Weekly Sales News – 3rd January 2017

Report on trade: A small entry of hoggets on offer this week with just under 1000 penned which was certainly caused in part by the recent bank holidays and festive period. We saw a relatively strong trade throughout the entry but we did not see the same amount of high end export grade lambs that we have seen in recent weeks, thus pulling the SQQ average back slightly to 172p per kg which was on par with the national average. The best end sheep that were on offer were still rewarded with a top price of 219p for some 37kg Beltex hoggets from Mr A Town with some Charollais cross hoggets from Mr  K Axell selling to 197p (28kg @ £75). The heavier end of the sheep were slighter harder to sell with the majority of lambs selling between £80-85 which would be in line with the trade that we have seen in the last few weeks. Top spots in the heavy section were D G & J W Gore with Charollais lambs to £87 which was closely followed by A C Hulme & Sons at £85.50.

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 farm assured stock.

Report on trade: A larger entry on offer this week compared to last weeks seasonal offering with over 500 ewes penned which sold on a similar trade to before Christmas. The exception was for the best quality ewes which met an improved trade to a top price of £106 for some Texel ewes from P A Mummery closely followed by A C Hulme & Sons at £98 for some Charollais ewes.

A few grazing sorts were on offer and sold to a restricted number of buyers and traded between £30-45.

Top prices included Texels to £108 form Mr P A Mummery, Charollais to £98 form A C Hulme & Sons and Mules from the same vendor to £69. The best Romneys made to £76 from Link Bros.

Report on trade: Almost a full row of store hoggets on offer this week which were sold to a super trade throughout considering the overall size and quality of sheep on offer as they were generally longer terms sorts in the pens. Top price on the day was £65.50 form D J Miles closely followed by some Suffolk x Romneys from L Wheeler & Sons at £65.Averages: Top £65.50, aver£53.24.

Report on trade: A strong trade for finished cattle with 9 individual buyers ensuring competitive returns throughout. Smart butchers type cattle took the pick of the trade, notably a British Blue cross steer at 220p (£1130) from D W Ferguson. A run of Limousin cross heifers sold well at £1210 plus and topped at 219p (£1300) from W Alexander (Shoreham) and a British Blue cross heifer made 204p (£1109) from D W Page & Son.

A run of Sussex and Sussex cross steers from Bowes Lyon Estate were well received making 190p to 204p with the majority grossing £1100 plus and up to £1241.

The majority of dairy bred sorts made 180p to 195p with a Limousin cross steer at 196p (£1133) from A J Down and a run of heavy British Blue cross heifers grossing well up to 185p (£1263) from F Sole & Sons.

Native bred cattle made up to 200p (£1276) for an Aberdeen Angus cross consigned by W Alexander (Shoreham).

Lean Blonde cross bulls made to £195 (£991) from G L Boulden & Sons.

This was a very good trade with prices very comparable and better for the smart butcher type cattle than alternative outlets. With 9 individual buyers more cattle could have been sold at favourable buyers. Support the live auction system and help to maintain an alternative for the sale of finished stock.

Report on trade: A really positive start to the New Year with a small show of cows reaping the reward available for coming immediately after the holiday period. Processing beef remains in short supply nationally and, of course, the imported product is dearer due to exchange issues. Flesh is what is wanted and cows with a Farm Assurance status open themselves up to the maximum number of customers. Trade for feeding cows was again very positive with the plentiful fodder situation no doubt helping.

Fed beef cows a marvellous trade generally 120-140p, with a few youngsters pushing close to 150p. Feeders are wanted.

Best prices included Hereford 149p Bowes Lyon Estate; North Devon 142p, 128pand £899 David Potter Farms; Blonde cross 137p £1031, Simmental cross 137p,132p £1006 and Aberdeen  Angus cross 130p, 128p, 122p,  £1021 all from C & J Georgetti & Sons and Sussex 127p Bowes Lyon Estate.

