Weekly Sales News – 9th June 2020

Top price per kilo – 281p (twice) – D Isaac & T Husk; Top price per head – £121.50 – P & E Andreozzi

Report on trade:Another big entry of new season lambs this week with over 1,800 penned. With the hogget numbers decreasing rapidly the trade has remained at a constant to what we have been seeing for a few weeks. Lambs are currently about £5 to £7 up on the corresponding week in 2019 which, it is suggested, demonstrates a change in consumer habits during current social restrictions. Long may it last to reward all our vendors from across the South of England.

The best of the lambs this week were still making in excess of £100 to a top price of £121.50 which was part of a tremendous run of lambs form P & E Andreozzi, Petworth. Smart continental lambs this week were available in bigger numbers for the export customers with these best offerings making 270p per kg on many occasions from G H Dean & Co and both T Husk and and D Isaac hitting 281p.

An end of season entry of hoggets was on offer with every class and grade available from the best to the worst! Best hoggets without erupted teeth are still selling in excess of £90 and to a top price of £100 from J Bristow. Sheep with erupted teeth were making from £70 to £85.

It would be greatly appreciated if you could “help us to help you” by arriving earlier to assist with appropriate sorting and penning of sheep. Lairage facilities are available from 2 to 6pm every Monday and we can accept stock from 6am every Tuesday.

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 small entry of very mixed ewes were on offer with trade a bit harder for the most part. There were some very fat ewes in the entry this week which are not wanted in the wholesale trade at all and are discounted for this reason. Best ewes to £90 from P Gorringe.

Top prices include Texel crosses to £90 from P Gorringe, Suffolk crosses to £80 from P Gorringe and T Masters, crossbred to £75 from R Nuth and Romneys to £69 from K Baker

For Sale ex farm – 65 Romney and Lleyn x Romney ewes with Romney lambs. East Kent. Ring Simon on 07885 968077

Report on trade:This week saw an improved trade for finished cattle with best butcher types making in excess of 200p per kg. Smart Limousin cross heifers took the pick of the trade at £1257 (217p) and £1326 (203p) from W Alexander (Shoreham) and heavy weight Limousin cross at £940 (198p) from R  F & E A Simmons. Heavier sorts made around 185p and up to £1256 (188p) for a British Blue cross steer from K & P M Sinden & Sons.

A relatively large percentage of native bred cattle sold well with a Sussex cross steer grossing well at £1307 (186p) from Blythe Farm and Hereford cross steer  and heifer £1047 (178p) and £985 (178p) respectively from R C & J L Pickering.

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Report on trade:

With the take-away sector now open and queues winding around towns with ‘drive- thru`s it is perhaps not surprising that demand for processing beef has reached new heights and we could not describe todays trade as anything other than sensational! A terrific entry of just short of 100 cows in June was not of outstanding quality but buyers were out in force to take all grades with confidence sky-high for feeders.

Only 12 animals made below 100p per kg and that included 3 Jerseys, 2 imported Holstein Friesian cows and a Belted Galloway bull! 27 cows were sold at 140p or above with 21 grossing over £1000.

Good beef meat cows made 140p to 165p and feeders made to 175p. Dairy culls with flesh and weight made 130p to 155p with the leaner cows from the parlour looking very well sold indeed. Bulls a little dearer selling to £1276.

Headlines included South Devon 164p, 162p, £1202, £1021 Gardners; Aberdeen Angus cross163p, 160p, 158p, 145p, 143p, £1120, £1088, £1006 B Sutton; Simmental cross162p £1027 Lawrence & Son and 151p £1174 Gardners; Charolais 159p, 154p, 140p £1052, £1021 R Stannard; Limousin cross 152p, 142p (Non FA) F W Hares & Son and 145p £1163 (Non FA) G Stokes; Blonde cross153p Mrs C Wimble and Sussex 147p £1128 K & P M Sinden & Sons.

In the dairy lines British Friesian 156p, 145p, 139p, 138p, 135p, 130p £963, £954, £913 Debden Court; 137p, 136p £1058 B J Goodsell & Son and 131p £1056 (Non FA) V & C Smith; Holstein Friesian 145p, 143p, 136p £1397, £1159 Oncoland, 131p, 124p £997 P J Forknall, 125p £913 Leggat Farming and 128p, 127p, 126p £966 R C & J L Pickering; Dairy Shorthorn 131p, 128p £927, £912 Parrett & Son;  Jersey 120p Hickson Bros and Ayrshire 119p J Howie.

A Belted Galloway steer 4 yrs + 150p £1002 and a Limousin cross steer 3yrs + 175p.

A Limousin bull 116p £1276; Aberdeen Angus (Non FA) 107p £1133 and Belted Galloway (Non FA) 92p £613.

Report on trade: Despite a complete range in age, quality and breed trade was brisk throughout with customers in attendance competing well for all on offer. The best of the continental cross yearlings made in excess of £800 and a run of superb British Blue crosses from Birt Bros took the pick of the trade with steers topping at £1120 and heifers to £1070. A large percentage of native bred cattle again attracted plenty of interest with the best making in excess of £700 and up to £1000 for Hereford cross steer consigned by High Chimney Farm. Yearling heifers looked well sold up to £790 for Aberdeen Angus crosses from L A Charman & Ptnrs.

