Weekly Sales News – 29 Mar 2016
Sheep sales reports
Finished Sheep – 1,679 Sold
Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903
Top price per head – £110.50 Mr P Ashlee: Top price per kilo – 222p Mr T Husk
Report on trade: A smaller entry this week as is often the case following the Easter weekend which has helped the trade to lift nationally. The standard and medium weight lambs (32-45kgs) would be the most improved from last week with the SQQ average returned at 197p per kg. Heavyweight sheep sold to a strong trade with several sheep making in excess of £100 and the majority of heavies selling between £90-£100.
It is apparent that going forward, numbers are beginning to dry up and this should maintain this better level of trade we have seen in the past couple of weeks. A cracking run of Beltex crosses from Mr T Husk sold to £101.50 (222p) with the top price on the day going to Mr P Ashlee at £110.50. Romney lambs were in demand yesterday with some 40kg from A J Thompson & Sons selling to £80.
| Hogget prices | ||||||||||
| Kgs | Top Price | Ave Price | Top Vendor | p per kg | ||||||
| 38 | 62.00 | 60.99 | Mr S Carey | 163.0 | ||||||
| 40 | 81.00 | 76.22 | A J Thompson & Sons | 202.0 | ||||||
| 41 | 88.00 | 81.61 | Mr T Husk | 215.0 | ||||||
| 42 | 80.00 | 78.55 | A J Thompson & Sons | 190.0 | ||||||
| 43 | 86.50 | 84.55 | Tilley Farm Partnership | 201.0 | ||||||
| 44 | 95.00 | 85.86 | Mr T Husk | 216.0 | ||||||
| 45 | 93.20 | 87.77 | Mr T Husk | 207.0 | ||||||
| 46 | 92.00 | 88.22 | J Wayman | 200.0 | ||||||
| 47 | 97.50 | 89.87 | D E Norris & Son | 207.0 | ||||||
| 48 | 98.50 | 90.40 | Mr T Husk | 205.0 | ||||||
| 49 | 93.00 | 90.37 | R F & E A Simmons | 190.0 | ||||||
| 50 | 99.80 | 92.14 | Mr T Husk | 200.0 | ||||||
| 51 | 97.00 | 91.56 | Mr T Husk | 190.0 | ||||||
| 52 | 93.00 | 90.05 | R F & E A Simmons | 179.0 | ||||||
| 53 | 101.5 | 94.86 | Mr T Husk | 192.0 | ||||||
| Hogget averages – pence per kg | ||||||||||
| Weight Range | Number | Top | Bottom | Average | National Averages | |||||
| Light 25.5 to 32 kgs | 18 | 219.0 | 184.0 | 185.9 | 176.4 | |||||
| Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs | 46 | 222.0 | 158.0 | 200.2 | 186.8 | |||||
| Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs | 625 | 216.0 | 145.0 | 195.3 | 197.4 | |||||
| Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs | 722 | 207.0 | 157.0 | 187.8 | 185.5 | |||||
| Others 52.1kg + | 258 | 192.0 | 132.0 | 165.5 | 169.5 | |||||
Cull Ewes and Rams – 372 Sold
Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903
Report on trade: A small entry again in the ewe department and once again, the economics of supply and demand helped to maintain the trade we have been seeing over the past few weeks. The best end of the ewes would be a similar trade but the second grade ewes (Romney and Mules) would be a touch dearer than we have been seeing them. It is evident that there won’t be any large entries of ewes at least until we reach the end of the lambing period and we should be able to maintain the trade at the current levels we are seeing.
Top prices on the day include continentals to £106.50 from Mr T Husk and £106 from Mr P Ashlee, Suffolk crosses to £100 from Mr N C & C G Hedges, Romneys to £89 from J Prior & Sons and Mules to £85 from R L Goodman & Sons.
Store and Breeding Sheep – 302 Sold
Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903
Report on trade: We had a small entry of late season stores with a few pens selling in excess of £70, but noticeably less buyers in attendance. As we go through April, numbers will reduce. If you have got any stores you wish to sell, please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss your options.
A few ewes and lambs in the pens today selling to £45 per life.
