Weekly Sales News – 25th September 2018

Top price per head – £94 – A C Hulme & Sons; Top price per kilo – 200p – D C Foy

Report on trade: A small entry of lambs on offer this week with numbers of finished sheep beginning to run tight in the South East as a number of larger finishers have now come to the end of their 2018 lamb crop. The second phase of the finished lambs that have predominantly been finished on grass are not coming forward in the number we would usually expect and with store numbers on the rise, it is clear to see why.

This shortage of numbers certainly helped the prices for the best lambs on offer with a run of well fed lambs from A C Hulme and Sons selling to £94. Best continental sorts from D C Foy sold to 200p per kg for some smart 39kg Beltex crosses. Market average was returned at 174p which was a little down on last week but the quality on offer was certainly not the same level as we have seen in recent weeks either.

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: An average number of ewes on offer this week with a large number of leaner types forward again as has been the case for several weeks now. These ewes are finding homes with the grazing men but prices have certainly been adversely affected by the large numbers on offer. Best meated ewes are selling in the region of £65-75 with the majority of the grazers trading between £30-50.

Top prices included crossbred ewes to £74 from T Grinstead, Charollais ewes to £70 from D Morphett, Suffolk crosses to £70 from T R Kirk and Romneys to £61.50 from Horne & Son.

Report on trade: The largest entry of finished cattle for some time met a fair trade with 10 individual successful buyers ensuring competitive prices for the range of quality on offer. The best handy weight fed cattle attracted prices in excess of 205p and up to £1139 (212p) for a Limousin cross heifer and £1234 (208p) for a Charolais cross heifer closely followed by a Limousin cross steer at £1243 (204p) all from W Alexander (Shoreham). More commercial sorts made 185p to 195p notably £1223 (195p) for a Limousin cross heifer from R F & E A Simmons and £1100 (197p) for a British Blue x Friesian steer from A J Down. Several runs of grass fed cattle were on offer with the best making 185p plus and up to £1144 (207p) for a smart Simmental cross heifer from Langrish Farmers while Limousin cross steers looked well sold up to £1261 (186p) from H G Tompsett & Sons Ltd.

Several native bred cattle were penned with Aberdeen Angus crosses taking the pick of the trade with heifers at £1150 (206p) from A & S Woodford & Sons, £1044 (187p) from Dan Mackelden Ltd and £1023 (186p) from K E Budd.

Over 30 months cattle made up to £988 (160p) for a purebred Sussex heifer from S Newman.

Report on trade: This week saw similar numbers overall but there was a very different complexion to the entry with just the one farm assured Friesian cow forward. Some very good fed beef cows met a first class trade but there were certainly more aged, non assured, culls from

Report on trade: No major downturns but it is clear that we are in the autumn spell of marketing and more cows of all conditions are coming forward across the country from both beef and dairy sectors. The plainer cows, except for those with a feeding future, will ease more as abattoirs struggle against costs of boning against yield. The well fleshed cows will continue at strong rates with demand for processing beef certain to remain firm. Trade today found prices slightly easier but plenty of customers around the ring competing strongly for all but the oldest, plainest and fullest.

An outstanding British Blue x Limousin from MB Farms grossed £1419 (158p) and  Holstein Friesians sold to £1123 from J Leggat & Son. Aberdeen Angus cross young cows made 188p, 178p and grossed to £984 from G R Edgar & Son and 131p £848 D J Miles; British Blue crosses 158p £1419 MB Farms and 133p, 129p, 128p, £947 D J Miles; Hereford cross 142p £1032 T Roberts & Son; Sussex 136p, 130p, 128p, £860 C D & J Bishop and 133p,  131p, £829 J C & C Lewis with a South Devon 126p H & S Nesfield.

Holstein Friesians 137p, 131p Goddard & Son; 127p, 126p, £1123 J Leggat & Son; 127p, 123p, 120p(2), 119p(2), £1095 Appleton Farms and 124p £1024 P J Forknall.

A Hereford stock bull made £1231 and 110p but lean bulls were less money.

the beef sector. Feeders were still active but more selective looking for the younger better types carrying some flesh to set them on their way.

Trade is still very good for the time of the year and highlights included Limousin crosses 148p and £1003 from R M & J Penny (Non FA); Simmental cross 146p, 145p, £1192, £1096 C & J Georgetti & Sons; 146p, 145p, £966 W J Hurley and 138p, £1030 G Hosmer & Son (Non FA); Aberdeen Angus cross 137p, 133 (2), 128p, £1092 W S Furnival (Brookland) and 122p, £1033 R Carr Ptns (Non FA); British Blue 143p, £1076 W S Furnival (Brookland) and 122p J Wickens (Non FA) and Dexter 106p, £371 P Goddard.

Holstein steers made 147p (2), 143p, 142p, 140p, 139p and grossed £1078, £1053, £1045, £1013 from E T Ledger & Son; Holstein cow, lean 116p; Holstein cow (Non FA) 119p £876 and Jerseys to 87p, £397 S E Lane & Ptns

Report on trade: We can report a very similar trade to last week with quality cattle of all ages holding their value while second and third quality sorts are more difficult to sell. The summer drought has not only impacted on the condition of cattle this autumn and has also caused fodder shortage and increased costs of winter feed which is having some influence on the current trade.

