Weekly Sales News – 29th August 2017

Top price per head – £106 – C & J Georgetti & Sons

Top price per kg – 250p – Miss R Russell

Report on trade: A slightly smaller entry of lambs on offer this week but a very rewarding trade for those who did choose to sell. Despite a very mixed entry, the trade for all classes of lambs was considerably improved this week as a result of the impending Muslim religious festival this weekend.

The very best were well rewarded this week with some tremendous lambs from Miss R Russell selling to 250p (42kg at £105) which was closely followed by some lighter weight export type lambs from K Lukehurst selling to 246p (36kg at £88.50). Another super run of sheep from G H Dean & Co were strongly competed for with several sheep in the run selling in excess of 230p.

Heavier lambs were sold on a slightly improved trade this week, bearing in mind that they have been selling fantastically well week on week for some time now due to a lack of numbers on offer nationally. A super run of well finished lambs were offered once again by C & J Georgetti & Sons which sold to a  top price of £106 (twice) and with almost three quarters of their entry making in excess of £100.

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: Another good sized entry of sheep on offer this week with in excess of 850 ewes penned and a good trade throughout the entry again as a result of increased demand for the upcoming Muslim festival. It is evident that a change of taste in the Muslim communities is taking place and a switch in preference to lamb as opposed to ewe meat which has in turn not created the price peak that we have seen in this week in the past. We can however still report a very strong demand for meat ewes with several pens selling in excess of £100 to a top price of £110 from Mrs K Butcher which was closely followed by N & C Hedges at £105.

Grazing ewes once again made up a large percentage of the entry with these ewes selling on a strong trade as well with the majority of black faced ewes to graze selling between £50-60 and only the poorest below £40.

Top prices were as follows Suffolk crosses to £110 from K Butcher with Mule ewes to £96 from the same vendor. Continental ewes to £94 from Mrs D Chapman and Romney ewes to £91 from G R Weller.

We are now selling these sheep on Fridays – see our Store and breeding sheep pages for reports

Report on trade: Another strong trade for a quality entry of cattle with the best butcher type sorts making 220p plus and topping at £1142 (236p) from S Marsh. Other top prices included a British Blue cross heifer at £1319 (230p) and a Limousin cross at £1319 (226p) from W S Furnival (Brookland) Ltd. Two Limousin cross steers made £1323 (223p) and £1317 (220p) from W Alexander (Shoreham). A run of Continental x Friesian steers from A J Down sold well up to £1088 (202p) for a Limousin x Friesian.

More cattle could be sold at very favourable prices – please contact now to discuss trade and likely demand.

Report on trade: A reasonable sized entry following the Bank Holiday and another tremendous trade for all cows. Mostly dairy culls were on offer this week but all grades sold at excellent levels with the plainest cows looking very well sold.

In the beef line an Aberdeen Angus cross made 136p and Hereford cross 126p from D J Miles and another  Aberdeen Angus cross 133p (Non FA) from I Hobden.

British Friesian made 138p, 137p, 134p, 131p and grossed  £1010 from Debden Court Ltd; 134p B J Goodsell & Son and Holsteins 135p, 130p (3) and £1063, £1030 from Ledger Farms; a Swedish Red 136p from B J Goodsell & Son and an imported Cow 112p £820.

More cows wanted.

Report on trade: Another large entry of calves from 2 weeks old through to the stirks in the outside pens at 5 to 7 mths old all found plenty of bidders to produce very respectable prices. There is plenty of confidence looking forward in the beef world and rearers are keen to maintain numbers in the system.

Highlights through the sale included calves from

T Castle & Son who sold British Blue x Friesian bulls to £340, and heifers £305 as well as Limousin bulls to £355 and heifers at £280 all of which were June born.

Ledger Farms who sold British Blue bulls to £335, heifers to £300 and Aberdeen Angus bulls to £260 which were all born in July and August.

J W Boyd & Sons who sold British Blue heifers to £270 and Aberdeen Angus cross bulls to £265 born in August.

