Weekly Sales News – 26th February 2019

Top price per kilo – 230p – J A Cox: Top price per head – £95 – Homewood School

Report on trade: Another good sized entry of well finished sheep on offer this week with over 2500 penned. The trend of last week continued with the lighter weighted sheep prices rising up to meet the price of the heavier offerings which were slightly easier on the day. Many of these sheep in the 36-44kg price band were sold in excess of 200p per kg up to 230p for some very smart Beltex lambs from J A Cox. Many heavier lambs are now coming onto the market nationally off the arable fields and causing a little ease in their price as many are above the desirable weight bracket. Top end of the quality heavies were sold in excess of £90 with good quality runs from J Wayman, Ben Foy Ltd, R & S Payton Farms and P Gorringe.

Dagging service is available on all Monday afternoons, please advise us of the number you wish to send.

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: Trade at a similar level with a few less ewes on offer this week. Values are pretty standard across the country at the moment for all grades of ewes with big numbers on offer due to scanned empties coming to the marketplace. Best meated sorts made in excess of £80 with grazing ewes selling from £35-50.

Top prices included continental ewes to £93 from L Johns, Charollais to £82 from L Andreozzi, Suffolks to £68 from G H Dean & Co and Romneys to £60 from L F Crisford & Sons.

Report on trade: A better quality show of store hoggets met an improved trade on the week with any strength attracting prices in excess of £70 and up to £76 for Suffolk crosses from T Crick and Texel crosses up to £75 from J Hudson, Only very small long term sorts below £60.

Averages 416 sold to £76 and aver’ £58.06.

Report on trade: Again quality was in short supply and those available readily made in excess of 205p per kg while the majority of commercial sorts made 175p to 190p. Smart  handy weight continental cross heifers took the pick of the trade notably a British Blue cross heifer topping at £1003 (214p) from S Marsh and Limousin cross heifer to £1136 (213p) from W Alexander (Shoreham). Best cattle with weight made around 190p with a Limousin cross steer at £1221 (196p) again from W Alexander (Shoreham) and Blonde cross steer £1212 (190p) from G L Boulden & Sons.

A good trade for the few native bred cattle on offer with Sussex steer £1149 (192p) and £1131 (189p) from Gillshaw Farms Ltd and OTM up to £1097 (168p) from the same vendor.

Report on trade: Another very good entry of cull cows and bulls came forward today with a good mixture of beef and dairy bred stock offered. Trade was again strong and competitive with a particularly keen trade for the fleshed assured meat cows and best feeders. Demand for good stock bulls was also very strong.

Again no purebred continental cows to really ring the bell but plenty of good cows 120-140p per kg and grossing up over £1000. These included Aberdeen Angus crosses to 140p and £1043 (Non FA) from V & C Smith and 121p, 116p Horne & Son; Limousin cross 137p £915 (Non FA) Westlands School; 128p, 127p £893 (Non FA) W F Kirk and 123p £962 (Non FA) I G Pilcher; British Blue cross 136p (Non FA) I Hobden, 128p A Boyd & Co and 126p Gardners; Simmental cross 135p W Hurley; South Devon 128p £988 H & S Nesfield, 123p (Non FA) Westlands School and 121p £946 Gardners with Sussex 120p Beaute Agri.

Best of the dairy culls made up over 120p with plenty 110-120p while lean steakers 70-90p with a few of the very leanest or lightest 50-70p. British Friesian 129p, 124p, 122p, 120p(2), 119p(2) £930 Debden Court and 122p, 121p, 118p, 116p, 115p £1027, £987, £970, £942 R & J Ledger; Holstein Friesian 119p £1108 M S Clifford-Baynes, 116p, 114p, 113p J S & M D Antrum & Son and 115p WF Farms with Jersey 91p, 90p £506 S E Lane & Ptnrs.

Good bulls with flesh and shape a tremendous trade including a Black Limousin 157p £1596; Charolais 128p £1205; Limousin 120p £1165; Simmental 107p £1001and Aberdeen Angus 89p £1070.

Please do not hesitate to ring at anytime for marketing advice.                          

Report on trade: Another small entry but no shortage of potential customers at ringside and trade was competitive throughout for all grades and breeds of stores on offer.

A pen of 24 mths Simmental cross steers topped the market at £1090 from G Gregory while 18 mths Aberdeen Angus cross steers looked well sold at £935 from P & G & J Carden. The best of the younger cattle on offer sold at £745 for 8-10 mths Charolais cross steers from M Palmer.

Many more cattle to be sold over the coming weeks. Please contact with forthcoming entries to ensure orderly marketing and cataloguing.

Events / Meetings in the area of interest to farmers

Farm Expo, organised by the Kent County Agricultural Society, will have its inaugural event in 2019 and will focus on machinery, supplies, and services for the agricultural industry. The event will showcase major national and international providers of farming machinery and services and will host seminars on the industry’s trending topics. With Farm Expo taking place three weeks before the UK leaves the European Union, the key note speaker will be discussing the future of farms, farming and rural enterprises in Britain.