Sock Lambs – 89 Sold
Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07748 202688
Report on trade: This weeks similar sized entry to last Tuesdays met a similar demand and trade for the stronger lambs with 12 making over 20. Medium sized lambs made £12 to £20 but less demand for younger and smaller lambs saw 47 make less than £10. Averages £30 to £2 Av £11.07.
Vendors please note – please ensure when bringing lambs to market your stock are all fit and healthy with dry navels.
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Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions run over 200 auction sales every year
Our next Auction Sales are ……
Rural Property – Wednesday 11th May
Horses & Saddlery – Thursday 7th April
Commercial Vehicle Auction – Thursday 14th April
Sussex Society Show & Sale – Friday 15th April
Collective machinery & equipment Friday 22nd April
Headcorn Farm machinery sale – Saturday 14th May
Ring any of our auctions team for more details on these events
Cattle sales reports
Finished Cattle – 34 Sold Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901
Report on trade: Another small entry and no real demand with the local butchers all clearing up after Easter. G L Boulden & Sons topped again with a heifer making 200p per kg and a steer from Gillshaw Farms making 198p.
Commercial cattle slipped by a further 5-10p from previous weeks. Holstein steers topped at 135p from B D Brown and the only native forward was an Aberdeen Angus from O & P Gower selling at 149p.
| Finished cattle averages – pence per kg | ||||||||||
| Classification | No | Top | Bottom | Average | ||||||
| Light steers (370-550 kgs) | 4 | 184.5 | 167.5 | 175.3 | ||||||
| Medium steers (551-650 kgs) | 11 | 197.5 | 124.5 | 163.5 | ||||||
| Heavy steers (651+ kgs) | 10 | 174.5 | 124.5 | 144.6 | ||||||
| Light heifers (370-550 kgs) | 3 | 160.5 | 95.5 | 127.8 | ||||||
| Medium heifers (551-650 kgs) | 5 | 199.5 | 115.5 | 156.5 | ||||||
| Heavy heifers (651+ kgs) | 1 | 168.5 | 168.5 | 168.5 | ||||||
| 30 to 48 mth steers | 3 | 147.5 | 139.5 | 142.2 | ||||||
| Leading steer prices | ||||||||||
| Vendor | Weight Kgs | Breed | P per Kg | Gross £ | ||||||
| Gillshaw Farms Ltd | 574 | 22 mths Charolais | 197.5 | 1133 | ||||||
| G L Boulden & Sons | 575 | 24 mths Limousin | 189.5 | 1089 | ||||||
| Gillshaw Farms Ltd | 555 | 22 mths Charolais | 187.5 | 1040 | ||||||
| Gillshaw Farms Ltd | 545 | 23 mths Limousin | 184.5 | 1005 | ||||||
| Gillshaw Farms Ltd | 550 | 24 mths Limousin | 178.5 | 981 | ||||||
| Leading heifer prices | ||||||||||
| G L Boulden & Sons | 565 | 24 mths Blonde | 199.5 | 1127 | ||||||
| G L Boulden & Sons | 580 | 24 mths Limousin | 174.5 | 1012 | ||||||
| R Price & Son | 600 | 18 mths Limousin | 168.5 | 1011 | ||||||
| R Price & Son | 503 | 16 mths Charolais | 161.5 | 812 | ||||||
| R Price & Son | 500 | 23 mths South Devon | 173.5 | 802 | ||||||
Cull Cows and Bulls – 51 Sold
Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill – 07795 200357
Report on trade: There was certainly more interest in the cow beef and processing sector rather than the prime beef market today. A decent show, post Easter, was penned with a predominance of dairy culls and only a handful of beef cows. Also a little more help in the export market with a weaker Pound is helping the trade but they are looking really for the best fleshed heavyweight carcases which remain in short supply. The steaking cows for lean processing are the core of the home trade, and they were a sharp trade. Only a few cows for feeding this week but they were in demand.
Simmentals made to 138p (£854) from Mr J Bull; Sussex 114p from Pritchard Gordon Farming and Aberdeen Angus (non FA) £813 from D R Thompson.