Quality however continues to sell with a superb run of Bazadaise x British Blues at 6 to 7 mths selling exceptionally well with steers to £840 and heifers to £700 from B W Carr Farms and strong cattle to feed short term making £900 plus and up to £1210 for a top quality Limousin cross steer from P N & C Burden.

Please enter cattle early for forthcoming sales to ensure proper cataloguing and marketing.

On day of sale please ensure cattle arrive at the market early to ensure proper sorting and accurate administration of paperwork.

Principal prices include:  

Report on trade: A terrific day in the breeding cattle ring with the dispersal of the suckler herd from T Roberts and Son, Luddesdown together with other good batches of in calf cows and cows and calves. We saw a good trade throughout with a positive feel from purchasers despite the overall fodder situation. Age and condition were obviously the critical factors particularly at this time of year but even the older cows, in tidy order and back in calf, met a good trade.

The Luddesdown cattle were generally a Beef Shorthorn x Simmental mix which stood up well to an outwintered, organic regime and with/or in calf to a Hereford. Cows and calves peaked at £1130 with many made £800 to £1000. The in calvers of varying ages made £600 to £1100.

A run of British Blue x Friesian cows, in calf 3-4 months, to a Limousin from B W Carr Farms, East Sussex sold to £1070 with 21 averaging £956. Young heifers with young calves made around £600 from P Tassell.

A Limousin bull bn 2013 £1140; Beef Shorthorn bull 16mths £880 and a Charolais bull 24mths £880.

Report on trade: A quiet sale saw principally dairy bulls offered and prices eased a little from levels we have seen in recent sales.

Beef crosses offered included a British Blue bull at  £200 (late August born) from J Warnock & Son. The dairy bulls made to £110 for A British Friesian bull (early August born) from P J Forknall and £74 for a Holstien from W S Furnival Ltd of a similar age. The rest traded at between £6 and £70.

In the stirk (reared calf) pens a beef croos Simmental heifer made £300 and Hereford x Friesian bulls from M Gammons made to £400

Remember we sell calves once a fortnight all through the year and have regular customers for all breeds and sexes.

Report on trade: A large entry of finished and cull pigs met a far more reluctant band of buyers than we have seen for many months and prices suffered accordingly..

A large show of finished pigs included a consignment of 31 73 to 90kg pigs from S Scott & Son making to 121p per kg and £108. The remainder of the pigs offered mainly made 40 to 90p.

Sows and Boars saw again a large entry and not nearly as good a trade as in recent sales. The best fleshed heavy sows made 34 to 37p with others 30 to 33p. A very heavy boar 20p grossing £94

Store Pigs were in short supply and the trade the one bright spot on the day. Young white pigs made £27 and forward feeders £52.

For up to date information on all livestock sales please contact

Elwyn Davies (Cattle & Sheep) 07710 803901 or 01233 861263

Peter Kingwill (Cattle & Sheep) 07795 200357

Martin Crowhurst (Cattle & Sheep) 07710 803903 or 01797 343936

Simon Husk (Cattle & Sheep) 07885 968077 or 01304 842393

Mark Cleverdon (Rams, Breeding Cattle, Pigs & Calves) 07741 845230

John Rossiter (Sheep, Machinery plus commercial vehicles) 07557 392903

Hobbs Parker and Ashford Livestock Market

We are the South East’s principal livestock market selling around 250,000 head of cattle, sheep and pigs in 2017.

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

Fodder Crop for sale and / wanted

For sale – 400 round overyeared bales of hay on a south Sussex farm. Ring 07973 418654

For sale – Large quantity of maize silage available in the Cranbrook area, excellent analyse and quick loading. Please ring 07860623196/01580 240479.

For sale – 50 2018 and 40 2017 season wrapped 4’ round bales of hayledge in West Sussex. Ring 07718 532971

RABI, Young Farmers Clubs and Kent Herdsmans Club news

Kent Herdsmans Club

Monday 8th October at 7.30pm – a talk by Stephen Skinner about his life in farming and other pursuits, 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.

For further information on all RABI events in Kent ring Charles Tassell – 01622 858733, 07973 412179 or email charles@tassell.co.uk

Ashford Cattle Show

Monday and Tuesday 27^th and 28^th November

Competition schedules are now available

Something different ……

Saturday 29^th September – East Sussex Ploughing Match – Church Farm, Guestling, East Sussex TN35 4HS by kind permission of P Elliot and the Bellhouse family. For more information www.espms.co.uk or 07752 247469

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

Our next Auction Sales include……..

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 a large selection of miscellaneous items.

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

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

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers – the team and their responsibilities.

For all office enquiries on livestock and auction sales please ring 01233 502222.

Elwyn Davies (07710 803901) – Managing director, cattle & sheep auctioneer and machinery sales.

Peter Kingwill (07795 200357) – Director, cattle auctioneer and machinery sales.

Lynsey Kendall – Director and accounts.

Mark Cleverdon (07741 845230) – Calf, pig, ram and breeding cattle auctioneer and auction sales entries and administration.

John Rossiter (07557 392903) – Sheep, machinery and commercial vehicle auctioneer

Simon Husk (07885 968077) – Livestock marketing and field services

Martin Crowhurst (07710 803903) – Livestock marketing and field services

Thomas Hamplett – Trainee Auctioneer

Hayley Andrews and Sue Marshall – Auction sales administration