Weekly Sales News – 29th October 2019

Top price per head – £87.50 – Mrs J Walker: Top price per kilo – 190p – Mrs J Walker

Report on trade: A slightly bigger entry this week with some better quality on offer, next to some sheep of a lower quality. In all a very mixed entry.

The best lambs sold well still with weight and proper finish being the key as these sorts are in demand nationally, but they always are in truth. When the trade is tougher, the best are what always sells well. Despite the general doom and gloom, trade is on a par and in many brackets ahead of 12 months ago. Some super lambs from Mrs J Walker sold to 190p and took top spot in both the weight and head basis at £87.50.

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 large entry of just over 850 ewes were on offer this week with again disappointing averages returned but this is purely based on the overall quality of the entry more so than the trade. Lean ewes would have outnumber the meated sorts by 5 to 1 in entry this week.

Grazing ewes still sell with great competition producing improved values above recent weeks, up to £3 better generally. Best ewes made to £76 from Surrey Wildlife Trust.

Top prices included rams to £85 from I M Symonds, crossbred ewes to £75 from C B Hope, Suffolks to £75 from R G Hobbs Farms and Romneys to £62 from A R Dunlop.

Report on trade: A good trade with smart beef bred handy weights selling exceptionally well with Limousin cross heifers at £1125 (217p per kg) and £1063 (211p) from D W Ferguson Ltd. Slightly lessor sorts and the best of the dairy bred cattle were selling from 175p to 185p notably Limousin cross heifer £1064 (186p) from R F & E A Simmons and barley fed British Blue x Friesian steer £1074 (187p) and Hereford x Friesian steer at £1042 (177p), both from A J Down.

OTM heifers made up to £982 (145p) from Gardners

Report on trade: An excellent entry of cull cows and overage cattle met another very competitive trade with plenty of customers for all grades. Again the majority forward were beef cows with a grand run of empty herd age Limousin cows from J F Windibank selling well, principally to feed.

Generally prices for slaughter cows ease this next month not only due to increased supply from both beef and dairy sectors but  more because meat plants switch their attention to cutting prime beef cuts in the run up to Christmas. As mad as it sounds most of the main supermarket retailers are ready for Christmas by the first week of December. Mince work then comes back into favour in preparation for the New Year. Hence why the feeders are keen to get cows onto their rations now to produce the cow beef for the New Year.

A few good assured fleshed beef cows made 115p to125p per kg with the quality younger feeders 125p to 140p. Plenty of cows up and down on 100p mark with only the very oldest and coldest hard to move.

Highlights included Limousin 139p, 136p, 129p, 127p (2), 126p (2), 125p, 124p (3) (Non FA) J F Windibank; Limousin cross 135p (Non FA) A J Britton; Charolais cross 138p L Clark; Simmental cross 132p (Non FA) G Gregory and 120p £860 Gardners; South Devon 125p £915 Gardners; Sussex 110p, 108p £843 High Chimneys Farms and Aberdeen Angus cross £940 F W Hamlyn & Son.

The trade for dairy culls is more under pressure than those in the beef sector with high numbers forward nationally. Best of the fleshed and dry bagged cows just about make 100p but cows from the dairy short of flesh and enjoying their winter ration have eased over the last 3 weeks. The right type of cow, even from the dairy, dried off and fed, will respond well and hit the trade in the New Year when numbers are so much lower. A difficult but not impossible aim, particularly in a season with so much food.

Highlights again British Friesian 100p J Gormley; Holstein Friesian 98p £730 J W Boyd & Sons and 94p £734 Huddlestone Farmers.

Holstein Steers 4yo+ 116p, 114p, 113p (2) £935 R W Jones & Son. Bulls remain steady.

Report on trade: A good attendance of potential buyers again this week and while trade was competitive for the best stronger stores, younger cattle and second quality sorts are more difficult to sell. Stronger stores made £800 plus with heavyweight Aberdeen Angus cross steers topping the market at £1040 from J Earey and 18 mths Sussex steers looking well sold at £855 from Passmore Coombes.

The best of the continental cross steers made £900 plus and topped at £990 for hard coated 18 mths Charolais cross steers from Rhino Plant. The top run of the day was a quality run of 52 18-20 mths Limousin crosses from A J Bray with the steers to £940 (ave, £888) and heifers up to £835 (ave. £802).

Report on trade: A tale of two halves as trade for the best continues to hold and second quality calves remain hard work as buyers remain cautious. This caution is unsurprising considering current returns being seen for store and prime stock. Let’s hope that a win in Japan on Saturday may prompt a few more celebratory burger and steak sales to increase demand a little!

Some good quality continental calves led the trade this week which still in the main look well sold. Smaller types were harder work but would have been as well sold as any on the day. Bulls sold to £240 for British Blues from W F Farms while heifers made to £160 for British Blues from J C & S K Williams.

