Weekly Sales News – 31st July 2018

Top price per head – £96.50 – C & J Georgetti & Sons; Top price per kilo – P & C Bower Ptnrs – 201p

Report on trade: A smaller entry than we have been used to seeing of late and a slightly improved trade on the week with the averages up by about 6p per kg. Lambs certainly appeared a little fresher this week following the recent rain and in terms of quality, the entry was also ahead of last week.

Once again the heavy weighted and concentrate fed lambs sold to a marked premium over those who have been finished extensively. Top of the honours this week went to C & J Georgetti & Sons at £96.50 with a super run of well finished lambs with the majority selling between £85 and £95. The light weight continental cross lambs on offer sold to a shade over 200p for some very smart lambs from P & C Bower Ptnrs.

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: A similar sized entry and trade for the ewes on offer with prices roughly on a par with last week. Many anticipate a lift in the next couple of weeks before the EID festival but this will be entirely dictated by the numbers on offer nationally. Grazing ewes are starting to be bought predominantly by the customers to farm on with less going for slaughter.

Top prices included Suffolk crosses to £90 from R C White, continentals to £88 from Mrs D Chapman and Romneys to £76 from Mrs G and Mr J Henty.

Report on trade: Despite lower prices being offered by some major abattoirs in recent weeks the trade at Ashford Market has held firm. A smart handy weight Limousin cross heifer topped the market at £1012 (228p per kg) from D W Ferguson Ltd and a smart British Blue cross heifer sold well at £1228 (218p) from W Alexander (Shoreham). The regular consignment of continental x Friesian steers from A J Down sold at recent levels with a Limousin cross at £1125 (200p) and British Blue crosses up to £1124 (196p).

More commercial sorts made 180p to 195p, notably Limousin cross heifers at £1191 (181p) and £1145 (196p) from Burden Bros and R F & E A Simmons respectively.

A small selection of native bred cattle with the pick including a Sussex steer at £1063 (176p) from Bowes Lyon Estate and a Sussex heifer to £1014 (177p) from J G & D G D White.

Please keep in touch regarding numbers so we can ensure consistent throughput for our regular customers.

Competitive prices available.

Cull Cows – 82 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Report on trade: A marvellous entry for the end of July but this is a reflection of the severity of grazing conditions and, more importantly, the concerns over the country and Europe over the levels of conserved forage for next winter. Price levels have eased but the quality of the entry was high, in general, with good fleshed meat cows from both beef and dairy sectors finding strong competition with prices for some younger beef cows, ideal for further feeding, holding strong. The plainer cows with low meat yield are the ones to suffer most but competition still keen amongst buyers.

Plenty of good beef cows to kill or feed made 130-145p per kg and still few made below 100p. British Blue crosses made to 149p from H F & J H Glover; Simmental crosses 147p, 140p, 132p C E Price & Sons and 140p £1011 Burden Bros; Sussex 142p, 126p, 125p Bowes Lyon Estate and 129p West Court Farm; Limousin cross 139p, 136p £893 Burden Bros and 138p, 136p J Berryman; South Devon cross 138p(2), 130p £1016 Burden Bros; Charolais cross 133p £921 Burden Bros; Aberdeen Angus cross 133p £947 M A & F W Owen; Saler cross 127p Burden Bros; Belted Galloway 124p K Lukehurst and Dexters 98p R Challis.

Some good heavy fleshed dairy cows from the yards made 115-130p but fleshed required to be up over 100p with cows from the parlour 80-110p and a few of the leanest 60-80p. Fleshed lightweight cows a good trade. Holstein Friesians 135p, 128p, 120p, 118p(2), 117p £1077 Appleton (Ledger) Farms; 123p, 118p J Leggatt & Son; 118p Hall Place Farms; 118p Goddard & Son; 110p £1068 M A & F W Owen and Jerseys 100p Hickson Bros and 95p S E Lane & Ptrs.

Fleshed bulls wanted but prices for lean types easier. Limousin 125p £1052; Hereford 111p and Sussex 80p.

Report on trade: Although a large entry for the time of year quality was very mixed with a high percentage of dairy bred stock and very few beef bred sorts on offer. The majority of the youngsters and not so well bred cattle made £300 to £550, best continental cross yearlings around £800 while a strong 32 mths British Blue x Friesian steer topped the market at £1100 from T Carr.

Despite the drought conditions there was a good attendance of buyers and prices were competitive for the range of breeds, quality and age of cattle on offer.

Again good premiums available for beef bred heifers suitable for breeding notably Sussex heifers at £800 from West Ccourt Farm and £880 from A Rawlinson.

Principal prices include:  

Report on trade: An offering of young beeding bulls saw a top price of £2100 for a 2015 born pedigree Aberdeen Angus from Marshalls Farm Ltd and £1000 for a younger Hereford from T J K & S I Purchese.

In the females a 2012 born pedigree Sussex cow with heifer calf made £1010.

Report on trade: A good sized entry and competitive trade through the whole sale. There were plenty of bidders for both beef crosses and dairy bulls on offer with 14 individual purchasers securing stock.

