Weekly Sales News – 4th September 2018

Top price per head – £94 – J Godden; Top price per kilo – 228p – A Denning

Report on trade: Almost 1500 lambs were penned this week with several good quality runs of sheep on offer but with lower weights than we have been seeing in recent sales. Less of the entries were intensively finished sheep this week but the quality on offer was not compromised by this. Many of the intensive finishers of new season lambs are coming to an end of this season’s offerings and their numbers are now being replaced with the next phase of grass fed lambs and some later lambed flocks who are feeding their lambs.

Top spot on the day was taken by A Denning with some tremendously shaped Beltex lambs that sold to 227p per kg (40kg at £90) and the highest grossing lambs came from J Godden which sold to £94 (51kg). Overall the average was returned at 185p which was 3p up on the week and above nationally quoted averages.

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: Just under 1000 ewes penned this week with a large proportion of leaner sorts on offer but several buyers present for these types to farm on which holds the prices up despite the large numbers. Meated sorts are selling at a similar level to recent weeks with the best approaching £90 and a top price of £91.50 from T Russell closely followed by A A Palmer & Sons at £89.50. More ewes are expected to come forward in the coming weeks with many lambs being weaned so please advise us of what numbers you will have coming forward.

Top prices included continentals to £91.50 from T Russell, Suffolk Crosses to £89.50 from A A Palmer & Sons, Mules to £63.50 from C S Wills Trust and Romneys to £61 from J D Hickman.

Report on trade: A cracking trade for an increased entry of cattle saw the best butcher type cattle selling readily at 200p per kg plus with a superb British Blue cross heifer topping the market at £1177 (227p) from S Marsh closely followed by a Bazadaise cross steer at £1218 (224p) from Westlands School YFC. Other top prices included a Limousin cross steer at £1104 (215p) from D W Ferguson Ltd and a run of continental cross heifers attracting prices of 200p plus and up to £1126 (213p) from W S Furnival (Brookland).

A small selection of native bred cattle on offer were well received with a purebred Sussex bull at £1137 (190p) and a heifer same price £1137 (186p) from Mrs V McDonald. A run of Dexter looked well sold up to £715 (195p) from Didling Farms Ltd.

Several OTM cattle on offer with the majority making 140p plus with Limousin cross steers topping at £1178 (170p) from J Olney and £1067 (170p) from J E Wickens.

Report on trade: Despite increased numbers within the cull section we were actually short of cows this week with a run of 10 good aged Holstein steers and a fine entry of 11 fleshed Dexter cows within the entry. Cows are wanted strongly both for short term finishing and the processing trade. Getting some culls sold early may be a prudent decision in this season. All grades were dearer this week.

Highlights included Limousin cross 186p per kg, 131p and £1002 from Mrs D M Ashbee (Non FA), 162p £1218 C & J Georgetti & Sons, 133p D W Ferguson Ltd, 137p and 132p F W Hare & Sons (Non FA); Simmental cross 155p £1058 C & J Georgetti & Sons; Sussex 140p J D Hickman (Non FA); Belted Galloway 130p £675 D W Ferguson Ltd and Dexter 122p, 108p, 104p, 94p, £468, £414, £407, £393.

British Friesian 155p (under 36mths), 137p (2), 136p, 129p, £915 Debden Court; Holstein Friesian 139p £1226 M S Clifford-Baynes and 130p £991 J Warnock & Son.

Holstein steers 157p, 155p, 151p, 149p, etc £1084, £1027, £1025, £1010, etc from E T Ledger & Son Ltd.

Report on trade: The largest entry of store cattle for several months were well received and attracted a good attendance of buyers with several specialist feeders around the ring. Although trade was competitive throughout the better quality and stronger sorts attracted most attention while the longer term second and third quality cattle proved the most difficult to place.

Top runs of the day included 45 10-12 mths Aberdeen Angus crosses which sold exceptionally well with the steers topping at £870 (260p) and heifers to £590 from R Brown & Daughter, 39 16 mths Limousin crosses  from J F Windibank with steers up to £1010 and heifers to £875, 40 18-20 mths strong continental crosses from J E Berryman with the best steers topping at £1185 and heifers to £1160 and 25 Blonde crosses from R D E Spencer with steers to £1055 and heifers to £1130.

