Weekly Sales News – 8th September 2020

Top price per kilo – 262p – Miss J Davies: Top price per head – £116 – E Chantler & Sons

Report on trade: Another entry of around 1,200 lambs on offer this week which is nowhere near enough to satisfy demand for the better meated sorts for both the home and export trade. Trade was a shade less than last week but still overall the average price per head is up almost £20 on the corresponding week last year which is a tremendous trade for September which has been a very difficult time to market finished sheep in recent years.

Bigger lambs again really ringing the bell with heavies selling well in excess of £100 to a top of £116 from E Chantler and Sons with best continentals selling up to 262p per kg from Miss J Davies.

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: The ewes this week were a touch dearer despite numbers being slightly increased. The leaner sorts were the ones who really shone on the trade with several bidders for each pen of grazers on offer and the majority making over £40 and many approaching £60.

Best ewes were in short supply really but continentals sold to £90 from Ms H V Link and some rams which will live to fight another day made to £136 from Beslee Farms

Report on trade: The entry was not the overall quality of last week but those available sold exceptionally well. Smart continental cross heifers topped the market at £1,266 (244p per kg) and £1,193 (244p) from S Marsh and a run of similar bred heifers from regular vendor W S Furnival (Brookland) sold well up to £1,294 (228p) and averaged a very favourable £1,241 overall. Other top prices included a Limousin cross heifer at £1,137 (224p) from R F & E A Simmons and £1,152 (214p) from J Hooker & Son.

Native bred cattle sold at similar strong levels with Aberdeen Angus cross steer £1,332 (195p) from Leggat Farming Ltd and heifer £1,171 (196p) from P J Forknall. A purebred Hereford heifer made£1,247 (191p) from T J K & S I Purchese and Longhorn steer looking well sold at £1,195 (183p) from N Hutley.

Report on trade: Good numbers again and more flesh on offer amongst the beef cows but a plainer selection from the dairy sector was the story of the day. Rates for the fleshed cows held but the plain boning cows are easing as more come forward seasonally and low yields and high boning costs bite hard into processors margins.

Feeding men still have the confidence with the younger, well shaped types but are a little more cautious with the longer term older cows. Good feeders made 140p to 180p per kg with the better fleshed types 130p to 150p topping at £1,440 (149p) for a Limousin from M B Farms.

More older, leaner dairy cows are now coming forward and trade was certainly easier. Best meat cows still made 120p to 130p but plain cows straight from the dairy 70p to 100p. A few well fleshed older heifers a good trade at 140p to 160p whilst some huge, old (4-6yrs) dairy steers 130p to 145p.

Highlights in the beef lines included Limousin cross 182p 164p £1089 £1006 K Loveridge; Limousin 149p £1440 M B Farms; Sussex 179p £1101 C E & W S Millson and 147p 144p £1009 Sussex Herd Co; Aberdeen Angus cross 148p L A Charman & Ptnrs; Simmental cross 139p 135p £1002 C R Cook and 134p £880 K Loveridge with Charollais cross 130p L A Charman & Ptnrs.

In the dairy lines heifers made 159p £999 J W Boyd & Sons, 155p £881 G D & E E Field,  and 143p 140p £1091 £1040 J S & M D Antrum & Son. Cows included Holstein Friesian 126p £954 J S & M D Antrum & Son, 124p £889 Leggat Farming Ltd, 119p W G & T A Manford, 114p £908 G D & E E Field; British Friesian 125p 123p 118p £813 Debden Court Ltd; Ayrshire 120p J Howie and Guernsey 102p £782 W G & T A Manford.

Overage steers include British Friesian (4yrs) 144p £1056, Ayrshire (5yrs) 139p £1046 and Jersey (5yrs) 129p 123p £925.

Bulls were leaner and trade easier with Sussex 100p £995, Simmental 99p £1232 and Aberdeen Angus 89p £991.

Keep looking for your non performers! Carrying an empty cow through a long winter when hay, silage and straw is short is to be avoided!

Report on trade: Another good entry of store cattle comprising several runs for quality beef bred continental crosses were penned. The majority of the better-bred cattle made £800 to £1000 with smart yearling steers and heifers topping £965 and £905 respectively from D G & J W Gore and 16mths Simmental cross steers to £985 from G Gregory. The highlight of the day was a run of 118 Limousin cross heifers from J C Loveridge which attracted competitive bidding topping at £965 and averaging a favourable £840 for the whole run.

