & Son to £102. We are now seeing a lot more of the leaner sorts going to kill with the majority ranging from £60-£90.

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Store Hoggets – 667 sold

Report on trade: Fewer on offer this week but the trade was just as strong with the entry of 600 plus stores averaging £95 hd. Several pens over £100 to a top price of £113.50 from T Masters with Ross Farms and J H & A H Godden also selling at over £110. Only the most long-term types were sold under £80.

Breeding ewes – 96 sold

Report on trade: Our first show of quality in-lamb ewes today from Money Tree Farms, Hinxhill. Tremendous interest for these mainly 2 & 3 lamb Mules in lamb to a Charollais cross Texel ram. Scanned at over 200% and due March these topped at £196 for the best Mules with the whole run averaging £166.

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Report on trade: Increased numbers this week and a stronger trade overall when considering that there were very few of the best forward this week. In fact, a very good show of thick fed cattle with weight together with a run of lean good shaped medium weights best suited to further feeding.

Top price a smart mediumweight Limousin steer from A J Thompson & Sons at 249p per kg but perhaps best on the day were two quality Sussex steers from L Stevens & Sons selling to 243p and 240p grossing up to £1421. Dairy bred Limousin steers from A J Down sold to 227p per kg grossing up to £1453. Top grossing steers from K & P M Sinden with Sussex cross and Blue cross to £1494 and £1498 respectively. British Friesian steers from B J Goodsell & Son to 189p per kg £1181 and Angus to 238p £1437 from Gallagher Farms.

Short of the very best heifers today but a good selection of well fleshed types. Limousin cross from R F & E A Simmons to 255p per kg (£1412) whilst an excellent dairy bred Limousin cross Friesian from A J Down sold to 242p (£1398).

Smart feeders from A J Thompson & Sons sold to 257p and 250p per kg (£1272, £1257). Angus cross and Hereford cross heifers from D W Ferguson Ltd well sold to 237p thrice with gross returns up over £1400 on three occasions. Secondary types if well fleshed look well sold at around or above 200p per kg.

Three well fed young bulls forward today and well sold. Smart shaped Blonde from G L Boulden & Sons to 215p £1341.

Average prices

Steers up to 550kg                                5                           249 to 187 Av 227.4p

Steers 551 to 650kg                            10                           243 to 188 Av 222.4p

Steers over 651+                                   7                           217 to 205 Av 210.4

Heifers up to 550 kg                              4                           257 to 218 Av 235p

Heifers 551 to 590 kg                          10                           255 to 199 Av 230.5p

Heifers 591+                                           4                           237 to 216 Av 228.4p

Report on trade: Another outstanding trade and very decent numbers continue to come forward. All rates dearer this week but perhaps the talk of the trade is now for the grazing cows which, with three dry weeks helping to dry the ground, saw more customers than ever trying to secure early numbers. If you have those longer-term empty cows, then they must be sold live and in the coming weeks.

Nothing outstanding amongst the meat cows but readily 140p – 170p per kg with those younger under 72 mths types finding an outstanding trade. Feeding cows remain on fire with the best able to get to 200p per kg and the grazing cows outstanding with a good run of outdoor Sussex cows from West Court Farm selling to 174p per kg and regularly 140p – 170p per kg for all ages.

Sussex 174p 168p 164p 148p (2) £1128 £1119 £1010 West Court Farm, 167p £1124 (Non FA) A B Jones & Ptnrs, 162p 158p £985 D A Innes, 157p 151p 150p £1106 £1080 £1008 The Montreal Estate, 148p £1075 D T Marden, 147p 138p £1031 H W Richards; Limousin cross 169p £1303 R F & E A Simmons, 165p £1226 D W Ferguson Ltd; Simmental cross 154p 152p £1236 £1076 C & J Georgetti & Sons; South Devon 146p £1280 Gardners, 138p £1134 J S Tilley; Aberdeen Angus cross 144p £1054 S Marsh, 139p £1046 (Non FA) J C & P C Dallaway; Beef Shorthorn 140p £1032 (Non FA) H Harmer; Hereford 140p £1179 Southwood Farm.

A larger show from the dairy sector with again the majority strong steakers rather than heavy meat cows. All grades dearer with strong competition. Better fleshed cows up over 130p with a few younger types to 150p per kg. Very little under 100p.

Holstein Friesian 150p 128p 127p 126p £1091 £1039 Appleton Farms, 138p 134p 132p 126p 124p £1135 £1057 £1032 £1013 W G & T A Manford, 135p £1083 M A & F W Owen, 133p 125p 124p £961 R C & J L Pickering, 130p 127p £1018 P J Forknall; Norwegian Red to 126p £904 P W Westnedge & Knight; Guernsey to 116p £912 W G & T A Manford; Dexter 80p £366 (Non-FA) A Laver.

