Weekly Sales News – 6th July 2021

New Season Lambs – Top price per head £130 – P J Gilbert & R Stevens: Top price per kilo – 290p – C A Worley Farming Ltd

Report on trade: A few lambs came more forward this week and a little welcome lift in the trade from last week most likely due to the lead up to the Qurbani festival next week. Also the overall show of lambs were of better quality than last week. In the current climate, the heavier the lambs are, the easier they are to sell which is often the case at this time of year once the hoggets have disappeared from the marketplace.

Top spots this week were taken by P J Gilbert & R Stevens, P Gorringe, L E Humphreys & Sons and C & J Georgetti & Sons with P J Gilbert & R Stevens topping the tree at £130 for 50 kg lambs and with the others all selling lambs from £125 to £130. Export types this week were also a shade dearer with top spot taken by C A Worley Farming Ltd at 290p for some super Beltex crosses with J Lukehurst in close second at 288p. Also lambs from G H Dean & Co and N A Balcomb & Son sold at over 285p.

With next week’s festival often drawing more numbers of lambs to the market, please advise us in advance of number you wish to send

Please keep the lambs coming and contact us with numbers so we can notify the buyers.

Auctioneer:  Elwyn Davies 07710 803901 / James Cook

Report on trade: Cull sheep were sold to a flying trade this week with the upcoming Muslim festival only now just around the corner. The average this week for ewes was £97.34 with the top spot taken by N A Balcomb & Son for a Texel ewe which made £164.

There were many good runs of big sheep today from G H Dean & Co making to a top price of £145 for Suffolk cross ewes along with D Isaac £135 for again Suffolk crosses.

We also had a small show of 30 goats from R L Goodman and Sons which sold well and averaged £84 and topped £118.

Top Prices included Suffolk crosses to £145 from G H Dean & Co, continentals to £164 from N A Balcomb & Son, Mules to 113.50 from P Gorringe and Romneys to £102 from N A Balcomb & Son.

Report on trade: A similar entry to last week with several runs of quality beef bred continental crosses again on offer. Trade was brisk throughout with the better sorts 225p per kg plus with the very smart cattle close to 250p and only few below 200p.

The best quality Limousin cross heifers took the pick of the trade topping at £1351 (249p) and others at £1383 (237p) and £1275 (239p) from D W Ferguson Ltd, £1318 (247p), £1395 (239p) and £1216 (239p) from W S Furnival (Brookland); £1306 (242p) and £1330 (226p) from R F & E A Simmons; £1340 (236p) from W Alexander (Shoreham); £1180 (239p) from G L Boulden & Sons; £1272 (248p) from S Marsh and £1389 (238p) and £1296 (224p) from A J Thompson & Sons.

Top steer of the day was a very smart Limousin at £1255 (249p) from S Marsh and a run of continental x Friesian steers from A J Down making 200p to 210p and grossing up to £1311.

In the bull pens top gross was £1451 (190p) for a heavyweight Simmental from G Bates Ltd.

Report on trade: There is no let up in demand for all grades of cull cattle. We saw short seasonal numbers forward but this possibly was no surprise with grass so plentiful and no sign of any let up in general levels of demand in the beef sector. Fleshed and feeding cows were in equally short demand.

Good beef cows all made over 150p per kg and regularly 160p to 170p with the younger smaller types pushing towards 200p.

Highlights were Charolais cross 189p £1103 (Non FA) G J Ostridge; Limousin cross 179p, 168p, 155p, £1087, £1062, £1012 J Berryman and 174p £1124 (Non FA) T Martin; Lincoln Red cross 178p, 171p, £1180, £1083 R Brown & Daughter; Aberdeen Angus cross 169p, 166p, 160p, 159p, 157p, £1163, £1139, £1016 R Brown & Daughter; 161p (Non FA) Wey Street Farm; British Blue cross 164p £1202 L Palmer & Sons and164p J Berryman with a Hereford 160p £1021 (Non FA) Great Malgraves Farm.

