Weekly Sales News – 8th June 2021

New Season Lambs – Top price per head – £158.50 – T Masters: Top price per kilo – 343p – J Lukehurst

Report on trade: Over 2,000 new season lambs penned this week for the first time this season and some great quality was on offer with some very smart export grade lambs now coming out to market. Lighter weight lambs are most desired for this sector and these sold up to 343p per kg from J Lukehurst with several others from P G Brightling, G P King and H V Link selling over 330p.

Lambs producing a heavier carcass are where the trade is really at at the moment for the wholesale market as hogget numbers are pretty much non-existent nationally These heavy lambs (43kg plus) sold up to £158.50 from T Masters who always has a tremendous show of sheep on offer but in second place this week was Fraser Brown, who is a local young farmer, selling some of his lambs for the first time this year at £151.50 for 48kg continentals. Several lambs sold over £140 from L Stevens & Sons, Beslee Farms, G H Dean & Co and P & E Andreozzi to name just a few.  Long may this trade continue.

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

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07711 803902

Report on trade: Another flying trade for all on offer and with smaller numbers this week, which has been the case nationally too, prices upwards moved upwards once again with the overall average of £116 for all ewes sold. Best ewes made to £162 from Link Brothers for Texel crosses. Ewes are beginning to be stockpiled for the upcoming Qurbani festivities as fears may be that numbers will be tight around that time, but a steady supply is needed every week, without a flood on the week so please advise us of any larger numbers that you may intend to send.

Auctioneer: James Cook

Report on trade: Just one pen of ewes and lambs on offer this week which made £154 per couple and £71.40 per life

Report on trade: An increased number and better show of cattle this week and trade holding well at recent levels despite reports of reduced payments on the deadweight. A superb British Blue cross heifer topped the market at £1,645 (254p per kg) from A Price, closely followed by Limousin cross steer £1,524 (250p) from W Alexander (Shoreham). A run of handy weight continental crosses from S Marsh attracted prices in excess of 230p and up to £1,383 (235p) and £1,264 (246p) for Limousin cross steers and heifers.

A run of dairy bred continental crosses from A J Down made 210p to 220p with Limousin cross heifer to £1,104 (220p) and British Blue cross steers to £1,298 (217p).

A small entry of native bred cattle topped at £1,339 (196p) for an Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steer from Leggatt Farming Ltd and Friesian steers looking well sold around 180p and up to £1,197 (182p) from M W Goddard.

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Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Report on trade: Again, numbers short with farmers busy on other jobs. With supplies tight trade was brisk throughout with a top quality British Blue cow topping the market at £1610 (207p) from A Price with the best of the others attracting prices in excess of £1000 with Limousin cross £1099 (161p) from J E Batchelor & Ptnrs and £1033 (155p) from Alastair Boyd & Co. A fleshed Aberdeen Angus cow grossed £1028 from Ells Farm.

Again, only a few dairy culls were on offer with the best making in excess of £1000 and up to £1140 (160p) from Goddard & Son, £1180 (137p) from W F Farms, £1033 (144p) from B J Goodsell & Son and aged Friesian steer £1275 (148p) from R W Jones & Son.

A few Simmental bulls on offer up to £1360 (140p) from J E Berryman and £1339 (115p) from A J Thompson & Sons. More wanted every week.

Report on trade: Just over a month ago there were real concerns about the lack of grass and stocking rates. Now there is an abundance of grass and good hay / silage crops. Consequently, the store cattle entries have dried up and we have plenty of customers at ringside keen to buy all on offer.

The majority on offer this week were native bred with the best making £900 plus and topping at £1320 for quality Sussex steers from E T Ledger & Son while Aberdeen Angus heifers looked well sold at £1140 from Ells Farm. The majority of younger cattle made £500 to £700.

Principal prices include

• 12 mths Aberdeen Angus bull £830 Ells Farm
• 26 mths Aberdeen Angus heifer £1140 Ells Farm
• 17 mths Sussex steers £950 City of London
• 24 mths Sussex steers £1320 E J Ledger & Son
• 24 mths Sussex steers £1070 I Strang
• 24 mths Sussex heifers £900 I Strang
• 20 mths British Blue cross steers £920 R Winstone
• 20 mths Hereford cross steers £895 R Winstone
• 20 mths Hereford cross heifers £850 R Winstone

Keep the store cattle coming. Strong trade will continue with recent good grass growth boosting demand.