Report on trade: A tremendous entry of breeding cattle forward for sale this week with cattle to suit all budgets. Strong demand throughout saw trade top at £1,440 (x2) for cow and calf outfits from A J Britton. The first being a 2015 born Limousin cross cow with a March born British Blue steer calf at foot, the second a British Blue cross cow born in 2012 with a February born British Blue heifer calf at foot. Continental outfits sold well throughout with a powerful outfit from A G A Homewood, comprising of a 2014 Simmental cow and strong December born Simmental heifer calf, making £1,280.

Native outfits were also well sought after, trade topping at £1,140 with a 2016 born Hereford cross cow with February born Simmental cross calf from Southwood Farm. Sussex cows and calves topped at £1,060 from D T Marden with a 2011 born cow and April born Sussex calf.

In calvers look well sold on the day with a top price of £840 (x3) for 2014 Aberdeen Angus x Charolais cows from Barton & Littlejohns and a handful of 2017 in-calf pedigree Sussex heifers from J S Muscat sold to £690.

Report on trade: Trade on fire for all classes of calves this week with a top price of £400 and plenty of calves £300 plus making selling them an absolute pleasure!

A fantastic entry of continental calves with some serious power and shape on offer this week. Bulls to £400 for a British Blue from W S Furnival Ltd, with the section averaging £302.22! British Blues also sold to £390 from the Falconhurst Estate, and £385 from D Murdoch. A run of younger British Blues from J W Boyd & Sons sold to £290 showing plenty of demand throughout the age ranges and a couple of suckler bred Limousin’s to £350 from Messrs Thompson completed the section. Continental heifers as much in demand as the bulls selling to a top of £365 for a British Blue from J A Scutt & Sons and averaging £271.11. The same vendor sold 5 British Blue heifers today, all for over £300. Other highlights include British Blue heifers from T Castle & Son to £290 and a Limousin heifer from the same vendor at £210.

A smaller entry of native calves today but no less demand, more could have been sold to vendor’s advantage. Bulls sold to £310 for an Aberdeen Angus from J E Scutt & Sons returning an overall native bull average of £246. The Hereford’s were represented by the Falconhurst Estate and topped at £235. Native heifers few and far between with only three forward. Top price for an Aberdeen Angus of £260 to D Murdoch & Sons.

Dairy sired calves remain a strong trade with a top price of £160 from J E Scutt & Sons. The strongest £80 plus with the second graders £50 plus on the whole. Bobbies around £10 per head dearer on the fortnight at £30 plus.

Three weanlings forward this week still meeting good demand. Messrs Garrett & Mannering sold an Aberdeen Angus steer to £350 and an Aberdeen Angus heifer to £300. A smaller harder heifer sold to £215 to complete the section.

Notices – Nicholas Chantler, Headcorn

The Chantler family have asked us to let you know that Nick very sadly passed away, peacefully at home last Monday after a long battle with Myeloma Cancer. Nick loved farming and his livestock and was a well-known figure in the farming community. His wonderful sense of humour and kindness will be greatly missed by his family and all who knew him.

Notices – Robert Langrish, Newchurch

Helen, Claire and James would like to thank everyone for their kind thoughts, expressed in so many different ways, following Roberts passing last month.

Message from Peter Barker of Barkers Animal Health

Barkers Animal Health retail store here in the market is open for collections on a Tuesday. Please pre order so goods are ready for you – 07880 946983

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

For Sale – large quantity of 2019 season gatehered maize silage on a Romney Marsh farm

For Sale – 2002 livestock lorry with 25 ft container with sheep decks. Regularly used to date and with 10 months MOT. Genuine reason for sale. East Kent – phone 07850 518330

Relief farm worker required – for general livestock duties including milking, feeding, calf rearing and general husbandry. Would suit a self-employed person but position is flexible located near Dartford. Please call Iain on 07738 445530 for more information.

Wanted – 2 Male farm kittens, any colour bar white. Ashford area. Ring Richard Wood 07710 803902

Wanted – Sheepdog puppy required. Ashford area. 01303 812775 (evenings only)

For Sale – 5 working collie puppies, 4 dogs and 1 bitch, ready end of May. North Kent. Ring 07979 802044

Local Agricultural Show and ploughing match dates and news

Agricultural shows in the region which are now cancelled include Royal Norfolk, Kent County, Singleton Rare Breeds and Aylsham (Norfolk). Sadly Moreton in Marsh (Gloucestershire) has now finally cancelled and the Bath and West has now cancelled from its rescheduled date.

The Weald of Kent, East Kent and East Sussex Ploughing matches have now all been cancelled for this year.

Planning

As part of the critical food industry in these difficult days we want to plan and control our market operations as efficiently and safely as possible for the sake of us all – vendors, purchasers, hauliers and market staff.

Please advise us of your plans and numbers if you intend to sell stock.

Please liaise with and help your hauliers with early collections.

Please help market staff with fully completed entry forms – ear numbers listed in numeric order to speed up processing. With big loads please split heifers and steers on entry forms.

Thank you and take care