J W Boyd & Sons offered sold 16 calves, nearly all July born, and their British Blue bulls making to £202 and heifers £182; J Gormley offered 20 calves with an Aberdeen Angus bull making £185 and young dairy bulls to £66; A & W J Hitchcock sold a May born Aberdeen Angus heifer for £200; W P Hope & Sons 5 July born dairy bulls made to £63; P J Forknalls late July born British Blue bulls and heifers made £205 to £215 and Aberdeen Angus bulls and heifers both to £195; R L W Parretts July born Simmental cross heifers to £255; a super British Blue heifers (again July born) from J C & S K Williams made £280 and W S Furnival Ltd sold June born Blonde crosses to £260 (twice), an Aberdeen Angus bull £240 and Sussex bulls and heifers both £240.

Stirks, February and March born, sold to £450 for a British Blue steer and £420 for heifers from the John Graham Centre and £410 for a Limousin cross steer and £205 for a Friesian steer from Valley Park YFC.

Remember we sell calves once a fortnight all through the year and have regular customers for all breeds and sexes.

Report on trade:  Again not the quality on offer but typically for any summer period demand is strong and pigs are wanted. Best pigs, cull sows and store pigs are selling at very respectable prices and only over finished and not so well bred pigs are less money.

S Scott & Son offered well bred finished pigs making to 136p per kg and £100 and The North School YFC’s heavier pigs 122p and £104.90. The rest were 30p to 112p

The entry of cull sows and boars saw good local demand pushing prices to 52p per kg and a young single litter gilt made £58p.

 Store pigs in the pens all made £33 to £45 with plpenty of customers.

Sheep Tagging

All sheep sent to market require to be correctly tagged.

Sheep under 12 mths – Single electronic batch tag and ewes and over 12 mths – Double tagged

Incorrectly tagged sheep may have to be returned home. Single electronic batch tags are not acceptable for ewes and sheep over 12 mths.

Hobbs Parker and Ashford Livestock Market

We are the South East’s principal livestock market selling around 250,000 head of cattle, sheep and pigs in 2017.

Weekly sales throughout the year of all classes of stock, principally on Tuesdays, run by a fully professional team of auctioneers and support staff, they provide an unmatched level of service and commitment to the livestock farmers in the area. Come and see us on market day soon and bring your livestock for us to sell

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

Friday 31^st August – a summer social event giving members and friends the opportunity to view the Aragon flock and visist the Cranbrook Museum.

National Sheep Association news

South Sheep 2018 – This bi annual event, promoted by the National Sheep Association is this year being held on Saturday 8^th September at South of England showground, Ardingley. RH17 6TH. For more details please contact event organiser Bob Blanden  01666 860308 or enquiries@southsheep.org.uk

Fodder Crop for sale and / wanted

For sale – Large quantity of maize silage available in the Cranbrook area, excellent analyse and quick loading. Please ring 07860623196/01580 240479.

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

RABI, Young Farmers Clubs and Kent Herdsmans Club news

RABI

Well done Kent fundraising Committee – for the 7^th time in 13 years the county committee have been awarded the Beaufort shield as the top fundraising county in the country (over £81,000 in 2017). Lord Plumb presented the shield to Andrew Brealey, Charles Tassell, Robert Pickard and Sheila Adams

Future fundraising events

Saturday 29^th September – Annual Harvest Supper – Amos Hall, Ashford Market, Ashford. TN24 0HB

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 13th August at 7.30pm. Visit to Sonia Purchese, Bossingham, Canterbury CT4 6DX to view her herd of Pedigree Herefords.

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

Heathfield Show news

The Heathfield Agricultural Show is looking to fill 2 roles – a trade stand and a horse secretary.  The roles are voluntary one with an honorarium paid after the Show, which is held annually.

For the trade stand secretaries role the applicant should be computer literate and be happy to sell the Heathfield Show and its trade stand space.  A full job description is available to download from www.heathfieldshow.org

For the Horse Secretary role (again the full description is on our web site) the applicant will provide secretarial support to the Horse Chair and Horse Committee. Jobs include liaising with breed societies on updates to their classes, qualifiers, book registered judges, work with the Show Secretary in producing the show schedule and program in print and online, manage Horse Exhibitor entries, correspond with exhibitors, order rosettes and stationery, manage Horse office on show day and manage show results. This roll is supported by the Horse Chair and Horse Committee.

If you are interested in either role please send your cv to Secretary@heathfieldshow.org.”

Something different ….,.

Saturday 15^th September – Weald of Kent Ploughing Match at Four Oaks Farm, Plumtree Road, Headcorn. TN27 9PB. Full details available from secretary Karen Wheeler 01580 753206 or on www.wkpma.co.uk.

Sunday 16^th September – The Southern Rover Owners Club are holding a family and friends off road open day at Copford Farm, Dern Lane, Horam, TN21 0PN. We welcome anyone to come along to our annual charity day where once again all money raised will be going to RABI.

If you have a 4×4 give it a go on our scenic route or passenger one of our club members in theirs and see what they get up to. Commencing at 11am donations are £2 per lap or £10 to ride all day.
The SROC are always looking for severe land such as old quarry workings on which to test their Land Rovers to extremes. For more information www.sroc.co.uk