Weekly Sales News – 26th June 2018

New season lambs Top price per head – £133 – HG Allen & Son; Top price per kilo 253p – T Masters

Report on trade: Another entry of just under 2000 lambs this week but nationally more numbers have come on offer and this has unfortunately had a negative impact on the trade with the lighter weight grass finished lambs suffering most with the down turn. Most of these sorts are trading around the 200p mark with the better quality toward 210p. Heavier lambs are less affected by the price drop with the best once again well in excess of £100 to a top price of £133 from H G Allen & Son and a number of the 44kg + lambs selling between 230p and 250p which is a similar situation to last year with these bigger sheep being the best sold due to short supply. Best continental export grade lambs were also in short supply with many of these selling in excess of 240p and a top price of 246p from G H Dean & Co

A smaller end of season entry of hoggets this week with under 200 penned with many lean sorts and 2T sheep on offer. The best clean hoggets sold to 170p-180p and returned an average of 163p.

Producers please note – For top results please present well fleshed lambs which are preferably dry and clean. Lairage facilities and dagging 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 small entry once again this week and trade certainly remains to be lacklustre with little wholesale demand being reported across the country. Trade would certainly be on a par with last week with the best of the meated ewes selling in excess of £80 to a top price of £92 from N A Balcomb & Son. There appears to be a few buyers coming forward to buy ewes to graze on with the best of these selling towards £60.

Top prices included continental ewes to £89 from K Lukehurst, Suffolk crosses to £92 from N A Balcomb & Son, Romneys to £65 from F Weeks & Sons.

Report on trade: Trade held up well for a shortage of cattle with prices on a par with recent weeks. A Limousin cross steer topped the market at £1204 (210p) from R F & E A Simmons while A J Down’s run of Continental x Friesian steers topped at £1137 (195p).

A small entry of bulls sold well with a purebred Sussex topping at £1132 (174p) from Mrs V McDonald.

Report on trade: Several customers in attendance for a small entry of cull cows with a purebred Hereford topping the market at £1222 (148p) from M J Burton and an Aberdeen Angus cross looked well sold at £1075 (142p) from Giffords Farm. Friesian cows up to £927 (120p) from P J Forknall.

Cattle Vendors – Important

Please inform us regarding entries so that we can notify the buyers.

Next Tuesdays (3^rd July) sale will include a 5 yr old straight out of work black Limousin bull from an East Sussex farm

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) 07741 845230

John Rossiter (Cull ewes & store sheep plus commercial vehicles) 07557 392903

No More Exempt Section

It is with regret that we will no longer be able to offer an exempt section at Ashford with immediate effect.

The rigid requirements for total separation and the difficulties associated with cleansing and disinfecting significant market areas during in the middle of a sale gives us no alternative but to withdraw from the exempt sale process.

We recognize that this will give less marketing options to farmers from East Sussex and other one year testing counties and we will be happy to talk through alternative options.

May we thank all who have supported the section over recent years. We will continue to monitor and review Bovine TB issues as they change and develop.

Vehicle Bedding

We have been reminded by Trading Standards to remind you that bovine animals under 6 mths of age and travelling over 50km require bedding.

Ashford Cattle Show summer competitions

Entries are now required for these – thanks to sponsors this year Agrii for crops, Wilkins Kennedy and Hallett & Co for sheep flocks and Michael Owen AnimalScan for beef herds.

For Sheep flocks please contact Ian Lockwood 07779297153 email: hello@duckpitvalley.co.uk

For Beef herds please contact Charlie Bull 01797 230503 or 07825 665498 email: bull_herd04@btinternet.com

For Crops please contact Tim Porter 07557 200611 email: tim@fengrain.co.uk

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

Wanted – small P6 / P7 size livestock trailer – 07967 648294

Wanted – Older / semi retired / retired collie dog. Speak to Angus in the Stockpot

For Sale – British Blonde bull, bn May 16 and ready to work. Mid Kent.

For Sale – 3 Collie puppies, 2 bitches and 1 dog, ready now. West Sussex. 07787 523220

Wanted – Wye Community Farm are building a pole barn for our young farmers livestock, and are in search of donated/cheap fittings including ring feeders, water troughs and pipe, cattle gates, sheep hurdles, feed troughs etc. Happy to collect. Thank you. Contact Richard on 07947 371765 or visit www.wyecommunityfarm.org.uk

RABI, Young Farmers Clubs and Kent Herdsmans Club News

RABI

Well done Kent fundraising Committee – for the 7^th time in 13 years the county committee have been awarded the Beaufort shield as the top fundraising county in the country (over £81,000 in 2017). Lord Plumb presented the shield to Andrew Brealey, Charles Tassell, Robert Pickard and Sheila Adams

Future fundraising events

Saturday 29^th September – Annual Harvest Supper – Amos Hall, Ashford Market, Ashford. TN24 0HB

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

Ashford Young Farmers Club

Calling all ex and present Ashford Young Farmers – You’re invited to celebrate the clubs 75th Birthday at Burnt Oak Farm, Bethersden, TN26 3BQ. Saturday 30th June from 3pm onwards with a young farmers bash from 8pm, camping available. We only ask if you could contribute a sweet or savory plate to add to our table. Please RSVP to Amy 07733 481473 or Jenny 07876 695872

Please contact Amy Langdon 07733 481473 or Jennifer Hope 07876 695872 with your contact details to receive your invite.

Kent Herdsmans Club

Monday 2nd July at 7.30pm – please note this meeting is on the first Monday of July – visit to Ben Hope’s farm to view his pig farming enterprise. Coldbridge Farm, Coldbridge Lane, Egerton, Ashford. TN27 9BP.

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

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

Sheep Tagging

All sheep sent to market require to be correctly tagged.

Sheep under 12 mths – Single electronic batch tag and ewes and over 12 mths – Double tagged

Incorrectly tagged sheep may have to be returned home. Single electronic batch tags are not acceptable for ewes and sheep over 12 mths.

Marathon man!! This year Mark Cleverdon.

As many of you know Mark complete the London Marathon back in April. Substantial funds have been raised on behalf of the Royal British Legion and he is extremely grateful to all who have contributed to this good cause.

Mark would like to announce a final figure soon and a few who pledged support have not yet paid. Cash to Mark or cheques payable to the Royal British Legion are both acceptable so the fund can be finalised and closed would be a great help.