Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 26th November 2024

Sheep Sales Reports

New Season Lambs –1,103 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per kilo – 369p – M & S Wimble
Top price per head – £182.00 – W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm

A few more penned this week and as it was in every section today, prices are on the up. We have seen a slight lift every week now for three weeks despite numbers being more consistent. This is likely due to the festive trade, and party season, commencing and demand for meat rising. A good entry in terms of weight and meat today with many fed lambs on offer. Feeding of concentrates at this time of year has often been an uneconomical option in the South East but this year’s prices have brought rewards for these lambs. Best on the day topped at £182 head form W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm for some heavy and well-bred continental lambs, with some well-shaped export types topping at 370p kg from Malcolm & Stephen Wimble. If numbers remain constant, the trade should follow suit and hold to Christmas at least. Overall averages were over £3 kg this week with a lot of better lambs from 330p-370p kg.

30 – £90.00 (300p kg) – Mrs C Wimble
31 – £70.00 (226p kg) – Bosney Farm
34 – £100.00 (294p kg) – Hope Bros
35 – £129.00 (369p kg) – M & S Wimble
36 – £116.00 (322p kg) – Catherine Cox
37 – £121.50 (328p kg) – G L Harris
38 – £108.00 (284p kg) – M Ciccone
39 – £125.00 (321p kg) – Mrs C Wimble
40 – £135.00 (338p kg) – M & S Wimble
41 – £130.00 (317p kg) – H & J Noakes
42 – £140.00 (333p kg) – S King
43 – £139.50 (324p kg) – M J Ashworth
44 – £150.00 (341p kg) – W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm
45 – £149.00 (331p kg) – S King
46 – £155.00 (337p kg) – S King
47 – £154.00 (328p kg) – S King
48 – £158.00 (329p kg) – S King
49 – £157.00 (320p kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
50 – £182.00 (364p kg) – W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm
51 – £159.00 (312p kg) – W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm
52 – £167.00 (321p kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
54 – £168.00 (311p kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
56 – £144.00 (257p kg) – G Homewood
57 – £170.00 (298p kg) – L E Humphreys & Sons
60 – £132.00 (220p kg) – T Beesley

Averages (p/kg)

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 72 – Top 369, Average 304.5
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 534 – Top 341, Average 302.4
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 405 – Top 364, Average 307.6
Over 52.1 kgs – 77 – Top 331, Average 308.2

Cull Sheep – 381 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Top price ewe: £158.00 – C Woodhead – Ave. £83.97

Yet another lift in the trade particularly for those best fleshed ewes which remain in short supply but a stronger trade throughout for all grades of ewes on the day. The best ewes regularly £130 – £150 and to a top price of £158 from C Woodhead for strong Texel cross ewes. Medium sorts £85 – £110 on most occasions with leaner grazing types £50 – £70 throughout with only very few sold below these figures. We have regular buyers every week for all grades of ewes so do not hesitate to get your ewes booked in with us.

Top prices included:

Texel cross to £158 – C Woodhead, Suffolk cross to £152 – A A Palmar & Son, Beltex to £140 – Beslee Farms, Crossbreds to £129 – P Ashlee, Romney to £127 – H V Link Partnership.

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  60 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A marvellous show of well fleshed finished cattle met a superb trade with buyers keen for stock to meet the Christmas trade.
Quality beef bred stock readily over 300p with the best shaped types pushing past 310p and up over 320p.
W Alexander (Shoreham) took top steer honours with Limousin x to 327p, £1919, and 323p twice. A J Thompson & Sons sold to 319p and W S Furnival Ltd also not far behind at 317p, but top grossing at £2089. Plenty of nice heifers up over 300p with A J Thompson & Sons peaking at 313p.
Flesh and cover is wanted in all cattle and the dairy bred cattle reaching the high levels with Alan Down breaking the £3 level with a Hereford x Friesian steer at 304p, £1806. A good Swedish Red steer from R C & J L Pickering sold very well at 273p. £1690. A nice, covered Dexter heifer at 164p. £613 from D E Norris & Son.
Natives wanted by butchers and wholesalers alike. Angus x steers from A J Thompson & Sons to 319p, £1927; Hereford x steers to 308p, £1722 W S Furnival; Angus x heifers to 307p from Leggat Farming with A C Hulme & Sons having a brace of Angus heifers at 300p, £1670. A smart Sussex x Limousin steer from W Alexander at 308p, £1584.
A mixed show of young bulls but tidy Blondes from G L Boulden & Sons to 292p, £1632.

Top Steers

W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 327p (£1861)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 323p (£1919)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 323p (£1774)
A J Thompson & Sons – Aberdeen Angus cross – 319p (£1927)
W S Furnival Ltd – Limousin cross – 317p (£2089)

Top Heifers

A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 313p (£1469)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 310p (£1625)
Leggat Farming Ltd – Aberdeen Angus cross – 307p (£1410)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 300p (£1647)
A C Hulme & Sons – Aberdeen Angus – 300p (£1617)

Average Prices

Steers 200 to 550 kg – 8 – Top 323p – Ave. 303p
Steers 551 to 650 kg – 22 – Top 327p – Ave. 296p
Steers 651 + – 2 – Top 317p – Ave. 301p
Heifers 300 to 500 kg – 10 – Top 313p – Ave. 263p
Heifers 501 to 590 kg – 11 – Top 310p – Ave. 292p
Heifers 591 kg + – 1 – Top 293p – Ave. 293p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 157 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

