Weekly Sales News – 6th August 2019

Top price per head – £99.50 – G H Dean & Co: Top price per kilo – 232p – S J & J L Vine Ptnrs

Report on trade: A few less lambs on offer this week with just over 1,500 penned which coincided with it being the last market prior to this weekend’s Muslim festival of Qurbani. This sparked a real lift in the trade taking it back to where we were in May and June. Whether the trade will maintain this level we can only wait and see but it was certainly a welcome lift to the lamb finishers this week and there were even a few smiles noticed around the pens during the sale!

Lambs were up approximately £6 to £7 on the previous week’s trading with the heavier sorts most competed for to a top price of £99 from G H Dean & Co closely followed by C & J Georgetti & Sons at £98 and N C & C G Hedges at £95.50. The best continentals were also improved by probably 25p per kg with smart white lambs from S J & J L Vine Ptnrs topping at 232p (37kgs) closely followed by C A Worley Farming Ltd at 228p (40kg).

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 big entry of just over 1000 ewes on offer this week in advance of the festival with many farmers holding back for a lift in the trade but the numbers on offer dictate this and the big trade lift we have seen in the past rarely occurs nowadays. Several good ewes were on offer and sold in excess of £80 to a top of £84 from P Ashlee. Several were in a leaner state, clearly weaned recently, and are finding homes with the grazing men to take through to winter.

Top prices included crossbred ewes to £84 from P Ashlee, Suffolk crosses to £81 from M A Piper & Sons and Mules to £75 from A W Vincent

Report on trade: We saw a better entry of cattle this week and with a few extra customers around the ring the trade was a fraction better. A run of continental cross heifers from W S Furnival (Brookland) met a good level trade making 180p to 190p per kg and grossed up to £1150 (182p) for a Blonde cross heifer while a smart Limousin cross steer topped the market at £1037 (193p) from G L Boulden & Sons. Other top prices included a Bazadaise cross steer at £1079 (185p) from W Alexander (Shoreham) and a heavyweight Limousin cross steer was relatively well sold at £1120 (177p) from R F & E A Simmons.

Several native bred cattle were on offer with the pick of the trade including Aberdeen Angus cross steers at £1076 (177p) from H & S Nesfield , £1023 (177p) from B G & M A Tomsett and a purebred Sussex steer at £915 (164p) from A Gaddie.

Report on trade: We can report a stronger trade for cull cows which is encouraging to all in the beef sector. Competition was sharper between buyers and feeding back into the grazing cows which were also dearer. We were very short of beef cows today but the dairy culls were a good sample with majority dried up and fed.

Just a handful of beef cows with tidy fleshed types 115p to 130p per kg and some lean mid age grazers 110p to 120p.

In the beef lines Limousin cross 131p £829 W S Furnival (Brookland); South Devon 123p, 116p £960 H & S Nesfield and Charolais cross 118p, 116p, 115p, 114p, 113p £773 (Non FA) C E Price & Sons.

Some good big framed fleshed dairy cows were on offer and well sold with the plainer lighter types straight from the parlour also dearer.

Holstein Friesian 122p, 115p(3), 114p, 113p, 112p £1077, £979, £900 R C & J L Pickering; 116p, 113p £992 Huddlestone Farmers; 116p, 111p, £809 W S Furnival Ltd; 110p, 109p, £928 R & J Ledger and British Friesian 122p £948 B J Goodsell and 118p, 116p, 115p, £848 Debden Court.

Stock bulls were a little firmer with a Limousin 109p £1020 and Sussex 100p £950, 88p £866.

Report on trade: Just a small showing but more interest than of late. Some good quality suckler bred Aberdeen Angus yearlings from Llewellyn Farms well sold with steers to £870 and heifers to £880. Spring born Simmental cross steers made £450 and £400 A & V Sutton.

Quality variable amongst the dairy crosses but nice yearling continental steers from Westlands School made £670 and £650.

Report on trade: Three couples were offered, all from TB Edge parishes, and 2 Charolais cross, 2014 born cows with Simmental cross calves made £1050 and £1060

Report on trade: Trade was similar to the previous fortnight with the exception of black and white calves. These met a stronger demand with several buyers keen to fill orders.