British Friesians made 115p(2), 114p,113p, (£930, £917, £905) from PHR Farms; Holsteins 118p (£776) A J Thompson & Sons; 110p (£892) Mr M Goddard and Normande 114p (£835) from B J Goodsell & Son. Trade for Imported cows was also a little better.
| Cull cattle section – pence per kg | ||||
| Classification | No | Top | Bottom | Average |
| Beef cows | 10 | 147.5 | 73.5 | 111.5 |
| Dairy cows | 41 | 117.5 | 53.5 | 90.5 |
Breeding Cattle – 5 Bulls and 12 Sold
Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07748 202688
Report on trade: W J & M Mash’s 2 year old Limousin bulls made £2500 and £2600 while Sussex bull Duke 1st of Goldstone made £2300 at 6 yrs old. Gallagher Farms offered a genuine herd reduction of winter calving cows saw younger cows £1175 to £1350 and older couples £1050 to £1125. This offering was of principally Limousin cows with generally super Limousin calves.
Bulls and cows, calves and in calf cows will be offered again in substantial numbers on Tuesday 12th April – see forthcoming sales announcements elsewhere in this bulletin for more details.
Store Cattle – 143 Sold
Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901
Report on trade: This was a very mixed selection of store cattle of all ages, breed and quality. There were still plenty of buyers around the ring competing well for all on offer with the majority of youngsters on offer making from £400 to £600. Beef bred yearlings generally made £750 to £850 and several lots of out wintered cattle attracted good premium prices, particularly a run of 18-20mth hard out-wintered Aberdeen Angus cross steers looking well sold up to £945 from J G Jenkins & Sons
| Principle prices in addition to those mentioned above | ||
| 11 mths Limousin Cross Heifers | £775 | H Richards |
| 12 mths Limousin Cross Steers | £885 | R J Husk |
| 12 mths Simmental Cross Steers | £770 | Hill House Farm |
| 12 mths Sussex Cross Steers | £745 | S Goodsell |
| 14 mths Limousin Cross Heifers | £775 | I D Machin |
| 15 mths Blonde x Friesian Steers | £810 | R P Kent & Son |
| 17 mths Welsh Black x British Blue Steers (O/W) | £880 | R W Jones & Sons |
New TB movement rules as from 6th April 2016
DEFRA are introducing a Post-Movement Testing policy for cattle moving into any Low Risk Area from herds located in High Risk Areas, Edge Areas and Wales.
Low Risk Areas – where routine surveillance takes place every 4 years – Kent, West Sussex, Surrey, Essex, Greater London, Hertfordshire and Eastern Counties. Edge Areas – Parts of East Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.
High Risk Areas – Parts of East Sussex, Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and all Western Counties.
Bovines moving from High or Edge Areas to Low Risk Areas must be post-movement tested between 60-120 days of joining the new herd.
Animals will not be allowed to move off their destination holding until they have completed a negative post-movement test, unless the movement is directly to slaughter or to a licensed or approved finishing unit.
Hobbs Parker Auctioneers will identify in their catalogues and at the point of sale the status of the area from which cattle have been consigned.
All cattle of all ages are involved and young calves, whether pre-movement tested or not due to age, will require to be post-movement tested between 60-120 days. Costs of testing are the responsibility of the purchaser, though if a routine DEFRA surveillance test is due then this can be utilised.
Only cattle from the High and Edge Areas moved to Low Risk Areas will be required to be tested. This, in no way, affects other cattle on the destination holding.
Holdings on an annual testing routine in Low Risk Areas do not require stock to be post-movement tested following a sale/movement.
Failure to complete a post-movement test in the 60-120 day period will constitute an offence under the Animal Health Act and would result in a herd closure restriction.
If vendors or purchasers have any questions concerning the above please do not hesitate to contact our Market Office.
Other stock sales reports
Calves – 52 Sold
Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07748 202688
Report on trade: This sale saw a short entry and one dominated by dairy bull calves and these averaged £67 through the whole sale. The beef cross calves presented were again a tremendous trade.
Reared calves offered were from J Howie whose Ayrshire steers made to £190 (September and October born) and Friesian steers at the same age to £190. In the pens for younger calves black and white bulls made up to £88 from Appleton Farms (late January born) with many more February and early March borns £50 to £75 to rear and younger and lesser quality sorts £20 to £45 bar a few.