It is a good while since we have seen this level of numbers in the cull section and a big “Thank You” to all our supporters from far and wide.
With the beef trade, prime and processing, in such a strong place numbers were no issue, and all buyers were looking to secure maximum loads knowing that overall supply is very tight, and demand will remain strong. A good mixture in the big entry with plenty of flesh on offer; some good young feeders; a lot of older feeders that have sensibly not seen the bull this summer; and a short entry of dairy culls. A strong number of buyers for all grades.
Best of the fleshed beef cows up over 200p with quality heavyweights from L E Humphreys & Son to 226p, £1781. Good commercial types 170-200p with anything with youth on its side pushing even higher. Best feeders with age on their side regularly over 220p for a quality run from Alastair and Philip Boyd selling to 232p, £1451. Older feeders finding plenty of customers and very little below 140p other than the very oldest and plainest. 34 cows over 12 years. Interestingly fewer beef producers using Red Tractor Farm Assurance, equipping themselves well with a VAN number with only a total of 36 assured cows, of which 27 were from milk producers. Draw your own conclusions and save the money and the unnecessary hassle!
Limousin x 232p, 224p, 223p, 222p, 218p, 210p, £1451, £1320, £1305, £1288, £1262, £1241 (Non FA) A Boyd & Co, 226p, 214p, 209p, £1781, £1637, £1633 L E Humphreys & Son, 202p, £1508 (Non FA) I D Machin, 192p, 182p, £1408, £1343 (Non FA)  Hawkfibre Ltd, 190p, £1222 L & L Colbourne; Saler x 216p, £1487 (Non FA) Seymour Stevens Ltd; Sussex 205p, £1370 (Non FA) J Marshall, 200p, £1426 W J Hurley; Hereford x 198p, £1284 (Non FA) F Pearce & Sons, 194p, £1128 (Non FA) L Quay, 177p, 174p, £1553, £1301 (Non FA) N Butcher; Angus x 186p, 176p, £1343, £1209 (Non FA) F Pearce & Son, 183p, £1233 (Non FA) J Marshall, 177p, £1209 (Non FA) M W Goddard; Beef Shorthorn x 184p, 179p, £1071 (Non FA) I D Machin; British White 171p, £1236 (Non FA) Dr CL Barran.
All grades of dairy culls a terrific trade with a little more flesh coming through but the majority still on the plain end of the scale though continuing to give excellent returns. Best fleshed youngsters up to 220p £1482 from J W Boyd & Sons with the better heavy meat cows 170-190p. More Wanted.
Holstein Friesian 220p, 186p, £1482, £1438 J W Boyd & Sons; 172p, £1432 D Murdoch & Sons; 170p, 162p, 160p, £1263, £1236 M A & F W Owen; 158p, 156p, 154p, £1104, £1094, £1089 R C & J L Pickering & Sons; British Friesian 189p, 187p, £1480, £1473 D Murdoch & Sons; Ayrshire 182p, £1171 J Howie; Jersey 82p, 79p, 77p, £389, £359, £356 S E Lane & Ptnrs; Dexter 100p, £328 (Non FA) D E Norris & Son; 94p, £323 (Non FA) L Quay.
Stock Bulls (3) Flesh Wanted. Good trade for some younger better bulls. Hereford UTM 200p, £1426; Sussex 36 mths 180p, £1292; Limousin 130p, £1593.
Overage (16) No stopping the demand for cattle, in this section, to kill or feed. Charolais x OTM steer 262p, £1647; Blue x Friesian OTM steers 258p, 256p, 247p, £1468, £1417, £1329; Sussex x Friesian OTM steer 256p, £1405; Friesian OTM steer 247p, £1417; Sussex 3yo+ steers 240p, 227p, £1268, £1233.

Beef Cows – 109 Sold – Top 232, Average 167.9
Dairy Cows – 30 Sold – Top 220, Average 139.8

Store & Breeding Cattle -168 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

A firm trade with a huge variation of shapes and sizes to suit a wide variety of customers. Young British Blue cross cows with young Angus calves to £1100. A cracking pen of Angus cross suckled calves from A K F Dod to £890 and a run of South Devon cross suckled calves from I Tapsell to £830. W Howland had 7 mths Hereford steers to £560 and heifers from the same home to £500. Sussex steers 21 mths from C E & W S Millson to £1160 and £1025 followed by G W Fuller & Son with Hereford cross steers 18 mths to £1170. To finish off was a super run of 73 Charolais and Salers 18 – 22 mths from Seymour Stevens Ltd with saw the steers to £1415 and the heifers to £1290.

Next week Tuesday 3^rd December will be our Annual Primestock Show week, so we do not expect any store cattle however if you have store or breeding cattle to sell please do not hesitate to get them entered for Tuesday 10^th December.

Pigs – 39 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

A good show of pigs this week with trade a little easier as to be expected due to the time of year.
Top call went to Mrs D Ashlee with 100kg well finished white pigs to £142 per head followed closely by Brooker & Son with their boars 100kg again to £140 per head. Majority of the others finished 120 – 135p pk with only very few coloured native types harder to shift and being sold below this bracket.
Strong weaners from Curly’s Farm topped at £62 and cull sows from the same home to 30p pk which is what majority of the culls sows traded.
Next week we have got our Annual Primestock Show which will include the show pigs then we will also have a sale of commercial pigs on Tuesday 10^th December as normal.

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 3rd December 2024

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here