Principal prices include:  

Report on trade: Plenty of faces around the ring resulted in a competitive trade for the stock offered. A good young Hereford bull made £1750 and a younger Aberdeen Angus £990.

Pedigree Sussex cows and summer calves made to £980 for a 2012 born couple from S Hasemore and £920 for a 2014 Hereford cross cow and August born bull calf from Hugh Alexander Ltd.

Further breeding cattle including more from Hugh Alexander Ltd (a continuing herd dispersal) and a herd dispersal of Dexters will be offered on Tuesday 18^th September.

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

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.

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

For Sale – 300 Suffolk x Mule 1 & 2 lamb ewes on a Kent farm. Ring Elwyn davies  for more details

For Sale – 2 Pedigree Beef Shorthorn bulls, bn 2015 (proven) and 2017 (ready to work) – ex farm in North Kent. Ring Mark Cleverdon for more details

For Sale – 24 British Blue x Friesian cows, mainly 2^nd to 4^th calvers, due to calve again from late February and through March to a Limousin bull – East Sussex. Ring Mark Cleverdon for more details

For Sale – 20 Beef cross cows, mainly 2^nd to 6^th calvers, due to calve again from December onwards to a Parthenaise bull – East Kent. Ring Simon Husk 07885 968077

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

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 Auctioneers and Car Auctions run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales include……..

Sale of Boats and Maritime items at Ramsgate Harbour

Please note this sale has been postponed until 30/03/2019.

Birchen Knoll Farm, Fairlight, Hastings

Saturday 22^nd September

Farm dispersal sale of arable machinery and equipment. Catalogues will be available shortly

Chilli Farm Machinery sale

Saturday 29^th September at 9.30am

Large entries of tractors, trailers, vehicles, arable equipment, haymaking equipment, tractor attachments & spares, livestock kit, garden machinery, workshop tools and a large and varied selection of rural bygones. Entries close Saturday 8^th September.

Collective Machinery & Equipment sale

Friday 10^th November 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.

Something different ……

Saturday 8^th September – Swale & District Ploughing Match at Home Farm, Borden, Sittingbourne, ME9 8JR. For more information ring Chris Hildyard 01795 470556 or Andrew Mew 07759 320496

Sunday 9^th September – Charity Tractor Run and Family Fun day at The Jolly Farmer, Whitewood lane, Godstone. RH9 8JR. Proceeds to Brooklands School for children with additional needs. For more information 07974 668306 or 07484 664011

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.
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.

Saturday 22^nd September – Gravesend & Rochester Ploughing Match at Tudor Farm, Stoke Road, Upper Stoke, Rochester. ME9 3SF. Full details available from secretary Tom French  01233740077 or Tom.French@btfpartneraship.co.uk

Wednesday 26^th September – East Kent Ploughing Match -, Malmains Farm, Waldershare, Dover CT15 5BG by kind permission of E.I Overy & Sons. For more information www.ekpma.co.uk or 07802 974 838

Saturday 29^th September – East Sussex Ploughing Match – Church Farm, Guestling, East Sussex TN35 4HS by kind permission of P Elliot and the Bellhouse family. For more information www.espms.co.uk or 07752 247469

RABI, Young Farmers Clubs and Kent Herdsmans Club news

RABI – 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

For September the club celebrate being 50 years old with a BBQ at Coach House Farm, Egerton on Sunday 9th September at 12 noon for 1pm food.

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

Ashford Young Farmers Club

Saturday 29th September at 7.30pm – The club celebrate their 75th anniversary with a special dinner dance at the Weald of Kent Golf course, Headcorn. Dress code – Black tie and evening dresses with an added sparkle. Tickets £35

For more information or to buy tickets contact Callum 07933 213617 or Amy 07733 481473

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

Farm job opportunity

Wanted – a general assistant on a livestock and arable farm in North Kent. The job can be full or part time and will be principally working with sheep and cattle. Ring 07976 921689