Weekly Sales News – 30th March 2021

Hoggets – Top price per head – £152 – J Watt: Top price per kilo – £350 – J Ayling

Milk Lambs – Top price per head and kilo – £167 & 428p – K Tucker

Report on trade: A smaller entry of hoggets was on offer this week, which has been a similar story nationally with supplies of the “farmers” sheep becoming very limited and the majority of the numbers in the hands of the larger finishers. This drop in numbers has helped the trade to lift once again and the best end of handy weighted export sorts were well in excess of £3 per kg with the average in these categories 295p.

This trade was also bolstered by easter week and promotional campaigns in supermarkets in the UK. Heavier sorts made up most of the entry which is often the case at this time of year with over half of the sheep entered falling outside the SQQ weight categories. Top spot on the day was taken by J Watt, Leatherhead with some superb continental hoggets at £152, closely followed by G Mitchell, Teynham at £150 and O’Neill Smith Ltd, Brighton at £148 who showed a superb run of heavier hoggets with Suffolk x Mules to £144.

Just a few more milk lambs were on offer this week for Easter but it is still early for big numbers to come out in the south east. The trade however was a flyer and those lambing early were well rewarded this week with what I believe is a record for new season lambs in easter week at 428p and £167 from K Tucker, Pulborough but a very close second place was taken by L Agley, Sevenoaks at £166 for a heavier lamb. Averages – 53 sold SQQ 369.6p. Lights 384p, mediums 356p

Keep the hoggets coming and please contact us regarding numbers so we can notify the buyers.

Report on trade: A better entry of ewes this week with some really smart continental types on offer which boosted the averages considerably. Several ewes made over £100 to a top price of £135 from Eastlands Farm closely followed by H V Link Ptnrs at £132 and A Denning at £128. These strong ewes are in demand nationally as numbers have decreased on the market with lambing now in full swing across most of the country. The few grazers on offer today were well competed for with the majority trading from £50 to £65

Report on trade: As expected numbers are dropping week by week as we come towards the end of the hogget season. Trade was however again brisk throughout and as dear as we have seen all season. Highlights of the day included Suffolk cross £118.50 and £105 from M Morton and a run of 169 Romney wethers to £117.50 (AV. £109.00) from A J Thompson & Sons.

If you have stores to sell, you would be well advised to market in the next few weeks to give purchasers time to finish before the end of the season.

Auctioneer: James Cook

Report on trade: Just one pen of couples on offer today from Miss H Challis which sold exceptionally well at over £70 per life for 11 ewes with 22 lambs at foot  – £214.

These sheep were the first pen sold by James Cook as an auctioneer and I’m sure all will agree what a super job he made of it. Well done James.

Entered for Tuesday 6th April – 200 Romney ewe tegs and 34 ewes and lambs. See our link to forthcoming sales page for further details

Report on trade: This week saw another superb trade with national supplies tight and prices maintained at recent highs. Handyweight continental crosses took the pick of the trade, notably a Limousin cross steer £1,497 (246p) and heifer £1,365 (236p) from W Alexander (Shoreham); Bazadaise cross steer £1,398 (248p) and Blonde cross steer £1,319 (230p) from Gillshaw Farms Ltd; Limousin cross steers £1,392 (227p), £1,313 (229p) from Gallagher Farms and £1,398 (226p) and heifer £1,367 (225p) from D W Ferguson Ltd; Limousin cross steer £1,353 (217p) from G L Boulden & Sons and top quality British Blue cross steer with weight topping gross price at £1,612 (226p) from K & P M Sinden & Son.

A good selection of native bred cattle were on offer with Aberdeen Angus cross heifer topping the section at £1,313 (235p) from D W Ferguson Ltd; Sussex steers £1,391 (225p) and Devon cross steer £1,353 (212p) from Gillshaw Farms Ltd; Sussex steers to £1,236 (210p) from J G & D G White and Lincoln Red heifers to £1,283 (218p) from A & M Lyon.

Report on trade: For a change it was mostly dairy culls this week but a decent amount of flesh on offer and rates were fully maintained with competition again intense from start to finish. Grazing cow prices were also exceptionally strong with some plain hard outwintered types very well sold in excess of 140p per kg. Young cows with flesh pushing close to 200p and £1,306.

