Weekly Sales News – 30th July 2019

Top price per head – £88 – Passmore Coombes: Top price per kilo – 203p – C A Worley Farming Ltd

Report on trade: A smaller entry of lambs on offer this week. No doubt many of the grass finished lamb vendors are wishfully holding for the trade to possibly lift a little while the intensively fed lambs must be sold when they are ready.

Trade has been steadily consistent in recent weeks, at a disappointing level for these feeders but at least we saw a strong trade early in the season. Best lambs just managed to break the 200p per kg barrier from C A Worley Farming Ltd this week at 203p, showing that the export trade is still there for the best. Heavier lambs however are the ones who have taken the largest hit in recent weeks.

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: With a large entry penned this week these included many leaner sorts following many lambs being weaned recently for both the store sale and the lambs that are being fed concentrate. Trade was similar to last week with the best ewes selling in excess of £80 to a top price of £84. Numbers coming out will dictate trade going forward.

Report on trade: A reduced entry this week with best quality in short supply. Heavy weight sorts grossed in excess of £1100 notably £1123 (161p) for Simmental cross steer from E T Ledger & Son Ltd and £1120 (168p) for Limousin cross steer from R F & E A Simmons.

Several native bred cattle on offer with purebred Sussex heifers looking well sold to £872 (179p) from C D & J Bishop and Aberdeen Angus cross steer £1070 (172p) and heifer to £934 (182p) from G Stokes.

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Report on trade: A reduced throughput and a very decent trade to average 94.9p per kg overall in line with previous weeks. A Simmental cross cow sold at £688 (110p) from D J Miles while the best of the Holstein/Friesians sold readily around 110p while the majority of the plainer sorts making 70p to 80p.

Top prices included Holstein/Friesian to £942 (112p) from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd, £930 (114p) from Appleton Farms Ltd, £919 (114p) from R & J Ledger and £891 (108p) from WF Farms.

Notices – Paul Bowen, Sevenoaks

The family and friends of Paul have asked us to advise that he sadly passed away recently. Paul was haulier and livestock farmer in West Kent (as was his father before him) trading as S & A Bowen. His reputation for good service and sound advice went before him through life and his will be a face that will be missed here in Ashford, in the West Kent farming community and in the stands at “The Emirates”, his second home in the football season.

A funeral will be held at The Kent & Sussex Crematorium, Tunbridge Wells on Thursday 15^th August at 11.30am

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

For Sale – Collie puppies from registered working parents with good temperament – East Sussex. Ring 01797 253702 or 07930 624594

Wanted – Collie bitch puppy. Ring 07761 206169

Forthcoming store and breeding sheep sales

Friday 9^th August – Store lambs and breeding sheep – over 3,600 lambs expected

Friday 23^rd August – Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 30^th August – Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 6^th September – This sale will include the annual show and sale of crossbred ewe lambs together with South East Texel Groups breeding females and rams plus commercial rams

Summer events / meetings in the area of interest to farmers

Aylsham Show – Monday 26^th August – Bickling Hall, North Norfolk.  For details www. theaylshamshow.co.uk

Edenbridge & Oxted Show – Sunday and Monday 25^th and 26^th August – For further information contact  Jackie Shearman on 01737 645857 or email sesha@edenbridge-show.co.uk ** Hobbs parker Auctioneers are pleased to be sponsors of classes within the livestock section of this event **

Romney Marsh Ploughing Match – Sunday 1st September – Ham Mill Lane, Hamstreet, Ashford. TN26 2QW – Ploughing starts at 10am, Fun dog show at 12pm and also sheep shearing and craft stalls. For more information 07785 783662 or email: romneyploughing@yahoo.co.uk

Moreton in Marsh Show – Saturday 7^th September – Gloucestershire.  For details www.moretonshow.co.uk

Weald of Kent Ploughing Match – Saturday 14^th September at Poplars Farm, Churn lane, Horsmonden. TN12 8HN. Full details available from secretary Liz Copping 07872 501951or on www.wkpma.co.uk.

East Sussex Ploughing Match – Saturday 28^th September – Broad Farm, Hellingly, East Sussex by kind permission of Richard Mortimore-Lee. For more information www.espms.co.uk or 07752 247469

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

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

Cream Tea and Garden tour – Thursday 8^th August at Hole Park, Rolvenden TN17 4JA at 2.30pm. Tickets £15 from Charles Tassell or Sheila Adams 07783 398439

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 12th August at 7.30p.m – visit to Tim Piper’s pheasant shoot to view this years poults etc, Owley Farm, Acton Lane, Wittersham, Tenterden. TN 30 7HL.

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

FCN

The Farming Community Network (FCN) is a voluntary organisation and charity that supports farmers and their families through difficult times. FCN have helped many thousands of farming people deal with issues such as financial difficulties, animal disease, poor mental health, relationship breakdown and isolation. FCN’s volunteers ‘walk with’ those who need support and help them find a possible way through their problems – for as long as it takes.

Nationally FCN have been supporting the recent Farm Safety Week (FSW) which ran from 15^th – 19^th July. The aim of the event was to help raise awareness that

• Protecting the physical wellbeing and mental health of everyone in the agricultural community is the focus of this year’s FSW.
• Agriculture remains the UK’s most dangerous occupation, with a fatality rate 18 times higher than the all industry average.
• Thirty two people were killed on British farms last year.

During harvest workload, machinery movements and staff numbers all increase and with this in mind, farms and estates are being encouraged to remind their staff of the risks involved by holding a pre harvest health and safety briefing. This should ensure your staff know where to find – 1. First aid kits; 2. Electricity isolation points; 3. Fire extinguishers; 4. Emergency assembly points; 5. The accident record book.

Farms and businesses should ask themselves – Do you have a qualified first aider? To whom is damaged or defected machinery reported?

Check out the health and safety (agriculture) website for guidance – hse.gov.uk (which includes the following downloadable resources); ‘farmwise’ – an essential guide to health and safety in agriculture; ‘what a good farm looks like’ – common risks to health and safety on your farm and Using tractors safely – a step by step guide

Further help and information is always available at fcn.org.uk or by an informal chat speak to any FCN representative in the market on a Tuesday. FCN Helpline 03000 111 999. 7am – 11pm every day.