Just a handful of dairy culls, surprisingly on a calf day but they are all wanted.

Highlights were Holstein 144p, 141p, £1349, £1139 P J Forknall; Holstein Friesian 138p W G & T A Manford; Dairy Shorthorn 140p Parrett & Sons and Jersey 75p, 69p S E Lane & Ptnrs.

A Hereford stock bull made £1188 and 110p.

Keep feeding them! They are certainly wanted! Many thanks.

Report on trade: There was terrific interest from a strong crowd around the sale ring as everyone looks at plentiful grass!

Feeding bulls saw Aberdeen Angus cross, 7-8 mths £595 Gann & Brown Ltd; Blonde cross  12 mths £790 and Aberdeen Angus  cross, 12 mths £640 R Brown & Daughter.

Demand for yearling grazing cattle was very strong throughout and this trend looks certain to continue. Limousin cross steers, 14 mths £815, £685 and heifers £780 J J Butcher; British Blue x Friesian steers 12 mths £705, £605 and heifers £660 Barfrestone Court, Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers 12 mths £550 and heifers £480 Barfrestone Court; Aberdeen Angus cross steers 14 mths £895, £885, £740 and heifers £870, £790 R Brown & Daughter; Limousin cross steers 12 mths £840 and heifers £880, £795 R Brown & Daughter and a Limousin cross heifer 15 mths £1080 L Palmer & Sons; Sussex cross steers 14-15 mths £815 T Martin; Limousin x Sussex heifer 14 mths £905 T Martin; Aberdeen Angus x Friesian  steer 18 mths £1110 and British Blue x Friesian steer 18 mths £1130 Mr J Claringbould; Limousin cross steer 14 mths £940 and heifer 2 yrs. £1080 L R & Sons; Aberdeen Angus cross steer 20 mths £1110, Hereford cross steer 20 mths £1070, £910 A G Dodd and Aberdeen Angus x Friesian heifer 16 mths £960 J W Boyd & Son.

Cattle are in strong demand and our next catalogue entry will be on Tuesday 20^th July 2021.

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Report on trade: A small entry but much interest saw a very nice young Charolais cow  with heifer calf (2 mths) from R V A Stannard sold well at £1360. Pedigree Simmental heifers 20 mths & 14 mths from M W Rix to £1110 and £860.

A Hereford bull made £1040  from C Baseley.

Report on trade: Trade goes up yet another gear this week despite an entry lacking in numbers and the quality we have seen over the last few sales.

Trade for bull calves today was as strong as ever with British Blues topping at £355, £350 and £340 from Hickson Bros and £340 and £320 from W G & T A Manford. J W Boyd & Sons sold a good run with a top for British Blues of £320. An Aberdeen Angus bull from A C Hulme & Sons sold for £310 with Sussex bulls forward to complete the beef bulls with a top of £260, then £250 and £240 from North Kent College and returning an average of £232.50.

Heifer calves were the trade of the day with British Blues from Hickson Bros to £365, £320 and £310. W G & T A Manford sold British Blue heifers to £260 and a very young and small framed heifer from J W Boyd & Sons looked very well sold at £165. Sussex heifers to £210 from W G & T A Manford and £190 from North Kent College. One single Aberdeen Angus heifer forward today from A C Hulme & Sons sold for £350.

Dairy calves look as strong as ever with the strongest rearing types really seeing more demand in the last few weeks. Top price was a Holstein Frisian from W G & T A Manford selling to £140 (twice) with several others making over the £100 mark today with mediums around £75 and bobbies unfortunately less.

Demand for weanlings very much outstrips supply at the moment. Many buyers are looking for weaned cattle to fill orders if you have some to sell please don’t hesitate to pick up the phone!

A reminder that we are able to offer calves from Arla vendors under 56 days old subject to a declaration being signed by the purchaser, any queries on this please do get in touch.