Stronger older cattle were keenly sought after with the best making in excess of £1000 with a run of 21 18mths Aberdeen Angus cross steers (reg’ sire) from R W Goddard & Ptnrs taking the pick of the trade up to £1120 and an overall average of £1030.

Report on trade: A nice entry of breeding cattle again this week with cattle to suit all budgets. Cows and calves sold to a top of £1,045 for a 2016 born Charolais cow with late April born Hereford bull calf at foot from P Piper. Boty Farms sold 2016 born Aberdeen Angus x Friesian cows with Aberdeen Angus calves at foot to £910 and a run of smaller framed Aberdeen Angus and Sussex cross cows with a bit of age about them with good strong Aberdeen Angus calves sold to £850 from J C & P C Dallaway.

An entry of in calf Hereford, Aberdeen Angus and Beef Shorthorn x dairy heifers from Woodstock Animal Enterprises sold to £740.

Demand for cow and calf outfits is strong however it may be prudent for vendors to consider splitting stronger calves and particularly older cows to make the most of the strong cull cow and store cattle prices. Please remember that we are always happy to discuss the best way to market your stock, please just call!

Report on trade: A smaller entry focused buyers attention and more could have been sold to satisfy buyers needs. Cull sows were a better trade and 4 pens of stores sold well.

The best finished were again from High Weald Academy YFC whose Pietrain crosses made 132p per kg and grossed £108 while a pen of 3 Berkshire gilts made 122p and £88. Other fleshed pigs made 90p with other grades from 56p upwards

Cull sows made 29p to 39p with competition for all offered.

Stores saw £20 to £26 for young weaners from R M Vidler and £50 for Saddleback feeders from Bocketts Farm.

Next pig sales – Tuesdays 22^nd September with stores being sold immediately following the finished and cull at 9am.

Important Announcement – Ram Sales 2020.

Due to the current and ongoing restrictions, imposed on livestock markets and shows throughout the country, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic please note the following amendments to our advertised ram sales.

Monday 28^th September – Sale of all breeds, with MV & Non MV facilities, to commence at 3pm. This sale will include the South East Texel Groups annual show and sale of pedigree breeding sheep

Friday 2^nd October – Romney Day including show and sale of Romney rams.

Friday 30^th October – Sale of all breeds, Non MV only, at 11am.

A catalogue will be produced for each sale, please enter rams as soon as possible.

Please note: Rams will not be accepted for sale on any other day, please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused.

For all queries regarding ram sales and to enter rams, please contact either Tom Hamplett (07966 104532) or Mark Cleverdon (07741 845230).

Message from Peter Barker of Barkers Animal Health

Barkers Animal Health retail store here in the market will be open on Tuesday and also on Fridays through the sheep sale season. If possible, please pre order so goods are ready for your collection. New local representative Mossy is available 24/7 on 07739 723623 to discuss your requirements

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

The September 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 Autumn 2020 is included with this month’s publication. Articles looking at current issues affecting many aspects of land ownership make interesting reading for all landowners and occupiers.

Mole Valley Farmers will be here in the market on Friday 18^th September

The Mole Country Stores team from Canterbury will be here with a representative from Elanco who produce Zolvix wormer.

Hobbs Parker Car Auctions news – We are back in business!!

Vehicles are being traded in substantial numbers in our weekly online sales. For all details please long onto the Hobbs Parker website and select Car Auctions or pick up the phone 01233 506266 and speak to John Chapman or James Johnson

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

For Sale – ready for work Limousin bull. East Sussex. Ring Mark Cleverdon for details 07741 845230

Ashford Cattle Show news

It is with huge regret the committee of the show association have decided that this year’s Show (and also dinner) will not take place.

The 150^th Ashford Cattle Show will now be held in 2021.

Covid-19 Protocol at Ashford Market – updated July 2020 2020

In common with the Livestock Auctioneers Association’s recommendations to its members Hobbs Parker Auctioneers ask that their customers wear a face covering whilst at market.

Social distancing, high standards of hygiene and responsible behaviour to others is also recommended.

Strict control of the numbers attending market is asked for and both buyers and sellers should not bring additional people with them to market.

We still recommend a ‘Drop and Go’ policy for vendors but if a vendor has a need to attend, they should always be on their own and respect social distancing.

Romney Day 2020

Friday 2^nd October

Usual large entries expected of ewe lambs, ewe tegs and breeding ewes

The Show and Sale of pedigree ram tegs will also see up to 80 sheep offered

Classes will be sponsored by Karim of KFS (animal disposal)