No best beef cows this week but tidy Sussex to made 159p with British Blue x Friesian cows for feeding to 155p and £1,111. Sussex 159p,139p £999 H W Richards and 125p £813 (Non FA) Wright Farm Ptnrs; British Blue cross 155p £1,111 (Non FA) J Saunders; Hereford cross 141p,138p,127p £772 (Non FA) G J Ostridge and Simmental cross 136p, 134p £1,015 (Non FA) N P Miles.

We saw a strong trade throughout for dairy culls with young meat close to 200p and fleshed cows up over 130p and plain types 75p to 100p. Top calls included Flekvieh 190p, 160p, 140p £1,306 Westnedge & Knight; British Friesian, 133p, 129p £921 Debden Court Farms; Holstein Friesian, 131p, 126p £1,161 Huddlestone Farmers, 128p (2) £1,039, £1,031 P J Forknall, 127p £911 J W Boyd & Sons and 124p 122p £994 Leggat Farming with Brown Swiss 123p £937 D Murdoch & Sons.

Bulls a decent trade with Salers to 109p, 100p £998.

Report on trade: Demand for cattle to graze and/or feed remains very strong with numbers generally short this spring across the whole country. Only a very small entry was penned this – close to 600 are expected next week and over 450 already booked for 13^th April.

Top calls included Bazadaise cross steers, 15-15 mths £995 and £980 from J & K Webb and Blonde heifers £970 from Jones & Garrett

Report on trade: Breeding Cattle highly sought after this week, buyers for both Bulls and females all in attendance and proving there will to buy.

A small but quality entry of breeding bulls were forward this week with both Limousin’s and Simmentals on offer.  Top price of £3,050 went to R Coleman & Sons for a well framed ready for work Simmental while two smart young bulls from Ellis & Gottschalk topped the Limousin entry at £3,000 each.

Two pairs of pedigree Hereford cows & calves and an in-calf heifer from T J K & S I Purchase completed the days offering in the breeding section. The cows and calves sold to £1,380 whilst the in calf heifer changed hands at £1,000.

Report on trade: An absolutely flying trade once again here in Ashford today with all makes and models in high demand!  Leading today’s trade was a Charolais bull from the Falconhurst Estate at £370 and not to be out done British Blues sold to £350 from the same vendor. Native bred bull calves looked no less a trade with top price going to an Aberdeen Angus from Mrs M S Clifford-Baynes at £350. P J Forknall sold younger Aberdeen Angus bulls to £270 which looked on the money. Sussex bulls were a solid trade once more with a top of £190 from North Kent College and the Hereford’s were well represented by Goddard & Son who sold a quality run of bulls made to £250.

British Blue’s led the trade in the heifer section with 17 sold to average £238. Top of the tree for the breed was Mrs M S Clifford-Baynes at £335. A single Limousin from T Castle & Son sold for £260 and Simmental heifers from R & J Ledger look well sold at a top of £225. The native heifers were dominated by the Hereford entry from Goddard & Son which sold to a top of £310 with Aberdeen Angus heifers from the same home also topping at £310.

Not so many dairy sired calves this week which is disappointing considering the trade! Top price for a strong British Friesian for rearing was £140 from D Murdoch & Sons. Second grade calves look as well sold as recent weeks retuning an average of £64.40.

On a day of firsts for young people supporting the market Camilla Balcomb, Lydd (not yet a teenager!) attended the calf ring with mum and bought calves – we look forward to seeing her again in the market.

A reminder that we are able to offer calves from Arla vendors under 56 days old subject to a declaration being signed by the purchaser, any queries on this please do get in touch.

Sock Lambs

This section will be offered every Tuesday at 10.30am through the lambing season – please ring with entries so we can advise purchasers of likely entries. At least 10 already entered for Tuesday 6^th April

Please note Covid-19 regulations mean we will be again implementing a “Drop and go Policy” and no vendors will be permitted to attend the market other than to deliver stock.

Please help us to ensure your market remains open and operational.

News from RABI

Three course cookalong celebrates Great British Beef Week from April 23^rd to 30^th. We’re delighted to continue our long-standing relationship with Ladies in Beef, as their chosen charity partner for Great British Beef Week. To be part of this year’s exciting fundraising activity, you can join a virtual cookalong hosted by multi-award-winning Chef, Chris Wheeler and AHDB’s Karl Pendlebury.

Chris is Exec Head Chef of Stoke Park Club, including the 3 AA Rosette fine-dining restaurant. He was a contestant on the Great British Menu in 2016, has appeared on Saturday Kitchen and won Hotel Chef of the Year at the Hotel and Catering Awards. He is also Chef of choice to represent British Beef and Lamb around the globe and has for the last few years been Chef Ambassador, representing Quality Stand Mark Beef and Lamb.