Report on trade: A flying trade for breeding cattle this week with both cow and calf outfits and in calf cows on offer. A tremendous trade for Sussex cow and calf outfits from M Gibb with his traditional pedigree cows with calves at foot making to a top of £1,320 and averaged of £1,246. A pedigree Aberdeen Angus cow and calf from Ells Farm LLP sold well with the hammer eventually falling at £980.

In calf cows from two vendors this week saw Ells Farm LLP selling a 2011 born pedigree Aberdeen Angus cow to £960 at 5 months in calf, and T Lyle & Ptnrs sold British Blue cross cows, bn 2016/17 and 5 months in calf to an Aberdeen Angus bull for £1,060.

Report on trade: A light entry this week with many of the usual vendors attention focussed on silage and hay making! We are promised a more plentiful entry in a fortnight once everyone has caught up!

A fantastic trade nether the less with calves short countrywide! Beef bulls made to £355 for Limousin’s from R L Goodman & Son and British Blues not far behind with a cracking bull from W G & T A Manford to £300. Sussex presented by R L Goodman & Son looked well enough sold at £300.

Beef heifers were short in supply this week with a top price of £300 for a Sussex from R L Goodman & Son, British Blues to £250 from Hickson Bros and Aberdeen Angus to £180 from J W Boyd & Son. Quality does pay, particularly on the current trade and a little bit more size or flesh will pay dividends!

Dairy bulls were a little easier in price this week with buyers reporting the processing trade has eased a little. Top price of £70 for a Holstein Friesian from W G & T A Manford with most trading between £40 and £60.

An entry of weanlings, all from C Shelbourne this week, saw trade remaining strong for the goods on offer! Steers made to £400 for a 6 mths British Blue with a pen of Aberdeen Angus at a similar age to £360. Best on the day would be Holstein Friesian steers to £270 and £240, respectively. Only one British Blue heifer sold this week at £385.

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.

Bovine TB Test Dates

It is very important that the date (first part of test) is recorded on cattle entry forms for all cattle sold from TB1holdings. Any recent whole herd test dates from TB4 holdings must also be recorded. This information is critical to purchasers who may be required to test animals again and who will wish to avoid the risk of a false positive by testing again within the 60-day period.

Please advise of test dates when making cattle entries for cataloguing from TB1 Holdings.

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

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 21^st of June 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.

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

The June edition of this popular regional farming magazine is now available here in the market. Hobbs Parker is a regular contributor to the editorial content.

In addition, our Property Consultants Outlook for Summer 2021, is included with this months publication and again are available here in the market. Articles from our Property Consultants team and Planning Consultants makes interesting reading for all landowners and occupiers.

Local Agricultural Show and ploughing match dates and news

South of England Show – Friday to Sunday 11^th to 13^th June – All show enquiries please ring 01444 892700 or visit www.seas.org.uk

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

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

Ashford Cattle Show news – Summer competitions.

Sheep/flock competition: Chief Steward Trevor Richards 07768726286

Sponsored by Wilkins Kennedy & Hallets

Judge: Brian Dallyn (Devon)

Judging to take place week beginning 14th June. – Entries close Friday 4th June

Class A – Best run of 20 or more Pedigree or purebred ewes with their purebred lambs.

Class B – Best run of 50 or more commercial ewes with their crossbred lambs.

Beef/Herds competition: Chief Steward John Hickman 07711167467

Sponsor Michael Owen (Animalscan)

Judge: Brenda Hide (East Sussex)

Judging to take place 1st & 2nd Week in July.  – Entries close Friday 25th June

Class A – Best run of 10 or more pedigree cows with purebred calves

Class B – Best run of Purebred/crossbred cows with crossbred calves from a herd of 20-50

Class C – Best run of Purebred/crossbred cows with crossbred calves from a herd of 51 or more.

Crops Competition: Chief Steward Tim Porter 07557200611

Sponsored by Agrii

Judges: T.B.C

Judging to take place from 21st June. – Entries Close Friday 4th June

This competition is judged on the quality and condition of the crops on a single holding. Judges look for potential yield, uniformity and other things including the general management of the crops. The judges view your best 20% of each crop in your rotation.

Entry forms will be available from the market, Chief Stewards or please email ashfordcattleshow@gmail.com