Weekly Sales News – 28th January 2020

Top price per kilo – 242p – K Loveridge; Top price per head £121 – A Town

Report on trade: Another similar sized entry of sheep this week with less heavy lambs forward again. These heavies again sold to a marked premium and up to £121 from A Town, closely followed by N & D Attwood at £114.50. These heavy sheep have been in short supply in recent weeks nationally and the best offerings really have rung the bell.

The vast majority of sheep sold in excess of 200p per kg and to a top price of 242p from K Loveridge with several other vendors selling in excess of 230p also. All sheep on offer were sold well today with what appears to be a shortage in the marketplace generally at present.

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 smaller entry of ewes this week which met a trade that was a bit less brisk than recent weeks with bigger numbers on offer nationally in recent days. Bigger ewes were the best sold, echoing the trend we have seen in the hogget department this week. Best ewes sold up to £100 from D Isaac who also took second place with some strong Suffolk crosses at £95.

Top prices included continental ewes to £100 and Suffolk crosses to £95 from D Isaac, Romneys to £72 from G J Duncanson Ltd and Mules to £68 from J & C Kellett

Report on trade: Another big entry of stores as many producers take advantage of the current high prices rather than feeding for the finished market later in the season. Today’s trade was exceptional with the best stores selling readily up to £88.50 from Maytham Wharf Farm, while medium sorts made from £65 to £80 and only very small long keeping sorts were below £60. Romney wethers sold well up to £74 from K Loveridge. Average £70.20

A flock reduction for A J Jull saw 80 in lamb ewes penned and Texel cross ewes making to £131 and the whole consignment averaging £115.80. We are sure the whole market community will join us at Hobbs Parker in sending best wishes to Alan and hope he fully recovers following his recent mishap.

150 in lamb ewes are entered for next Tuesday 4th February being 102 Romneys, scanned 160% in lamb to Romney and Texel rams and due early April; 31 Romney and Suffolk cross ewes, scanned in lamb to Charollais rams and due early April

Please keep in contact with entries week by week so we can inform potential buyers.

Pedigree Texel Sheep – 28 Sold

Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07741 845230

Report on trade: In a variation to the norm on a Tuesday saleday we were very pleased to have instructions from the Warnock family, Folkestone to offer a flock reduction of 28 in lamb pedigree Texel ewe tegs. This was a genuine draft from the Tumble Tye flock presented for sale in their working clothes, both local and away buyers attended and bid well for the stock presented.

The females were bred by 5 sires, were in lamb to principally to Parkhouse Bashful (a Lanark champion) with scanning results available, maintained on a grazed grass diet and MV accredited. The sale opened with 3 sheep by Easterseat Apache making £270, £400 and £350. Three more by Apache made £430, 400 and £450 and after this sheep by Broomknowes Young Blood and Whitehart Supersonic dominated the sale and produced the top prices. Nick Hedges and family, Salehurst, East Sussex paid £580 for a Young Blood daughter and James Pearce, Canterbury, Kent £520 for a Supersonic daughter. The nie Young Blood daughters averaged £451 and Supersonic’s £434. Eleven individual breeders made purchases with 3 consignments (9 sheep) leaving the south east for Northamptonshire.

Both Hobbs Parker and the Warnock family thank everyone attending the sale for their support, especially buyers, and wish them well with their sheep purchased.

Report on trade: A similar entry of cattle were on offer including a big percentage of native and dairy bred sorts. Generally trade was competitive throughout with 11 successful individual buyers ensuring good premiums for the best while trade for the second quality sorts was a shade easier than recent weeks.

Smart handyweights sold readily in excess of 200p pr kg, notably continental cross heifers £1016 (210p) and £1188 (209p) from D W Ferguson Ltd, Limousin cross heifers £1186 (205p) and £1114 (205p) from W A Alexander (Shoreham) and Blonde cross steer £1122 (194p) from G L Boulden & Sons. Heavier and dairy bred sorts made around 175p with a British Blue cross steer grossing well at £1251 (178p) from K & P M Sinden & Sons and British Blue x Friesian steers and heifers to £1105 (176p) and £1010 (175p) respectively from K E Budd.

Several runs of fleshed Aberdeen Angus crosses sold between 180p to 189p notably a run of steers grossing up to £1094 from Castle Goring Farm and heifers up to £1123 from T Kemp.

Report on trade: Another tremendous trade for cows and overage cattle this week. There is no doubt that the season is moving on with demand for keeping cows strengthening as grazing men look to have a few in the yards before opening the gates to turnout. Plenty of customers in attendance.