A good show of continental calves sold well considering the current conditions throughout the beef market. Continental bulls topped at £320 for British Blues from T Castle & Son. The same vendor also sold Limousins to £270. Continental heifers sold to £280 for a British Blue from T Castle and Son who’s other British Blue heifers sold to £270 and £250 respectively.

An improved show of natives this week with some real powerful calves on offer, particularly in the heifers. Bulls topped at £230 (x2) for Aberdeen Angus’ from P J Forknall. Heifers sold to a high of £190, this being an Aberdeen Angus from A & W J Hitchcock, who also had the second highest at £180, again for an Aberdeen Angus.

An improved trade was seen for dairy sired calves this week with buyers looking to fill orders. Trade topped at £80 from Kingcott Dairy. Most in demand were the second grade calves, these would have been £10 – £15 dearer from the previous fortnight. The trade for bobbies also looked firmer with most £20 – £30, again £10 – £15 dearer on the fortnight.

An unexpected stirk entry of two suckler bred Simmental steers sold for £450 each. If you have stirks to sell, please do enter them at you earliest convenience in order for them to be marketed properly!

Vendors: Please try to inform us of entries for the calf and stirk sale as early as possible to enable us to inform buyers of the expected entry. This allows both us and them to plan better for the days sale. Please do try to make every effort to register the sire of your native bred (principally Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cross) calves. Calves that do not have registered sires are at a disadvantage when offered for sale!

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.

Report on trade: Trade today was generally competitive with bidders present for all grades and classifications of pigs despite stories in the industry of huge stock piles of Belgian and Danish pork hanging over the volume trade. Summer is still with us for a week or two yet (with possibly a few hiccups!)

Finished pigs – not the highlights of a fortnight ago and quality in the pens needed spotting closely. D Pope again made the top spot with 91kg Pietrain crosses making 120p per kg and grossing £109.50. P Lanham, C Higgins, North School YFC and Miss J Judge all saw their pigs make 100p and over. All second quality and others made 59p plus.

Cull pigs were again sold to a trade in line with national figures with the best heavy sows making to 62p and a boar made 30p

In the store pig pens P & R Marshall sold weaners to £33 and D Popes 2 pens of Pietrain crosses made £40 and £56. A saddleback gilt with 11 piglets made £290.

Ashford Market Lairage arrangements

Please note our official time for delivery of stock on Monday’s is 3pm to 6pm. Please advise the auctioneer’s office or any of the livestock team if you require this facility.

Notices – Paul Bowen, Sevenoaks

The family and friends of Paul have asked us to advise that he sadly passed away recently. Paul was haulier and livestock farmer in West Kent (as was his father before him) trading as S & A Bowen. His reputation for good service and sound advice went before him through life and his will be a face that will be missed here in Ashford, in the West Kent farming community and in the stands at “The Emirates”, his second home in the football season.

A funeral will be held at The Kent & Sussex Crematorium, Tunbridge Wells on Thursday 15^th August at 11.30am

Summer events / meetings in the area of interest to farmers

Aylsham Show – Monday 26^th August – Bickling Hall, North Norfolk.  For details www. theaylshamshow.co.uk

Edenbridge & Oxted Show – Sunday and Monday 25^th and 26^th August – For further information contact  Jackie Shearman on 01737 645857 or email sesha@edenbridge-show.co.uk ** Hobbs parker Auctioneers are pleased to be sponsors of classes within the livestock section of this event **

Romney Marsh Ploughing Match – Sunday 1st September – Ham Mill Lane, Hamstreet, Ashford. TN26 2QW – Ploughing starts at 10am, Fun dog show at 12pm and also sheep shearing and craft stalls. For more information 07785 783662 or email: romneyploughing@yahoo.co.uk

Moreton in Marsh Show – Saturday 7^th September – Gloucestershire.  For details www.moretonshow.co.uk

Weald of Kent Ploughing Match – Saturday 14^th September at Poplars Farm, Churn lane, Horsmonden. TN12 8HN. Full details available from secretary Liz Copping 07872 501951or on www.wkpma.co.uk.