A high proportion of smaller framed natives were forward this week with perhaps not the same quality as has been seen in recent sales. These were well sold on the trade with bulls selling to £160 for an Aberdeen Angus from W F Farms and Aberdeen Angus heifers again topping the heifer section at £135 (x2) from A & W J Hitchcock.

Dairy sired calves continue to be affected by the current trade for store cattle, further compounded this week by uncertainty in the processing market as a result of what was supposed to be the Brexit deadline approaching rapidly. This has now been further delayed which has given trade a slight boost, in the short term at least. Rearing types generally made £40 to £60 with larger processing types £10 to £20 and the smallest types generally making around £5. Believe it or not, this would seem comparatively strong when compared with reports from other centres.

Weanlings were in strong demand today with a good quality run of mainly British Blues from the John Graham Centre selling to £380, both the steers and heifers topped at this. Mrs A P Offen sold younger weaned cattle to £200 for an Aberdeen Angus bull and £180 for Hereford heifers.

Sale dates – Please note – calf sales in the next six weeks will be held on Tuesdays 12^th November and then 3^rd and 17^th December.

We remind all calf sellers and buyers of the information below

Calf sellers and buyers should be aware that welfare regulations state that while an animal can be sold at 7 days old if they are offered at under 10 days old they cannot be transported more than 100km from the market. Buyers are notified from the rostrum when these calves are offered.

From a sellers view it is best not to present calves at under 10 days old to avoid possibly restricting the number of potential bidders for your stock.

Report on trade: Brexit uncertainties still hang over the pig trade nationally and few farmers or meat traders are making huge commitments going forward in the short term. Our short entry of pigs this week included only a few best shaped and well finished pigs which looked extremely well sold reflecting strong demand. We were short of store pig customers and the cull pigs traded at similar returns to a fortnight ago.

In the finished pig pens the best came from Scott and Godden whose good shaped light pigs sold to 128p per kg and grossed to £99. 20p to 98p covered the rest offered and sold.

In the cull pig pens a small entry saw sows make to 54p and away from the heaviest and best fleshed 30p to 45p covered the rest. Best boars made 40p.

A selection of store pigs were again forward but demand was again a little limited. Good white weaners made £10 and a pen of stronger feeders £35.

Events / Meetings in the area of interest to farmers

National Sheep Association South East Conference Sheep health, wealth and production on the 20th November at Surrey Veterinary School. 12.30 -7 pm. There is a comprehensive list of guest speakers, all with a view to helping to improve your knowledge and business. Cost if £18 plus vat.

If anyone is interested in a car pool arrangement, email Ian Lockwood on hello@duckpitvalley.co.uk

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

RABI – copies of a summer newsletter are available here in the market.

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

Kent Herdsmans Club.

Monday 11th November at 7.30pm – Julue Zlujehyrst will be talking about her trip to South Africa, showing lots of photos, at the Conningbrook Hotel, Canterbury Road, Ashford TN24 9QR

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

Ashford Young Farmers – copies of their August / September newsletter are available here in the market.

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

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.

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

The November edition of this popular regional farming magazine is now available here in the market. Hobbs Parker are regular contributors to the editorial content.

Romney Sheepbreeders News

Friday 15^th November – Romney Sheep Breeders Dinner at The Swan, Chapel Down Vineyard, Tenterden. TN30 7NG at 7pm for 7.30. £39.50 per ticket. Places are limited.

The recent edition of the breeders Society newsletter, produced by breed secretary Julie Lukehurst, is available here in the market. For all society information Julie can be contacted on 07538 938425

Notices – Judy Bishop, Cranbrook

Family and friends have asked to advise that Judy sadly passed away recently after a long battle with illness. Judy, with husband Chris, have farmed at Cranbrook with livestock for a number of years now and been regular supporters of the market. She will be missed by all who met and knew her within the market and rural community in the area.

A private funeral will be followed by a memorial service at Goudhurst Church on Wednesday 6th November at 11:30 am.

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.

Livestock for sale by private treaty – ex farm

For Sale – 2 pedigree polled Hereford bulls, 17 mths on a West Kent farm.

Notices – John Rye, Wittersham

Margaret Rye has asked us to thank all who attended the recent service and contributing to the retiring collection which enabled her to donate £878 to The Pilgrims Hospice.

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

For Sale – Collie puppies from working parents, ready mid-November – phone 01797 230394, 07703 743567 or 07761 732664.

Ashford Cattle Show – It is Christmas Show time!!!

Monday and Tuesday 25th and 26th November

Annual show of livestock, crops, carcases and much much more. All details from Julie Coney 07887 643002 or email ashfordcattleshow@gmail.co.uk

Last minute entries now please

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions

run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales are ……

Special 4 x 4, Diesel and MPV Vehicle sale

Wednesday 6^th November at 4pm

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 8^th November at 9.30am

Catalogues are now available.

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 27^th November at 5pm

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

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 and Pigs) 07741 845230

John Rossiter (Sheep, Machinery plus commercial vehicles) 07557 392903

Tom Hamplett (Rams, Calves & Weanlings) 07966 104532