A & W J Hitchcock who sold June born Aberdeen Angus bulls to £335 and heifers £280 with a July born Hereford bull £245.

R L W Parretts Simmentals made to £380 for a heifer and another £370 (July and August born)

P J Forknalls Aberdeen Angus bull £295 and British Blue bulls to the same price with heifers to £270 all of which were August born

M Gammons sold reared, 5 to 7mths old Limousin steers to £425, Aberdeen Angus steers to £430, Limousin heifers to £420, Aberdeen Angus heifers to £425, Hereford heifers at £405 and then Friesian bulls to £265.

Ledger Farms who sold July and early August born Holstein bulls to £60 with 15 averaging £29.20

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.

Report on trade: A short kill week plus a focus at many abattoirs on demand for the upcoming ethnic festival weekend took the edge off demand for finished pigs this week. The cull demand remains stable and the trade for stores was mixed.

Best finished pigs made to 122p per kg for a pen from  S Scott & Son which grossed £89 and the rest of his run made 118 and 120p. S J M Evans good shaped pigs made 116p and 118p and the rest of the good pigs 100p plus.

Cull sows made to 55p and boars 53p

In the store and breeding pens a pen of coloured pigs made £43 from C Levett and young white weaners £30 from D Pope.

Our pig sales are held once a fortnight and with the summer now we are seeing plenty of competition and more confidence in the pig sector after very low levels which prevailed for about 3 months in the spring. Please keep in touch with us here in Ashford if you have pigs to sell.

Notice from Trading Standards on Sheep tags

Sheep producers are reminded that all sheep now require electronic tags, either single, double or re replacements. Please refer to Defra guidelines for the necessary type of tag required depending on the sheep you are presenting for sale.

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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

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DEFRA and our Local Authority trading standards officers regularly remind us of our responsibilities regarding unfit animals. No unfit animal should be exposed for sale in a market.

We have been reminded by the Local Authority that it is against current Welfare and Market Regulations to move stock to market, or any other holding, in the final stages of pregnancy (final 4 weeks). Please be careful with dates on breeding stock and cull stock that might turn out to be in lamb or in calf.

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. Thanks for your attention to these matters.

Livestock for sale ex farm

11 Simmental x Montbelliarde/Friesain heifers, 20 mths which have been bucket reared, have no horns and are ideal bulling heifers. East Sussex. Ring Peter on 07795 200357

1 Pedigree Limousin Bull, 4 yrs old available, ex farm. TB Low. Contact Mark Cleverdon for details – 07748 202688

3 Polled pedigree Hereford bulls at 17-18 mths old on a farm in Kent – Contact Mark Cleverdon for details – 07748 202688

Vehicle Parking on busy market days – Congestion in the bottom / livestock parking area

Please help us to help you. The upper car park on the top side of the market buildings is available for all cars and Land Rovers with trailers.

Local Agricultural Show and ploughing match dates

Saturday 2^nd September – Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire. www.moretonshow.co.uk

Sunday 3rd September – Romney Marsh Ploughing Match at Kent Ditch Corner, East Guildford, Romney Marsh, TN31 7PB – Ploughing starts at 10am, Fun dog show at 12pm and also sheep shearing, local hounds and  craft stalls. For more information 07785 783662 or email: romneyploughing@yahoo.co.uk,

Saturday 9^th September – Swale Ploughing Match at Greenway Court, Hollingbourne.  For more information please call Andrew Mew on 07759 320496.

Saturday 16^th September – Weald of Kent Ploughing Match at Gatehouse Farm, Marden, Tonbridge, Kent. Full details available from secretary Karen Wheeler 01580 753206 or on www.wkpma.co.uk.