Dairy culls similarly were also a positive trade with some good flesh on offer. Holstein Friesian heifers 144p £883 J E Scutt & Son; Holstein Friesian cows 129p, 125p, 124p and £1077 J S & M D Antrum & Son; 124p £871 G A & H Vicary; 121p  £965 J E Scutt & Sons and 120p £1034 P J Forknall.

Report on trade: No sale for a month so an entry just short of 100 was penned but with a large proportion of black and white bulls. Buyers were again keen to bid for all breeds, shapes and sizes and many more could have been well sold. Strong demand for the black and white bulls continued with 6 individual bidders looking to secure good numbers with 62 sold to average £76.52.

Highlights this week included:

British Blue Bulls to £338 at 8 weeks from W G & T A Manford and £295 at 4 weeks from J E Scutt & Sons

British Blue Heifers to £305 at 13 weeks from Ledger Farms

Aberdeen Angus Bulls to £275 at 7 weeks from J E Scutt & Sons and £230 at 4 weeks from P J Forknall

Charolais Bulls to £325 at 11 weeks and heifers to 6 weeks at £260 from J Gormley.

Holstien bulls to £125 at 15 weeks and 12 at 7-10 weeks to £96 and averaging £75.60 from M W Goddard

Holstien bulls to £114 (twice) and 11 averaging £95.60 at 3 to 9 weeks from Ledger Farms

Holstien bulls to £120 (three) and 7 averaging £109.00 at 12 to 15 weeks from W S Furnival Ltd

Friesian Bulls to £92 and 6 averaging £82 at 4-8 weeks from R & J Ledger

Please keep your entries of calves coming. At our fortnightly sales we expect to have plenty of enquiries for all shapes, sizes and ages of stock. Thank you all for texts and messages with early notice of your entries for forthcoming sales – it does help.

and made similar good prices to the last sale before Christmas. Again good pigs were very short  entry and more could have been well sold. The best run were the 7 from P W & P Sim making 138 and 144p per kg (grossing to £120) while S J M Evans Pietrain crosses topped at 144p and £128. 50 to 120p covered the rest of the pigs offered.

Only 2 sows were offered making to 52p and £163.

Demand for store pigs was strong and the returns reflected confidence going forward in feeding pigs. Many more can be sold. Young Oxford, Sandy and Blacks made £15 and £20 With S Scott & Sons well bred feeders £44 and £57.

Events / Meetings in the area of interest to farmers

AHDB as part of their Reaping rewards and sharing excellence programme invite interested parties their Sittingbourne Monitor Farm meeting at Bapchild and Tonge Village Hall, School Lane, Sittingbourne. ME9 9NL on Thursday 12^th January from 10.30am to 2.30pm.

The meeting will be looking at Precision Farming – is it worth it and where do I start  with 3 top speakers on the subject.

To register your to attend please phone 07964 243699 or email Paul.hill@ahdb.org.uk

Lairage bookings for Monday and Thursday evenings

Please ring David Martin on 07860 114650 to confirm when you are delivering stock to the market for overnight lairage.

General news

Updated 3^rd January 2017

For Sale – Border collie pups from good working parents with excellent temperament. Ring 01580 714400 or text 07714342526

Wanted – trained mid aged working sheepdog, preferably a bitch. Ring 01424 870892

Kent Herdsmans Club dates – Sunday 8th January at 12 noon – a farm walk to view Sussex Cattle and other enterpirzes at Elm Farm, Lower Halstow, Sittingbourne ME9 7ER with visit to L Stevens & Sons.

For all details on Herdsman’s Club events contact Chairman Sandra Brown on 01233 502796 or Jo Masters 01580 240568

Notices – Alec Bray

The family have advised that sadly Alec passed away on Christmas Eve. He was a highly respected farmer in the Faversham area and had many friends among market users here in Ashford.

There will be a funeral service at the church of St Peter and St Paul, Ospringe at 11.30pm on Friday January 20th.