Weekly Sales News – 4th July 2017

New Season Lambs

Top price per head – £114 – W G Watkins & Sons

Top price per kilo – 244p – D G & J W Gore

Report on trade: Another large entry of lambs on offer with over 2500 in the pens which met with a strong trade for the best meated types on offer with the leaner, grass finished type lambs not quite at the levels we have seen in previous weeks due to inflated numbers of these lambs being brought out nationally to take advantage of the 200p per kg plus that they have been changing hands at. Heavier lambs were certainly the trade of the day selling in excess of 220p in many cases. These lambs are still in short supply and combined with the reducing numbers of hoggets means those looking to supply large carcasses for the UK cutting trade are competing strongly to secure these. Top price on the day was taken by W G Watkins & Sons at £114 for some very heavy lambs and this was closely followed by E J Clough at £110 for some 48kg offerings. Best of the continental sorts on offer sold to 237p from S Weeks & Sons (34kg at £80.50).

A small, end of season, entry of hoggets were on offer this week with a more “normal” trade for the time of year with the majority of abbatoirs now making the full transition to new season lambs. Top spot was taken by K Lukehurst at £103 for some smart 49kg Beltex cross hoggets. Most hoggets were trading between 150 and 175p with the best approaching 200p per kg.

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 bigger entry of ewes on offer than anticipated and one of the best entries in terms of quality we have seen for several months with a great percentage of strong and well fleshed ewes penned. Ewes sold at a similar level to last week with the best ewes making upto £90. Grazing ewes were also in demand with the best of these selling to £60 and the majority making between £45 and £55.

Top prices included continental ewes to £101 from Harbourne FarmsJ Hooker, Suffolk Crosses to £97 form Bosney Farms, Mules to £80.50 from Miss K Butcher and Romneys to £87.50 from Scott and Montgomery.

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Report on trade: We were short of cattle again and the trade had a very similar feel to it overall. Quantity was in short supply with very few of the real best forward which remain 220p per kg and above. Well finished commercial types made 180p to 200p and more of these better end of the commercial range are required each week.

Top drawer heifers from S Marsh topped the day at 230p with a grand strong Limousin from A J Bray selling to 219p grossing  £1322. A smart exempt British Blue heifer from P Bates made 206p while commercial grade heifers from W S Furnival (Brookland) were 180p to 195p.

Quality was more variable amongst the steers with a smart shaped Sussex from J G & D G D White at 203p and Limousin steers from W S Furnival (Brookland) to 196p and £1173. Good fed strong continental steers from R F & E A Simmons made to 186p and £1243 and a keen demand for the Aberdeen Angus crosses saw them make 195p and £1165 from W S Furnival and 190p from P Bates (exempt). A good run of nice fleshed Limousin and Simmental x Friesian steers from A J Down made generally 185p to 195p,  a well finished Aberdeen Angus cross bull from A & S Woodford & Sons to 189p and £1206 with leaner Sussex to 169p and £977.

Overage stock were a real good trade with black and whites at 42mths to 152p and £1326 and continental heifers at 36mths 175p and 166p.

Report on trade: A terrific entry for the time of year with nearly 100 cows and overage sold through the cow section. Demand remains extremely firm particularly for the fleshed beef or dairy stock with perhaps the leanest dairy culls just beginning to ease a little. Confidence remains high amongst the feeding men and all tidy, younger types with sound potential being  taken to feed.

No real best beef cows but commercial crossbreds still regularly made 140p to 150p per kg and few making below 110p. Charolais crosses made to 149p and £1040 from M J Ashworth, 145p (Non FA) Thomsett Bros, Lincoln Red 148p (2), 138p, 136p, 134p, 128p (2) from A W Vincent, Aberdeen Angus cross 146p Thomsett Bros, 137p J Holt, British Blue 144p £999 M J Ashworth, Saler 140p £1017 Thomsett Bros (Non FA), Sussex 132p (Non FA) S P Churchill and South Devon 130p £1094.

Many more plain and lean steakers were found amongst the dairy culls but another highly encouraging trade as processors remain desperately short of manufacturing beef. Best cows made over 140p, good meat 125p to 135p, steakers 100p to 115p and only the plain boning cows below 100p.