Beef calves were very short in the entry with R L W Parrett’s Simmentals making £285 and £300, a Blonde bull from W S Furnival Ltd £340 and the section topped by a British Blue from R & J Ledger at £350. Native breeds saw a South Devon bull make £280 from W S Furnival and an Aberdeen Angus heifer £240 from the same home.
Confidence to rear is clear – long may this continue. Where are all your beef cross calves? We have plenty of potential customers for them here in Ashford. As sellers you should be putting your calves on the open market in Ashford.
Please keep your entries of calves coming. At our fortnightly sales we expect to have plenty of enquiries for all shapes, sizes and ages of stock. Thank you all for texts and messages with early notice of your entries for forthcoming sales – it does help.
| Calf averages – £ per head | ||||
| Description | No | Top | Bottom | Average |
| Continental Bulls | 5 | 350.00 | 240.00 | 287.00 |
| Continental Heifers | 2 | 255.00 | 250.00 | 252.50 |
| Native Bulls | 2 | 340.00 | 280.00 | 310.00 |
| Native Heifers | 3 | 240.00 | 200.00 | 226.67 |
| Friesian Bulls 1st quality | 8 | 190.00 | 110.00 | 160.00 |
| Friesian Bulls 2nd quality | 6 | 88.00 | 62.00 | 72.33 |
| Friesian Bulls 3rd quality | 26 | 60.00 | 5.00 | 37.42 |
Store and Finished Pigs – 156 Sold Auctioneer: Mark Cleverdon 07748 202688
Report on trade: Pig producers this week produced a good quality run of pigs in both the finished and store pig pens and buyers supported the sale as well as they can in the current difficult trading conditions that still beset the pig and pork trade. No commentators on the national trade are flagging up any immediate increase in prices in the short term in their weekly newsletters.
The best finished pigs made to 83p per kg from C B Hope and 80 and 81p from R White and S J M Evans. Heavy pigs produced top gross returns of £68 and £87 for C B Hope and S J M Evans. £55 to £85 covered most of the rest of the pigs sold.
Cull sows and boars made to 32p for 2 sows from P W & P Sim. The increasing value of the euro against the pound always helps this trade. Other sows made to 28p.
In the store pig pens strong weaners made to £45 from G A Verity and then £30 for really good shaped pigs from C B Hope. Younger weaners were available at £16 to £25.
Our pig sales are held once a fortnight and with spring and summer on the way we all hope the trade and confidence in the pig sector will rise again (from the very low levels prevailing for about 3 months on more now!). Please keep in touch with us here in Ashford if you have pigs to sell.
| Pig averages | ||||
| Description | No | Top | Bottom | Average |
| 1st Quality finished – p per kg | 88 | 83.0 | 70.0 | 75.3 |
| – £ per head | 87.15 | 52.07 | 69.66 | |
| Cull sows – p per kg | 7 | 32.0 | 24.0 | 28.3 |
| – £ per head | 84.00 | 44.40 | 64.14 | |
| Strong stores – £ per head | 19 | 46.0 | 30.0 | 40.11 |
| Small stores – £ per head | 42 | 25.00 | 12.00 | 19.33 |
We remind all pig farmers of the information below
Identification of pigs – again we draw your attention to the fact that it is essential all pigs have permanent identification when offered for sale in a market ie slap mark or ear tag. Please ensure you comply with this regulation.
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) 07748 202688
John Rossiter (Cull ewes & store sheep plus commercial vehicles) 07557 392903
Hobbs Parker Auctioneers are pleased to announce ..
The National Beef Association are sponsoring our cattle sales on Tuesday 26th April
The Southdown Sheep Society will be holding their Early Premier Breeders Show and Sale here in Ashford on Friday 29th July
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General news
Updated 29th March 2016
Kent Wool Growers wool sheet distribution – sheets will be available between 10am and 3 pm on Tuesdays 5th and 12th April. Further information is available from the Wool desk on 01233 648052
Ashford Cattle Show – following the Annual General Meeting Anthony Neaves has been elected chairman of the show for the next 2 years. Details of the summer competitions for sheep flocks, beef herds and crops will be announced as arrangements are confirmed. All information is available from Julie Coney on 07887 643002 or on the website www.ashfordcattleshow.co.uk.
