Weekly Sales News – 30th October 2018

Top price per head – £96  – Ms H V Link; Top price per kilo – 198p – G P King

Report on trade: A good quality entry of lambs on offer this week which met with an improved trade throughout for all classes. Best lambs were certainly well competed for this week but there were less leaner sorts on offer to impact on the averages. Heavier offerings from Ms H V Link sold to a top price of £96 for some Texel lambs but top spot on the day was taken by G P King with some shapey 45kg lambs selling to 198p per kg (£89).

Demand has increased across the country which in turn has improved trade on all the best meated sorts which were selling from 170p to 190p.

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 small entry of ewes this week with a lot of leaner sorts on offer once again, which has become the standard week in week out. Meated sorts sold at a similar level with the bulk of the numbers on offer nationally still diluting the price expectations across the country. Best meated sorts made prices in the high seventies with the majority of the grazers trading between £30-45.

Top prices included crossbred sheep from A J W Smith & Son to £76, Suffolk crosses to £78 from C Apps, Mules to £69.50 from Maytum Wharf Farm and Romneys to £54.50 again from A J W Smith & Son.

Report on trade: This week saw another mixed entry with smart handyweight cattle in short supply and a large percentage of second quality sorts on offer. The few best cattle attracted prices in excess of 210p per kg for notably a British Blue cross heifer £1272 (218p) and a Limousin cross steer £1252 (210p) from W Alexander (Shoreham) and a handyweight Limousin cross heifer at £1010 (202p) from S Marsh.

The best of the dairy bred sorts sold well up to £1176 (195p) for a Limousin x Friesian steer from A J Down, an Aberdeen Angus cross heifers made to £1200 (188p) from G Stokes and £1104 (196p) from Llewellyn Farms.

OTM cattle made up to £1257 (166p) for a heavyweight British Blue cross steer from J Leggat & Son.

Report on trade: There are still very difficult trading conditions in the sector as plain cows continue to clog the system and boning halls have lower capacity for cow beef as the major processors begin their Christmas cutting programme. Rates were a little better this week with more cows taken for feeding. Cows  will certainly be wanted in the post Christmas period and buyers remain confidant but with less food available!

We penned mostly beef cows again this week as early scanning results come forward after a difficult and stressful summer for cows. Plain dairy culls were difficult but flesh up over 100p.

Highlights included Simmental crosses to 133p per kg and grossing £981 from Pynn Contractors, 118p £894 A B Jones & Ptrs and 117p, 116p, £810 D G & J W Gore; Limousin cross 118p, 114p £887 E Chantler & Son and 117p, 110p, £792 D G & J W Gore; British Blue cross 118p £922 Llewellyn Farms; Aberdeen Angus cross 114p Llewellyn Farms; Sussex 112p D J Miles and 106p, 104p Earl de la Ware with Beef Shorthorn cross 109p C K Alexander.

British Friesians made to 112p £792 Debden Court and Holstein 101p £809 J Warnock & Son.

Report on trade: The stronger and better fleshed the cattle the sharper the trade while the younger and leaner sorts are proving more difficult. These younger cattle look good value to buy if you have surplus winter feed.

The best strong cattle to finish short term attracted prices in excess of £900 and up to £1040 for heavyweight British Blue x Friesian steers from T Carr and smart Limousin cross steers sold up to £940 from R & H Vincent. The younger long term cattle are discounted and demand reflects the shortage and cost of winter feed. Some of the better bred cattle are looking good value particularly those in the £600 to £750 bracket.

Please enter cattle early for forthcoming sales to ensure proper cataloguing and marketing.

On day of sale please ensure cattle arrive at the market early to ensure proper sorting and accurate administration of paperwork.

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, Pigs & Calves) 07741 845230

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

Tom Hamplett (Calves) 07966 104532

Don’t miss auction sales here in Ashford next week

Wednesday 7^th November – 4 x 4 vehicles at 4pm

Friday 9^th November – Collective machinery sale at 9.30am

Catalogues and / or online listings are now available for both sales

Can anyone help – A livestock client has mislaid a set of shearing combs due to be resharpend and set by Ian Lucas. Has anyone found said combs on the seat of their vehicle as they left the market on Friday 12^th October – if so please return them to us at the market.

RABI, Young Farmers Clubs and Kent Herdsmans Club news

Kent Herdsmans Club

Monday 12th November 2018 at 7.30pm – a talk by Dale Burden about Burden Brothers farming enterprise, at the Conningbrook Hotel, Canterbury Road, Ashford TN24 9QR

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

Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institute (RABI)

Tuesday 11^th December at 6 for 6.30 p.m. In the cattle ring here in Ashford Market

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

Romney Sheepbreeders News

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

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

The November editions of these popular regional farming magazines are now available here in the market. Hobbs Parker are regular contributors to the editorial content.

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

For Sale – 18 Pedigree Sussex in calf and maiden heifers from a North Kent herd. Contact Mark Cleverdon for details

Wanted – Shepherd with over 30 years experience with 2 good working Collies seeks sheep or beef cattle work. Anything considered.  Tel. 07810203324

For Sale – 6 Black and white Collie pups ready for new homes in the second week in October in East Sussex. Ring 07795 195435

Fodder Crop for sale and / wanted

For Sale – 400 round overyeared bales of hay on a south Sussex farm. Ring 07973 418654

For Sale – 50 2018 and 40 2017 season wrapped 4’ round bales of hayledge in West Sussex. Ring 07718 532971

Hobbs Parker Car Auctions Special Vehicle sales

Classic Vehicle Auction

4 x 4, Diesel and MPV Vehicle sale

Wednesday 7^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

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales include……..

Collective Machinery & Equipment sale

Friday 9^th November at 9.30am

Catalogues are now available.

This sale includes a consignment of interesting farm machinery and equipment plus catering trade items from a farm in West Sussex

Lots will include new & nearly new mowers & garden machinery. New tools, farm & agricultural equipment, timber plus a large selection of miscellaneous items.