A huge Holstein cow from Goddard & Son made 138p and £1389 with others 134p, 129p, 128p (2) and £1176, £1015 from J Warnock & Son; 135p, 133p, 129p and £1057, £1027 R Torrance & Son and 130p, 129p, £952 W F Farms. Foreign bred cows made to 101p £808.

Overage steers were a marvellous trade with a grand row of well grazed Holstein steers from E T Ledger & Son to 161p, 160p, 158p (2), 157p (2), 156p (2) 155p and topping at £1107.

Report on trade: A ring full of potential customers for a small seasonal offering of store cattle. A fabulous trade from start to finish and all cattle well sold to keen purchasers and anybody with stock to sell in this mid season period should not hesitate to take advantage of the confidence in the beef section.

Murray Grey bulls 11 mths £815 from Mrs S Harrow; Limousin bull 14 mths £780 from J Berryman; Limousin steers 11 mths £575 and heifers £605 L J Kernan; Charolais steers 8-9 mths £760 and £700 and heifers £575 and Charolais heifers 16 mths £825 and Hereford x Friesian steers 16 mths £610 all Thomsett Bros, Sussex steers 15-24 mths £800, £675, £655, £550 A Monnington & Ptns; Sussex steers 24 mths £1060 and Limousin steers 20-24 mths £930 E T Ledger & Son; Aberdeen Angus steers 9-10 mths £700, £690 (2) G D K George and Aberdeen Angus steers 12 mths £835, £752, heifers £760, £650 and £525 M Elphick. A good solid trade throughout.

Report on trade: The large proportion of stock offered was a herd dispersal from Thomsett Bros from Joyce Green Farm, Dartford with the generally big strong cows with late autumn and winter born Charolais cross calves (and back in calf to either Charolais or Hereford bulls) the feature. These couples made to £1450 and 11 averaged £1169 while the in calf cows were to £900 and heifers £1060. The Fisher bred pedigree Hereford bull made £980 to breed.

A run of 7 Hereford and Aberdeen Angus cows with super British Blue cross spring born calves made to £1180 and averaged £1011 for K J Kukehurst.

Breeding cattle will be offered in substantial numbers on Tuesday 8^th August and entries include another herd dispersal

Report on trade: 47 young calves and 30 stirks and customers for all with the beef trade in a reasonable place and stores still finding strong demand so rearers continue to want stock. From the very young black and whites through to the weaned beef crosses prices were very respectable. More calves could be well sold of all classifications.

Highlights through the sale included

British Blue bulls to £290 at 4 week and Aberdeen Angus bulls to £260 at 4 weeks from J W Boyd & Sons

British Blue bulls to £250 twice and heifers £250at 7 to 8 weeks old plus Holstein bulls to £100 at 10 weeks from Ledger Farms

British Blue bulls to £330 at 8 weeks and heifers £315 plus a Hereford heifer £250 at 5 weeks from H O Champneys Ltd

Holstein bulls to £128 and 5 averaging £103 at 8 to 13 weeks from M W Goddard

British Blue bull, born mid June, £280 and Holstein Friesian bulls, born early May to £102 twice from J Warnock & Son.

Aberdeen Angus cross bulls at 7 weeks to £240 and heifers £280 and April born Holstein bulls £200 from Goddard & Son

British Friesian bulls, born mid June  to £90 from P J Forknall.

British Blue bulls at 12 weeks to £385 and heifers at 3 weeks £225 from R Torrance & Son

Beef bred Charolais cross heifers to £410 at 6 mths and bulls £360 at 4 mths from Thomsett Bros

Holstein bulls at 4 to 7 mths to £150 and 8 averaging £118 from N J & G M Lambert

Aberdeen Angus bull £420 at 4mths and heifers £320 from A J Thompson & Sons

Aberdeen Angus steers £460 and heifers £425 plus Friesian steers to £230 all January and February born from M Gammons

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.

Report on trade: Demand for pigs continues in a strong vein for the summer season is and our fortnightly auction is producing fair returns for all classes.

This week saw a very mixed quality entry but a demand for all types. Mixed bred and second quality all made 80p to 120p per kg bar 3 lots and the best 120p to 142p. T Talers strong butchers pigs rang the bell at 142p, 140p and 128p grossing to £119 (17 averaging £111.52.