Chris will be taking you step-by-step through a classic British-inspired three course menu, including expert insight into how to create the perfect steak at home.

This sensational virtual cookery demonstration takes place on St George’s Day, Friday 23 April from 7.00pm to 8.30pm. Tickets are available via Eventbrite (see link below) and are priced at £30 per log in. Eventbrite link: https://rabicookalong.eventbrite.co.uk . Registration provides access to an ingredients and kit list to organise in advance, and a link to the online Zoom event. The ingredients are based on cooking for two people but can be scaled up or down based on the size of your household.

If you’re unable to join the cookalong then we hope everyone will support our fantastic beef industry by serving a delicious British roast with all the trimmings on Sunday 25 April. We appreciative that it is a difficult time for many at the moment, but if you are able to support, please visit the R.A.B.I JustGiving page to make any donations.

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 79844, email sally.field@rabi.org.uk

Please note if you don’t wash out at Ashford.

Drivers of vehicles leaving Ashford empty without cleansing and disinfecting MUST complete a declaration form obtainable from the Market Office.

You must then cleanse and disinfect as soon as possible and within 24 hours, or before using again for livestock.

This is a LEGAL responsibility and are subject to checks by Local Authority Animal Health and Welfare Officers

Bovine TB Test Dates

It is very important that the date (first part of test) is recorded on cattle entry forms for all cattle sold from TB1holdings. Any recent whole herd test dates from TB4 holdings must also be recorded. This information is critical to purchasers who may be required to test animals again and who will wish to avoid the risk of a false positive by testing again within the 60-day period.

Please advise of test dates when making cattle entries for cataloguing from TB1 Holdings.

Message from Peter Barker of Barkers Animal Health

Lambing season supplies – Just a reminder that Barkers Animal Health retail store, here in the market, is open for collections on a Tuesdays. Please pre order with Mossy, who is available 24/7 on 07739 723623, so goods are ready for you.

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

The April edition of this popular regional farming magazine is now available here in the market. Hobbs Parker is a regular contributor to the editorial content.

Hay, Straw and fodder

For a small charge we are quite happy to advertise your hay, straw and fodder for sale in this register which will now run until early May for further details please ring our auctioneer’s office on 01233 502222 or Mark Cleverdon 07741 845230

For Sale – 150 4 String 2m rectangular Timothy 2^nd quality 2020 season hay. Ashford area 07876 273254

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

For Sale – Pedigree Dairy Shorthorn bull, 14mths. East Kent. Ring Mark Cleverdon 07741 845230

Wanted – an afternoon milker for a 200 cow herd in the Canterbury area. Please ring 01971 873896 or 01227 700578 for more details

Wanted – veterinary student (2^nd year) looking for lambing experience (28^th March to 16^th April). Please contact Oliver on 07763 688510

News from the East Sussex Farmers’ Benevolent Fund

The Benevolent Fund charity was created in 1935 by a local farmer and its purpose is to support farmers, farm staff and those involved in the wider land-based industries. Support can also be given to family dependants.  Beneficiaries are normally resident in East Sussex or neighbouring counties.

Income from property and investment legacies help to finance the fund in addition to generous donations. The fund is overseen by five local trustees with strong agricultural connections.

Help can be for those currently in work, or who have retired or who are unable to work due to illness or disability. The fund can also assist those entering land-based education and help with relevant CPD for furthering their land-based careers.

If you feel that we can help you or you are aware of someone who might benefit from help, please let us know and we will be pleased to support. To contact the Honorary Secretary of the Benevolent Fund Des Lambert – 07912 464746, 01273 890841 or email des.lambert@btinternet.com.

Help and support from The Farming Community Network

Farming Community Network (FCN) volunteers regularly attend local livestock markets and whilst we cannot be present at sales currently, our helpline is still open from 7am to 11pm every day, staffed by people who understand farming.

FCN is a charity and voluntary organisation that helps farmers to stay resilient. We provide practical and pastoral support to those experiencing difficulties in England and Wales.

During these challenging times we are encouraging everyone to think about their own physical and mental health and that of their families and staff.

We can help with contingency planning against the backdrop of the Corona virus outbreak and our FarmWell website (www.farmwell.org.uk) offers a wealth of free information about managing change and maintaining personal wellbeing.

The FCN helpline can be reached on 03000 111 999 or via email at help@fcn.org.uk. Confidentiality is assured