Weekly Sales News – 31st March 2020

Top price per kilo- 243p – PA Barling; Top price per head – £117 – N A Balcomb & Son

Report on trade: Once again we held our market in Ashford, adhering to the regulations and serving the customers of the south east with a facility to market their stock appropriately and fairly during these extraordinary times we are living through. We penned almost 1400 hoggets, possibly the largest number in the UK this week, and trade was almost identical to last week, despite the talk of woes that has been commonplace across the industry in recent days.

Best continental sorts were most in demand, with export markets still requiring meat, and the heavier more home trade based carcasses finding it a little harder to maintain the level of trade we have seen recently. Best examples included Beltex crosses selling to 243p per kg from P A Barling with P Gorringe in second place at 238p. The best of the heavies were around 200p with many more between 190p and200p.

The Hobbs Parker team would like to express our gratitude to our staff, vendors and buyers for bearing with us and their patience in dealing with the tricky circumstances we find ourselves in. Lets all try to continue on to as we are, to see this out and get back to normal as soon as possible.

Just a handful of new season lambs were offer once again and we found a good demand for them. Top price of 281p from M Critcher & Ptnrs and 279p from Miss K Tucker.

It would be greatly appreciated if you could “help us to help you” by arriving earlier to assist with appropriate sorting and penning of sheep. Lairage facilities are available from 2 to 6pm every Monday and we can accept stock from 6am every Tuesday.

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 very small entry of ewes this week and the trade is pretty lacklustre for the ewes as the main consumers of this meat have stockpiled in preparation for the lockdown. We may see a return to better prices in weeks to come but this is very hard to predict in the current times of uncertainty. Best ewes made around £90 to a top of £99 from  A Denning.

Top prices included Suffolks to £99 from A Denning, Dorset cross to £84 from Mrs V McDonald, Romneys to £81 from D A Thompson and other crossbred to £80 from R M Vidler.

Report on trade: Again not too many on offer today, and not much quality either it must be said, best to £70.

Report on trade: Despite reduced numbers this was a better quality entry of finished cattle and trade was competitive throughout.

The best handyweight continental crosses attracted prices in excess of 200p per kg with a run of mainly Limousin cross heifers from W Alexander (Shoreham) taking the pick of the trade from 195p to 231p and grossed well up to £1306 while a Blonde cross heifer sold well at £1002 (205p) from G L Boulden & Sons. Heavier cattle made around 175p with a Limousin cross steer £1198 (178p) from R F & E A Simmons and a run of South Devon cross heifers up to £1171 (185p) from O A Reynolds.

OTM cattle made up to £1017 (158p) for Aberdeen Angus cross steers from The Montreal Estate.

Report on trade: Another excellent entry both from the point of the time of the year and the difficult circumstances we find ourselves in. Trading conditions are being made very much harder by the irresponsible and unreasonable profiteering by some in the supply chain who are keen to strip large chunks of price out of the product at a cost to the producer.

Our buyers stood up to the plate and with new faces in attendance we had a very good trade and well ahead of the expectations of many. Competition was positive throughout with the interaction of bidding for keeping and slaughter cows helping from first to last.

Best assured fleshed beef cows still able to top 130p per kg with young keeping Sussex close making to 140p. A good run of heavyweight Aberdeen Angus cross cows  made 105p to 122p.

Fed and fleshed dairy cows could still top 100p with a strong trade for maiden overage with finished sorts. Secondary grades did slip a little as the big firms and retailers flex their muscles. Any less in the shop? Never! Remember twenty years ago and it is the same old factor – greed! At a time when so many are pulling together to get through this awful situation it is wrong that some feel that they have an opportunity to take advantage. Long live the live markets – where we all, big, medium and small can stand together as equals.

Top calls include Sussex 139p, £809 Trenchmore LLP; Aberdeen Angus cross 136p, £874 Llewellyn Farms and 122p, 120p, 118p, 116p, 111p, £923, £921, £917 B Sutton; Sussex cross 114p, 112p, 110p (3), £772 (Non FA) D Mosdell and Limousin cross 110p B Sutton.

Holstein Friesian heifers 149p, 138p, £1032 H O Champneys Ltd; 141p, £885 J S & M D Antrum & Son and 120p J Warnock & Son. Holstein Friesian cows 108p J Warnock & Son; 105p, 102p (2) H O Champneys Ltd and 101p J E Scutt & Sons.

A Sussex bull made 103p and £1173.

Report on trade: A different show of cattle this week with a big percentage of native and dairy bred stores attracting slightly different customers at ringside. Generally trade was again competitive throughout and feedback from vendors was pleasing and satisfying.

Best continental cross yearlings sold readily in excess of £800 and stronger sorts to finish short term £1000 plus. Again native bred cattle were well received with the stronger sorts making in excess of £1000 and topping at £1060 for South Devon steers from O A Reynolds and Hereford steers to £1040 from Alpha Farms while a large percentage of better bred younger sorts sold in excess of £700.

Generally a very competitive and acceptable trade considering the current circumstances and the downward pressure on returns for finished cattle.