Stock bulls a good trade for a fairly lean offering. Limousin to 130p £1140, 126p £1054, 118p £1320; Sussex at 92p £1010; Holstein UTM bull 150p £1032.

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Report on trade: Plenty of interest but numbers still quiet. A good, catalogued sale planned for 8^th February. Encouraging weather is delivering purchasers interest and numbers are wanted.

Sussex bull 20 mths to £770; Good hard outwintered Limousin cross heifers t £880 from Kent College; Lean Charolais cross heifer 34 mths to £1090, Aberdeen Angus cross steer 21 mths £930 F Tapley & Sons; Simmental cross heifer 11-12 mths £800, £655 Southwood Farms.

Report on trade: The picture is still bleak in the pig sector – unsustainable is the word to describe pig production in this country ( and for that matter across the whole of Europe) at current price levels and also feed costs. One interesting comment from our expert / pundit “The Chinese have regained a position where they can be self-sufficient in pig meat supply shutting the door to large scale exports from either Europe or ourselves”. Again we can report prices for Ashford producers were in line with other markets and deadweight spot market quotes.

Trade in the pens for finished pigs was roughly “stand on” with 60p to 92p per kg available for the majority of pigs sold. D J Pope 92p, N Dance and P J & P B Wade 80p with D J Pope topping the gross figures at £81.65. Our live trade stands up just.!!

The cull trade continues to be very difficult with deadweight quotes still easing back. A few more are coming forward, not many are gambling on feeding through this prolonged crisis. The figures below tell the story.

Store pigs saw 1 pen of young shapely growers make £31 from K Perkins with smaller and not so well bred £1 to £7.

Cattle Producers, Please Note – Revised Advice Inconclusive Reactors

All IRs from high risk or edge areas that have had a negative (clear) result on retesting remain restricted on their holding for the rest of their life and can only move direct to slaughter or an approved finishing unit (AFU).

In a low-risk area if there has been a TB breakdown (i.e., with reactors) then again, any IRs that subsequently have a negative test are still only allowed to go direct to slaughter or an AFU, however if only IRs are identified in a low-risk area herd test then no movement restrictions are placed on those animals if they subsequently retest negative (clear).

Should any low-risk area producer have any doubts, about the position please do not hesitate to contact Peter Kingwill.

Cattle Passports

We remind producers that on no occasion should the details on a cattle passport be changed other than by returning it to BCMS.

If details are incorrect return and advise BCMS, or advice the auctioneers on market day without writing on the passport.

Notices – Tom Hope Snr, Egerton

Family and friends have asked us to report that Tom sadly passed away in hospital on 25^th January after a very short illness. Tom, a true countryman, had until very shortly before his illness been an active farmer, feeding sheep every morning. He was a lifelong supporter of this market and friend to many who attend.

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

The January edition of this popular regional farming magazine is now available here in the market. Hobbs Parker is a regular contributor to the editorial content.

Romney Sheep Breeders News

The RSBS has an upcoming vacancy for a secretary to manage day to day society matters, oversight of flock book, communications, and liaison with members.
Up to 15 hours duties a month. commencement January 2022. Rates and full list of duties to be advised upon request.

Vacancy also for a part time Treasurer
The RSBS has an upcoming vacancy for a treasurer to manage day to day society accounts and bookkeeping. Up to 5 hours a month is anticipated. Commencement January 2022. Rates and full list of duties to be advised upon request.

All enquiries for either of these positions should be made to the RSBS Chairman on 07973326160.

Hay and Straw register

For a small charge we are quite happy to advertise your hay, straw, and fodder for sale in this register which will now run until early May for further details please ring our auctioneers office on 01233 502222.

For Sale – Freshly dug fodder beet available in large quantities in the Ashford area. Can be delivered. Ring 07764 273798

For Sale – 3,000 conventional wheat straw bales from the Ashford area. 07876273254

For Sale – Conventional baled and 4 string big bales meadow hay on a farm in the Ashford area. Can be delivered. Ring Michael on 07715651766 or 01233 820261

For Sale – large quantities of hay, hayledge and straw in the Ashford area. Ring 07707 879642

For Sale – large quantities of top-notch feed and bedding – Round bale naked hay, Round bale wrapped haylage, Mini Hesston bales naked hay, Round bale wrapped silage, Round bale naked wheat straw, Round bale naked barley straw, Round bale naked oat straw, Whole Wheat and barley in crane bags, Logs of all varieties, shapes, sizes and prices.

All from our own Red Tractor certified farms (with full field traceability) and keenly priced ex farm or delivered locally or nationwide. Richard Barnes (Farms) Ltd, Etchingham, TN19 7AZ.

01580 819000, 07768 771933

For Sale – Second quality conventional baled meadow hay clean and thistle free, genuine enquiries only please, from a farm around the Tenterden area 07805847071.