Ram tags – any ram buyers from last autumns sales who may have a number of the neck tags in a corner of a building or in their lambing shed we would be very pleased to have then returned. Thank you
For Sale – 150 round, wrapped bales of 2015 made grass silage. Loading available in the Sandwich area. Ring 01304 812407
ForSale – mid aged pedigree South Devon bull. Essex farm
Summer show schedules – these are available, with entry forms, here in the market for Heathfield and Surrey (end of May) and South of England (early June)
Ashford Young Farmers “Lambing Day” – this event will be held on Sunday 10th April at Rawnie Farm, Appledore.
National Young Farmers office holders – Ashford member, and former club and county chairman, Lyndsey Martin has been elected as one of two national vice chairpersons.
Local point to point fixtures – next fixture for the season is Sunday 10th April at Godstone, Surrey. Full details on www.pointing-se.com
Kent Herdsmans Club dates – Monday 11th April at 7.30pm – a talk by a representative of the Medical Detection Dogs Society. Both meetings will be at the Conningbrook Hotel, Kennington, Ashford. For all details on Herdsman’s Club events contact Chairman Sandra Brown on 01233 502796 or Jo Masters 01580 240568
Southern Shears – This years event will be held on Sunday 17th July at Holmbush Farm, Faygate, Crawley, West Sussex (RH12 4SE). this is a shearing competition which will be run on BISCA rules with open, junior, novice, ladies and blades. Full details available from Mary Masters mary.m@btconnect.com, Facebook and Twitter (@southernshears) or www.southernshears.weebly.com
South Sheep 2016 – This bi annual event, promoted by the National Sheep Association is this year being held on Tuesday 7th June at Pythouse Farm, Salisbury. SP3 3PA. For more details to follow please contact event organiser Bob Blanden 01666 860308 or enquiries@southsheep.org.uk
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Heathfield Show news
The Heathfield & District Agricultural Show’s on line booking facility on its web site (www.heathfieldshow.org) for all livestock and horse entries is now taking entries for the 2016 Show. The web site is fully interactive allowing exhibitors to enter their classes, visitors to purchase tickets and members to join, on line.
Closing date for entries in the Livestock classes is 1st April and in the Horse classes is 11th April. If you would like a hard copy of the Schedule please send an sae with a large 1st class stamp to the Show Secretary, 2 Grants Cottage, Brightling, Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5HZ and we will post one out to you. No late entries will be accepted.
As usual we have some new classes in each section, including an extra Dexter calf class, re-jigging of the Open Beef Classes, a Small Holder’s pig class, and of course the ever popular Sheep sweep stake.
The main ring attraction brings much excitement to the Heathfield Show this year with the JCB Dancing Diggers making a guest appearance.
Any queries please contact the Show office or visit our web site for full details.
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DEFRA regularly remind us of our responsibilities regarding unfit animals. No unfit animal should be exposed for sale in a market.
All animals should be fit to travel. All in milk cows should to be milked out prior to movement to market. Do not present lame sheep or those for any reason which are not fit to be transported.
Livestock entry forms, FCI declarations and movement licences
It is essential that these forms are fully completed for every consignment of stock brought to the market. Please help us to provide you with the high level of service you expect from us by getting this right.
It is a legal requirement that entry form and food chain declarations are competed correctly.
We regularly notice that the information is missing from forms. Please can you ensure that all information is completed in future.
Some of the more common errors in completing these forms include
Food Chain Box not ticked Vendor address not complete
Vendor mobile number Vehicle registration not recorded
Date of Movement Hauliers name not provided
Holding number of departure FABBL sticker not used
TB test status TB last test date
Ear tag numbers Form is not signed
Pig producers should note specifically that we require a hard copy of your electronic eaml2 form with the FCI declaration signed.
Sheep producers should note specifically that we require the FCI declaration completed (and details of medical treatments used) for all stock including store and breeding sheep.
Cattle producers should note specifically that FABBL status is one of the most important pieces of information we require here especially if animals do not qualify due to the 90 residency rule.
FCI declarations and entry forms for cattle – these are always available from market and by post from our offices. Please remember they can also be downloaded and printed from the livestock pages of our website. The link is
Movement, Food Chain Information (FCI) Declaration Forms and Other useful forms
Finished Sheep
Report Detail to go here
Finished Cattle
Report to go here