We are open for business every week and if you have cattle to sell very decent prices are available – please contact with update on trade and future entries.

Report on trade: A smaller entry than we have become accustomed to in the last few months but not surprising considering the time of year and increased pressure that many of our vendors are under as a result of these unprecedented times. Vendors who did present stock for sale were well rewarded with many reporting trade exceeding expectations.

Continental calves very much in demand across the board this week. Bulls sold to £295 (2) for a quality run of British Blues from J E Scutt & Sons with continental bulls generally £140 plus and best types £200 plus. Topping the heifer trade was a British Blue again from J E Scutt & Sons making £265.

We saw an improved trade for native calves with a top price for bulls of £170 from Kingcott Dairy with their run of Aberdeen Angus calves. Heifers made to £90 from the same home, again with the Aberdeen Angus. A younger entry of natives this week with bulls generally made £140 to £170 and heifers £70 to £90.

Just 6 dairy sired calves forward this week, all of which were fairly well framed and had a little age about them. J E Scutt & Sons topped this section with a Holstein Friesian at £82.

Due to the current situation with COVID-19, it is more important than ever to pre-enter calves prior to presenting them for sale, in particular dairy sired calves to enable us to ensure demand is matched with supply. Please do not hesitate to contact us via telephone to discuss marketing requirements at this most unusual time.

A good entry of weanlings to suit a range of buyers needs met another firm trade this week. Continental heifers topped the section with two quality British Blues from J Hughes to £430. Continental bulls sold to £340 from H O Champneys Ltd for a British Blue. The same vendor topped the native bull section with an Aberdeen Angus to £350. A run of well reared stock as always from East Hill Farm topped the native heifer section with an Aberdeen Angus at £390.

If you have weaned calves to sell please don’t hesitate to pick up the phone to discuss your marketing requirements and make the most of the demand whilst it is here!

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.

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.

Message from Peter Barker of Barkers Animal Health

Barkers Animal Health retail store here in the market is open for collections on a Tuesday. Please pre order so goods are ready for you – 07880 946983

Hay, Straw, Fodder and Forage Crop for sale and / wanted

For Sale – Top notch barn stored round and mini-hesston bales 2019 hay. Bulk whole oats in half tonne bags also available. Delivery arranged. East Sussex. 07768 771933.

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

For Sale – Border Collie puppies – 4 dogs and 2 bitches – in the Ashford area. Ring Tom on 07707 879642

If you are affected by TB in any way you may wish to note that

Defra have relaunched the TB hub website, Visit the site at https://tbhub.co.uk/ to start exploring and hopefully understand better the efforts being made to deal with this problem.

Sale of breeding stock

Current restrictions on the sale of livestock though our auction sales mean breeding stock i.e. cows and calves, in calf cows and heifers, bulls and ewes and lambs cannot be offered.

Our livestock auctioneers and fieldsmen will be maintaining contacts with all our livestock buyers and sellers and farm to farm transactions can be arranged.

We have a growing list of stock for sale from regular vendors include

Young Limousin bulls in Essex and Wales; pedigree Sussex cattle from breeders intending to support the Spring show and sale and other stock.

Local Agricultural Show and ploughing match dates and news

Agricultural shows in the region which are now cancelled include Royal Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey County, Kent County and Essex Young Farmers, South of England and Heathfield (see press release below).

Heathfield Show Press Release

The Heathfield & District Agricultural Show Society Council is sad to announce that the 2020 Heathfield Show has been cancelled.

The Show Council has taken into consideration all the Government instructions relating to the virus and has come to the conclusion that there is no option other than to cancel.

The Show Secretary, Nicola Magill commented, “Everybody realises what a big decision this is, and it hasn’t been taken lightly.

“All the Government guidelines have been examined and the Show Council are in agreement that the responsibility for the health of all our visitors, exhibitors, guests, trade stand holders, volunteers, stewards and committee members has to be the main priority.  Combining this with the financial health of the Society is also important.  Unrecoverable expenses have already been incurred but the closer to Show day the more this figure will escalate.”

“Taking both these factors into consideration, with the necessity of preserving the Society assets for future Shows, it seems sensible to decide to cancel sooner, rather than later.”

We rely on a considerable number of local volunteer organisations to help us run the Show on show day and in return we make donations to their organisations.  The cancellation of the Show will hit them hard as it means there will be no donations this year – today is a very sad day.

We would like to thank everyone involved with us for your continuing support.  Please bear with us whilst we work on arrangements going forward.

The date for the next Show will be 29^th May 2021

South East Point to Point Meetings (www.pointingse.com)

From the point to point racing Co website “This is a formal announcement to confirm that the British point-to-point season is closed for this season”

Notices – Colin Curd

Family and friends have asked us to advise that Colin sadly passed away recently. Colin would have started work in Ashford market in the very late fifties. From this work and contacts made he developed a career as a buyer respected for his judgement and fairness in both the slaughter industry and the with the many livestock famers throughout the country he would have worked with. Colin will be greatly missed by family and friends – for all his life he remained an “Ashford” boy!

A private funeral will be held in due course and the family promise a “get together” when things “return to normal”.