Flesh is wanted from both beef and dairy sectors but looks to be in tight supply nationally. With the demand for feeders so strong live weight marketing is the only answer to secure maximum returns for these older cattle. Abattoirs want good flesh and to kill a lean beef cow is a waste when they can be made better to everyone`s advantage.

Beef stars included Simmental 137p per kg, 134p, 130p and gross £989 from Henden Manor Farm; South Devon 126p £885 W E Baines; Limousin cross 123p £851 R F & E A Simmons and 119p (Non FA) T Martin; Sussex 123p, 121p, 118p, 115p £862 (Non FA) L & J Clark; Aberdeen Angus cross 114p, 113p £857 (Non FA) T Martin and Beef Shorthorn cross 114p A J Thompson & Sons.

Mid-range cows much dearer amongst the dairy culls with the best shaped and fed cows now making up over 120p.

Highlights included British Friesian 126p £1010 B J Goodsell & Son; Holstein Friesian 122p £996 Goddard & Son; 116p, 110p (3), £982, £969, £920 Appleton Farms; 111p £841 P J Forknall and 105p £926 Leggat Farming Ltd.

Tidy continental steers well over 3 yrs old made 136p, 132p and £935, £927.

Report on trade: Decent numbers penned for a late January sale. It is still early enough in the season for the younger smaller cattle but grazing men are looking to put together early yards of out wintered and open yarded types so that they are ready for turn out when it does finally dry up!

Quality was quite variable today with few beef bred cattle and the dairy types split across the county boundaries. Strong cattle do want to be coming forward now so that they can get on to the best food immediately without threatening maximum weight limits and coming out in late spring when finished numbers trend lower. Hard coated Herefords 8-10 mths  from Bocketts Farms saw steers to £690, £560, £550 and heifers £500, £480; South Devon cross heifers outwintered made to £470 from R Fidler and Sussex steers 13-14mths outwintered £580 L & J Clark.

The open yarded dairy bred cattle 14-18 mth cattle found a trade reflecting the state of the beef industry at the moment. Enough shape in the back end and there were customers ready to give £600 to £800 for Aberdeen Angus and Simmental crossbreds but those leaning back to more extreme Holstein mothers found it harder work. Aberdeen Angus cross steers £785, £745 and heifers £640, £575 with Simmental cross heifers £840, £755 Bradford Farm Ptnrs and Aberdeen Angus cross steers £720, Simmental cross steers £715 and heifers £580 Ripe Farms. The few suckler bred types forward a good trade and more wanted, particularly if showing some coat.

A decent trade for the older 20-24 mth cattle with finishers keen to target cattle at dates and weights to suit the changing industry.  Aberdeen Angus cross steers £1050, £990, £950, £800 A Dunlop and £1050 S F G Wall; Limousin cross steers £940 S F G Wall; Simmental cross steers £1000, £940 A J Thompson & Sons; steers £970, heifers £775 W J Hurley and steers £810, heifers £790 Gladwin Farming; Sussex cross steers £880, £790 and heifers £840 and Sussex steers £880, £795 W J Hurley with steers £840 and heifers £730 S F G Wall.

We are now building a decent catalogue entry of cattle for Tuesday 11^th February. Please contact Auctioneers or Fieldsmen if you have stock to sell.

Report on trade: A small pedigree Sussex herd reduction for A J Sanders, Yalding saw a 2016 bull make £900, a cow and calf £780 and in calf cows also to £780. 4 in calf Stabilizer in calf to a Limousin bull made to £760.

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers livestock sales catalogues are always available online on the auctioneers pages of our website www.hobbsparker.co.uk All entries are listed on these regularly updated pages

Ashford Livestock Market has its own Facebook page where news and reports are now being posted on a regular basis www.facebook.com/AshfordLivestockMarket/

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers email a livestock market short report on the afternoon of every livestock sale day. To receive this email report you need to log on to the auctioneers pages of our website www.hobbsparker.co.uk and click the link to email alerts.

To ensure you continue to receive the email it should be opened on a regular basis.

Please remember it is essential we have an early indication from all sellers of stock numbers you wish to sell week by week – we phone and send text messages to buyers and agents every Monday evening and an accurate indication of numbers coming forward is essential with many buyers travelling substantial distances to attend.