Chairman of the Kent County Agricultural Society, Kevin Attwood, said: ‘as a charity, the Society is committed to education and development in farming and agriculture. Farm Expo is an important event for us to hold in order to best support the local farming community. It will ensure that the latest developments in farming machinery and services, and the industry at large, are available for farmers and agricultural workers.’

Farm Expo offers its visitors the latest farming equipment as well as opportunities to network with others in the industry. The event is free to attend for visitors with free parking.

For further information please contact the Kent County Agricultural Society, Kent Showground, Detling, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 3JF 01622 633058 or email becky@kentshowground.co.uk

Looking ahead to the summer show the Kent County Agricultural Society are introducing a new offering for livestock supply and service stands exhibiting at the 2019 Kent County Show. The Show is host to over 200 cattle, sheep, wool and goat competitions and will take place on the 05, 06 & 07 July in 2019. There will be a limited number of 3m x 3m marquee stands available in a prominent location directly opposite the cattle judging rings and cattle marquee. These are available for £215 for the three Show days and will be promoted to all livestock competitors in the lead up to the Show. For further information please contact Rosie in the office on 01622 633051 or email rosie@kentshowground.co.uk

Hobbs Parker and Ashford Livestock Market

We are the South East’s principal livestock market selling over 250,000 head of cattle, sheep and pigs in 2018.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.

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

The March editions of these popular regional farming magazines are now available here in the market. Hobbs Parker are regular contributors to the editorial content.

Fodder Crop for sale and / wanted

For Sale – 100 4’ round bales of 2018 made hay – stored undercover on a West Kent farm. Ring 01732 750320

For Sale – 25 double wrapped 4’ round bales of 2018 made hayledge on a farm east of Ashford. Ring 07778 057902

For Sale – 100 4’ round bales of pea straw, 100 4’ round wrapped bales of whole crop wheat silage, 100 4ft round bales of winter oat straw on a Romney Marsh. Ring 07976 553752

For Sale – Up to 30 6’ quadrant rye grass bales. Ring 01303 840112

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

For Sale – pedigree Charolais bull, 8 yrs old – West Kent. Ring Mark Cleverdon for more information.

For Sale – selection of pedigree Limousin young bulls and cows and calves on an Essex farm. Ring Mark Cleverdon for more information

For Sale – 300 Romney mainly 2 lamb ewes which have run with Charollais rams and are due early April on an East Anglian farm. Ring Simon Husk for more information.

For Sale – selection of British Blue and Limousin x British Blue young bulls on a Suffolk farm. Ring Mark Cleverdon for more information

Wanted – Big bale hay feeder for 8’ x 4’ bales for a North Kent farm. Ring 07976 921689

Wanted – general farm worker for a mixed farm in Sellinge, Ashford – Work will include feeding cattle. Ring 07774 408059 for more information

Wanted – Cattle grazing wanted for 50 store cattle or 30 cows and calves anywhere in Kent. Any grazing considered but marsh grazing preferred. References available and good rates of rent paid. Please contact either Richard 07889882422 or Roger 07933229030.

Wanted – general farm worker for a mixed farm in the Reigate area. Work will include supporting a beef calf rearing unit and accommodation is available. Please ring 07885 649666

RABI, Young Farmers Clubs, Kent Herdsmans Club and FCN news

Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institute (RABI)

Farmhouse Breakfast season

Friday 1^st March. Stockpot, Ashford Market, Ashford. TN24 0HB.

For further information or to book your place ring Charles Tassell 07973 412179 or Charles@Tassell.co.uk.

More dates and venues will be confirmed as will further fund raising days and events

Kent Herdsmans Club

Monday 11th March at 7.30pm – Mark Cleverdon speaking about his London marathon 2018 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.

2019 Calendars

We still have 2019 Hobbs Parker calendars available for you, your friends or family. If you have not received your copy or would like a calendar please call in or give us a call and we can send one out to you.

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

Please see website for further details.

Sunday 3^rd March – Godstone, Surrey. RH9 8DB

Saturday 16^th March – Parham, Storrington, West Sussex. RH20 2ER

Sunday 24^th March – Penshurst, Kent. TN8 7DD

Sunday 7^th April – Godstone, Surrey. RH9 8DB

Saturday 13^th April – Penshurst, Kent. TN8 7DD

Saturday 20^th April – Charing, Kent. TN27 0JS

Monday 22^nd April – Aldington, Kent. TN25 7EJ

Saturday 27^th April – Parham, Storrington, West Sussex. RH20 2ER

Saturday 11^th May – Peper Harrow, Godalming, Surrey. GU8 6LA

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

Tom Hamplett (Calves) 07966 104532