Cull sows made to 55p and £154

In the store and breeding pens a sow (not the biggest) and 12 made £200; P & R Marshalls well bred stores £61, £56 and £55 and the rest £34 to £42

Our pig sales are held once a fortnight and with the summer now we are seeing plenty of competition and more confidence in the pig sector after very low levels which prevailed for about 3 months in the spring. Please keep in touch with us here in Ashford if you have pigs to sell.

Notices – Anthony (Tony) Weller

The family have asked us to advise that Anthony passed away early last week after a long and very strong fight with illness.

A funeral will be held on Monday 17^th July at 2pm at All Saints, Woodchurch.

Notices – Bertie Bull

The family have asked us to advise that Bertie Bull from Peasmarsh recently passed away at the age of 90. He was a regular market supporter in Ashford, and formerly Rye and Maidstone, for many years. He farmed at Peasmarsh and Rye, will be rembered for his vast knowledge of sheep especially the Texel breed and was a show supporter producing a  champion carcase at the Royal Show. The family – 3 sons , 7 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren and friends will miss him greatly.

The funeral will take place on Wednesday 12^th July at 11am at Hastings Crematorium.

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Local beef farmer’s discussion group

If anyone would like to join a Kent Based Beef Group could you email your name and contact email address to hughr@john-lewis.com. We aim to have ‘Visits of Interest’, ‘Farm Walks’ and ‘Topic’ based debates or speakers. So please bring your ideas forwards as well please.

Breeding Cattle for sale ex farm

16 British Blue x Friesian heifers, 24 mths which have been scanned 5 mths in calf to a Limousin bulls on a mid Kent farm (TB low). Ring 07885 968077

2 Charolais bulls, 4 yrs old and proven from the Chesham herd. West Kent

3 Pedigree Sussex bulls – well bred and from a high health herd in Kent. TB Low. Mark Cleverdon can provide further details – 07748 202688

2 Pedigree Limousin bulls, 18 mths from a Welsh farm.

Local Agricultural Show dates

Friday 7^th to Sunday 9^th July – Kent County Show, Detling. Full details available from Show Office 01622 630975. ** Hobbs Parker are again pleased to be sponsoring competitions in both the cattle and sheep rings **

Sunday 16^th July – Singleton Rare Breeds Show, Chichester. Full details available from the museum on 01243 811348.

RABI, FCN and Kent Herdsmans Club News

RABI Fund raising events over the next few months include:

Watch this space for details of more events next week and ongoing

Kent Herdsmans Club

Monday 3rd July at 7.30pm – visit to PHR Farms, East Brabourne, Ashford. TN25 5LD to view their dairy herd and other enterprises.

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

Livestock for sale

4 Maiden Boer nanny goats, 12 to 14 mths on an East Sussex farm. Ring 07946 640949

25 Aberdeen Angus x British Friesian Heifers, 20 mths. High health status herd. Pedigree registered Aberdeen Angus Bull. Suitable for bulling. Ring 07710 803901

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Ashford Cattle show summer competitions

Flocks This competition has now been judged by Larry Cooke (Rye). Results soon

Beef herds This competition has now been judged by Richard Georgetti and Don Masters the last week of June. Results soon

Crops For last minute entries and all information please ring Tim Porter 07919 196068.

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

The July edition of this popular regional farming magazine is now available here in the market. Hobbs Parker are regular contributors to the editorial content.

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions

run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales are …..

Land & Property

Wednesday 5^th July

Commercial Vehicles

Thursday 6^th July at 3.00pm

A wide selection of upto 40 vehicles are generally offered in these sales

Classic car, vintage tractor and rural bygones auction

Friday 14^th July at  10am

Large entries expected in all sections.

First store lamb sale

Friday 28^th July at 3.00pm

Collective Machinery & Equipment sale

Friday 4^th August at 9.30am.

Catalogues will be available about a week before the sale.

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

Horse & Saddlery Sale

Thursday 10^th August at 10am

Catalogues will be available about a week before the sale.

Entries expected of riding ponies, event horses and youngstock

New & nearly new saddlery & tack, grooming kit, yard equipment, rugs, harness Riding boots, show jackets, jodhpurs, body protectors, yard clothing & boots

Special Auction Sale of all classes of motor vehicles- our August bank holiday event

Monday 28^th August at 10am

This auction of cars will include a special sales of 4 X 4, Diesel, sports and high performance, commercial and general vehicles. Upto 500 vehicles will be on site and in the sale.

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