Market manager’s news

Ray Scott (weekend boot fair and stall market manager) and his team of helpers would like to thank everyone who supported their fundraising stall which runs every weekend here in the market. £20,000 was recently distributed to five charities being Demelza House, The Pilgrims hospice, The Motor Neurone Disease Association, MacMillen Cancer Support and Kent Air Ambulance

Notices – Brian Wimble

The family have advised that sadly Brian passed away at home, after a long battle with cancer, on the 16^th August. He was a well known farmer on Romney Marsh and supporter of the market here in Ashford. One of his last wishes was “to thank the buyers who support the auctions”

A funeral service will be held on Wednesday 6^th September at  2pm, St Peter and St Paul Church in Newchurch, Romney Marsh

Notices – Jock Anderson

The family have advised that Jock, known to many as a farmer from the Sittingbourne area, died recently when in his nineties.

Details of the funeral service will be announced when available

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions

run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales are ……

Commercial Vehicles

Thursday 7^th September at 3.00pm

A wide selection of up to 40 vehicles are generally offered in these sales

Special Auction Sale of Main Dealer Part Exchange Vehicles

Wednesday 13^th September at 6.30am

Special sale of vehicles from many of the regions main dealerships with the normal car auction to follow

Puddock Farm, Fairfield, Brookland, Romney Marsh

Thursday 14th September

Farm dispersal sale of arable machinery and equipment. See the flyer with this report for details. Catalogues are online and available from the market as a hard copy

Sale of Boats and Maritime items at Ramsgate Harbour

Saturday 16^th September

A good large entry of boats and other maritime items is expected for this sale

Chilli Farm Machinery sale

Saturday 30^th September at 9.30am

Entries close Saturday 9^th September

Large entries of tractors, trailers, vehicles, arable equipment, haymaking equipment, tractor attachments & spares, livestock kit, garden machinery, workshop tools and a large and varied selection of rural bygones are expected

Horse & Saddlery Sale

Thursday 26^th October at 10am

Catalogues will be available about a week before the sale.

Entries expected of riding ponies, event horses and youngstock

New & nearly new saddlery & tack, grooming kit, yard equipment, rugs, harness Riding boots, show jackets, jodhpurs, body protectors, yard clothing & boots

Special 4 x 4, Diesel and MPV Vehicle sale

Wednesday 29^th November at 6am

This auction of cars will include a special sale of 4 X 4, Diesel and MPV with the normal car auction to follow

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 large selection of miscellaneous items.

Special Sports and high performance Vehicle sale

Wednesday 29^th November at 6am

This auction of cars will include a special sale sports and high performance cars with the normal car auction to follow

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Farm secretary required

An opportunity has arisen for 3 days a week to help a Romney Marsh farming family. Please apply with a CV by email: ajthompson@vfast.co.uk

Special events on livestock sale days here in Ashford

We are pleased to announce that our crossbred ewe lamb competition on the 8^th September will be judged by Louis and Emma Andreozzi from Petworth, West Sussex.

Romney day classes for the best pens of ewe lambs and tegs will be judged by Mick and Jo Cutting, East Guldeford, Rye.

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RABI, FCN and Kent Herdsmans Club News

RABI – Forthcoming events were they will be represented or are promoting include:

Saturday 16^th September – Weald of Kent Ploughing Match, Gatehouse Farm, Marden TN12 9SG

Saturday 23^rd September – Gravesend Rochester Ploughing Match, Newlands Farm, Station Road, Cliffe, Rochester ME3 7RU

Wednesday 27^th September – East Kent Ploughing Match, Quex Park, Manston Road, Birchington CT7 0HR

Saturday 14^th October – Harvest Supper, Amos Hall Ashford Market

Sunday in October (date to be confirmed) – County Harvest Thanksgiving Service, Faversham church

Monday 27^th & Tuesday 28^th November – Ashford Cattle Show

Saturday 2^nd December – Maidstone Symphony Orchestra, charity evening in connection with George Jessel, High Sheriff. More details to follow.

Tuesday 5^th December – Live Nativity Carol Evening, 6pm in the auction ring at Ashford Market

Kent Herdsmans Club

Monday 11th September at 7.30pm. Visit to Kent College Farm, Whitstable Road, Rough Common, Canterbury. CT2 9AQ.

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