Events / Meetings in the area of interest to farmers

T Denne & Sons are holding a “Making Forage work for you” workshop on Wednesday 26^th February in the Amos Hall, Ashford Market, TN24 0HB at 9.30. Speakers will be Nick Green and Andrew Bourne (T Denne), Alan West (Sheep Farmer) and David Gurney (Corteva). Lunch will be provided at approx 12.30. Please RSVP by 21^st February to nickgreen@tdenneandsons.co.uk or ring 01233 720871.

British Wool News

Trevor Richards, Westwell has asked we make you aware he has put himself forward for re-election to the main board of this national body representing wool producers in the Southern region.

His pre-election statement says “As a sheep farmer from Ashford in Kent, I have been involved in the British wool industry for many years. After representing Kent on the Southern Regional Committee, I was voted to the main Board in 2011, and was honoured to be elected chairman in 2018.

In the last four years prices have been trending downwards, in part due to the uncertainty over Brexit, and the ongoing trade war between China and the USA. During my time as chairman I am proud to have led the team in putting new strategies in place which have improved relative returns and the service to you, including: 1) Cost savings in excess of £800, 000 in the business; 2) The opening of more drop-off points and external depot opening times; 3) Sourced additional partners in China to buy British wool, to manufacture clothing, bedding, and rugs; 4) Developed a new entrants’ scheme, attracting over 800 new members; 5) Achieving a 4% premium over New Zealand wools, previously sold at a 20% discount; and 6) Recruited new buyers to the wool auctions, increasing competition and demand.

Now 2 years into our 5 year plan, none of this would have been possible without the cooperation of our employees, with whom I have developed strong working relationships. We need to build on these improvements, but continuity and stability is vital. I therefore seek your support in electing me as your Board member for the next 3 years, so I may continue to deliver our plans to increase returns for you.

Thank you for your past support, which is appreciated. Please use your vote which needs to be with the Board by Thursday 6^th February.

Hay, Straw, Fodder and Forage Crop for sale and / wanted

For Sale – 2,000 Conventional bales of 2019 made meadow hay. Barn stored and local delivery available. East Kent Ring 07802 636427.

For Sale – Top notch barn stored round and mini-hesston bales 2019 hay. Bulk whole oats in half tonne bags also available. Delivery arranged. East Sussex. 07768 771933.

For Sale – 100 2019 Haylage bales from a Kent farm. Contact 01303 893183 or 07775 794556

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

Wanted – experienced livestock farmer requires a small quantity of large rectangular bale feeders. Maidstone area. Ring Paul on 07976 92168

Ashford Cattle Show News

Congratulations to all trophy winners who attended the presentation evening recently.

The AGM will be held on Wednesday 4^th March at 6.30pm here in the Market.

RABI, Young Farmers Clubs, 91 Club, Kent Herdsmans Club and FCN news

RABI

Farmhouse Breakfast Season

Saturday 1^st February – Juddwood Farm, Hayesden Lane, Tonbridge TN11 8AB

Wednesday 5^th February – Macknades Fine Foods, Faversham ME13 8XF

Thursday 6^th February – Dartford and Rochester NFU Branches Medway Yacht Club ME2 4XB

Thursday 6^th February – Elham Vineyard Elham Valley Vineyard, Elham CT4 6LN

Wednesday 12^th February – Stockpot, Ashford Market, Ashford TN24 0HB

Thursday 20^th February – Dog & Duck, Plucks Gutter, Canterbury CT3 1JB

Thursday 27^th February – Kent Showground, Detling ME14 3JF

Thursday 23^rd April – 10^th Anniversary dinner to celebrate Great British Beef week (and St Georges day) in the Amos Hall, Ashford market. Guest speaker Minette Batters, NFU president.

For further information on all RABI events in Kent ring Charles Tassell – 01622 858733, 07973 412179, email charles@tassell.co.uk or contact the regional co-ordinator Sally Field on 07799 798441 or email sally.field@rabi.org.uk

Kent Herdsmans Club.

Monday 10th February at 7.30pm – our AGM followed by a talk “Hard Yakka” about Frances Moskovits visit to Australia at the Conningbrook Hotel, Ashford

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

Ashford Young Farmers – For all details on Ashford Young Farmers please contact Amy Langdon at amy.langdon1234@hotmail.co.uk

Tonbridge Young Farmers – Debbie Broad and friends in the area have reopened this club.

For all details of plans for the future please contact the Broads through Debbie’s Facebook page or email tonbridgeyfc19@gmail.com

Stockperson Wanted

To calve 120 head of Suckler cows in East Yorkshire for approximately 10 weeks. For more information please contact Richard on 07889 882422