Looking ahead

Tuesday 20^th July already entered are a consignment of 26 British Blue, Hereford and Shorthorn cross steers and heifers, 18-24mths from R Winstone and others.

We will hold livestock sales every Tuesday throughout 2021 – all dates will be confirmed on our website as will dates for the autumn programme of store and breeding sheep sales.

Our first store and breeding sheep sale for the season will be on Friday 30^th July. Sales in August will be held on Friday’s 13^th and 27^th. See elsewhere in this report for a full list of our autumn sheep sales.

The Stockpot Café at Ashford Market

Although some of the Covid restrictions were relaxed from the 17th of May, we have decided to delay the full re-opening of the Stockpot until after the 20^th of July when we hope our full ‘normal’ sit-down service can resume.

This is because the new rules do not allow our style of counter-operation and we do not have the staff and systems in place to run a full service at tables including booking and remote payments amongst other things.

For the time being, we will continue with our takeaway service. We trust you will understand and appreciate your patience.

Please note if you do not wash out at Ashford.

Drivers of vehicles leaving Ashford empty without cleansing and disinfecting MUST complete a declaration form obtainable from the Market Office.

You must then cleanse and disinfect as soon as possible and within 24 hours, or before using again for livestock. This is a LEGAL responsibility and are subject to checks by Local Authority Animal Health and Welfare Officers

Livestock for sale by private treaty – ex farm

For Sale – 8 Strong Welsh gilts, ready for a boar – East Kent. Contact Mark Cleverdon for details

For Sale – 3 Young South Devon bulls, ready for work – West Kent. Contact Mark Cleverdon for details

Local Agricultural Show and ploughing match dates and news

The Kent County Summer Fayre – Saturday 10^th and Sunday 11^th July – All show enquiries please ring 01622 630975 or visit www.kcas.org.uk

Southern Shears UK – Sunday 17th July – Copford Sawmill, Dern Lane, Heathfield, East Sussex. TN21 0PN. Open to the public – £5 admission

Southern Shears UK is a sheep shearing competition set up to achieve the following aims – to promote the skill and craft of sheep shearing and wool handling, to hold an annual competition; to promote and encourage an interest in wool and to encourage co-operation in the local farming community.

The National Sheep Association is running its Young Shepherds competition qualifiers at this event

For all details and entries please visit website httpa://southernshears.com.

Saturday 4^th September – Moreton in Marsh Show, Gloucestershire. For all details go to www.moretonshow.co.uk

Weald of Kent Ploughing Match – Saturday 18^th September at Honey Farm, Munday Bois Road, Pluckley, Ashford, TN27 0SU (by kind permission of the Gwillim family). Full details available from Secretary Liz Copping 07872 501951or on www.wkpma.co.uk

East Kent Ploughing Match – Wednesday 29^th September at Upper Venson Farm, Eastry near Sandwich CT13 0JH (by kind permission of the Ledger family. Full details available from joint secretaries Sarah Ledger on 07802 974 838 or Lorna Astbury on 07538 547 010 or www.ekpma.co.uk

Ashford Cattle Show news – Summer competitions and Christmas Show.

A full report of plans for this years event will be published next week

Forthcoming store and breeding sheep sales

Friday 30^th July

First sale of store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 13^th August

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 27^th August

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 3^rd September

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 10^th September

Store lambs and breeding sheep with a special show and sale of crossbred ewe lambs

Friday 17^th September

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Monday 20^th September

Catalogued ram sale and the annual show and sale of South East Texel Groups breeding females and rams at 3pm

Friday 24^th September

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 1^st October

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

Friday 8^th October

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 15^th October

Store lambs and breeding sheep including catalogued ram sale

Friday 29^th October

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 12^th November

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 26^th November

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Friday 10^th December

Store lambs and breeding sheep

Sales generally commence at 11am unless advised otherwise