East Kent Ploughing Match – Wednesday 25^th September – West Court Farm, Shepherdswell, Dover CT15 5PZ by kind permission of J Weir & Sons. For more information www.ekpma.co.uk or ring Sarah ledger on 07802 974 838

East Sussex Ploughing Match – Saturday 28^th September – Broad Farm, Hellingly, East Sussex by kind permission of Richard Mortimore-Lee. For more information www.espms.co.uk or 07752 247469

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

For Sale – Collie puppies from registered working parents with good temperament – East Sussex. Ring 01797 253702 or 07930 624594

Wanted – Collie bitch puppy. Ring 07761 206169

RABI, Young Farmers Clubs, 91 Club, Kent Herdsmans Club and FCN news

RABI – copies of a summer newsletter are available here in the market.

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 12th August at 7.30p.m – visit to Tim Piper’s pheasant shoot to view this year’s poults etc, Owley Farm, Acton Lane, Wittersham, Tenterden. TN 30 7HL.

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

Forthcoming store and breeding sheep sales

Friday 23^rd August

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 30^th August

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 6^th September

This sale will include annual shows and sales of crossbred ewe lambs together with South East Texel Groups breeding females and rams plus commercial rams

Friday 13^th September

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 20^th September

This sale will include the annual show and sale of Central Beltex breeding females and rams plus commercial rams

Friday 27^th September

Romney Day sale of ewe lambs, ewe tegs and breeding ewes together with Romney Sheep Breeders Society show and sale of pedigree rams

Friday 4^th October

Store lambs, breeding sheep and catalogued ram sale

Friday 11^th October

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 18^th October

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 1^st November

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 22^nd November

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 13^th December

Store lambs and breeding sheep

All sales commence at 11am with ram sales at 10am

Livestock Hauliers who regularly use Ashford Market

H G Allen & Sons                Ninfield, Bexhill                       07774 654404                                

Beer E (Ted) & J                Dover, Kent                                01304 853174/ 07850 518330

Beesley Tim                        Cranbrook, Kent                        01580 715415/ 07790 273805

Bowens S & A Ltd             Sevenoaks, Kent                       01959 532117/ 07836 793837

Bowers C & Sons              Turners Hills, Sussex               01342 715225/ 07802 358761

Brightling David                 Rye, Sussex                               01797 280552/ 07850 906888

Buxton L J & Sons            Brentwood, Essex                     01277 812674/ 07711 204702

Black David (Lampshire) Hartfield, Sussex                      07759 419844

Cobden Roy                        Chichester, Sussex                  01243 573358/ 07860 587058

Croft P                                  Brightling, Sussex                     01424 838278/ 07885 090331

Drury Kevin                         Wadhurst, Sussex                     01580 860546/ 07860 728204

Gilders Transport Ltd       Cheltenham, Glous                  01242 620311

Gooding R H & Son           Ottery St Mary, Devon              01404 812371                

Appleby Paul                       Hailsham, Sussex                    01323 833720/ 832354
(Harris Bros)                                                                            or 07831 554392

Langrish & Sons                Rye, Sussex                               01424 882250/ 07973 977074

Legg John                            Bookham, Surrey                      07831 446409

Macer Sid                            Billericay, Essex                        01277 622844

Parrett M & S                      Colchester, Essex                     01206 761703/ 07721 901242

Rivers Harvey                    Farnham, Surrey                       01252 723058/07761 554903

Rumens Alan                      Goudhurst, Kent                        01580 211413/ 07860 842098

Sargent Chris                     Catsfield, Sussex                      01424 892620/ 07866 716188

Sheridon UK Ltd                Leicestershire                            01509 881522/07967 399978

or 07739 717154

Standing Transport           West Sussex                              07764 765521/ 01798 873010

Thornby R J & K                 Bethersden, Kent                      01233 820297/ 07860 611439

Wareham’s                          Heathfield, Sussex                   07941 979901/ 01435 863471

Wickens Shaun                  Maidstone, Kent                        01622 850640/ 07860 437027

Wright Harry                       Cromer, Norfolk                        07860 524120

Wright John                         Cromer, Norfolk                        07920 098930

Yeoell David                        Caterham, Surrey                     01883 345819/ 07966 152684

Any alterations or additions to this list should be given to Mark Cleverdon or any of our auctioneer’s team