Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 10th December 2024

Sheep Sales Reports

New Season Lambs –1,458 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per kilo – 324p – Mr Harvey Rivers
Top price per head – £172.50 – Andy Town

More on offer today with close to 1,600 lambs penned, in part as some sellers may have avoided last week’s show and in part because many sellers recognise the disruptions over the Christmas period to sales, and consequently cash flow. Trade has eased slightly this week as more numbers come forward nationally with heavier lambs back by 15-20p. The overall quality of the entry in Ashford would also not compare with last weeks that, of course, included the show entries. Best sorts are still well over £3 kg and topped at 324p kg from Harvey Rivers for Charollais crosses with other fed lambs not far behind these in pence per kilo. It is unusual for the trade to ease in the weeks immediately prior to Christmas, but it does confirm that trade will always be dictated by the numbers of offer nationally, and this week’s rise in sheep on offer across the country, not just in Ashford, has certainly had an impact.
We will be holding a normal Tuesday sale next week (17^th December) and we will be holding a sheep only sale on Friday December 27^th. Please let us know what you wish to send for these sales.
This Friday, December 13^th, will be the last store sheep sale of 2024 and we will be penning approximately 5,000 lambs, 25 Alpacas and we will also be offering about 150 lots of livestock equipment in the yard after the livestock sale. Hobbs Parker Auctioneers would like to invite all our supporters to join us for a Hog Roast after the sale, with last week’s Champion Pig being roasted by Andrew Laver. We hope to start serving from about 13.30 and we would be pleased to see you there.
No Markets 24^th and 31^st December 2024. Normal Market 6^th January 2025.

33 – £100.00 (303p kg) – S J M Evans
35 – £112.00 (320p kg) – H & J Noakes
36 – £114.50 (318p kg) – G P King
37 – £109.50 (296p kg) – W Cooke & Son (Farmers) Ltd
38 – £122.50 (322p kg) – G P King
39 – £122.00 (313p kg) – Lovejoy Farms Partnership
40 – £117.00 (293p kg) – R T J B & I Lockwood
41 – £132.00 (322p kg) – G P King
42 – £136.00 (324p kg) – H Rivers
43 – £134.50 (313p kg) – H Rivers
44 – £141.50 (322p kg) – H Rivers
45 – £145.50 (323p kg) – H Rivers
46 – £143.00 (311p kg) – Bowley Farm Ltd
47 – £148.00 (315p kg) – Princess Christian Farm
48 – £149.00 (310p kg) – H Rivers
49 – £150.00 (306p kg) – John Monnington Farms Ltd
50 – £150.00 (300p kg) – S J M Evans
51 – £152.00 (298p kg) – John Monnington Farms Ltd
52 – £156.00 (300p kg) – R L Goodman & Son
53 – £155.00 (292p kg) – E Stretton
54 – £147.00 (272p kg) – L E Humphreys & Sons
55 – £172.50 (314p kg) – A Town
56 – £156.00 (279.p kg) – Jamie Watt
60 – £151.00 (252p kg) – Masters Farms
61 – £159.50 (261p kg – R L Goodman & Son
64 – £162.00 (253p kg) – Masters Farms

Averages (p/kg)

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 147 – Top 322, Average 288.3
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 597 – Top 324, Average 286.9
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 542 – Top 319, Average 287.4
Others over 52.1 kgs – 166 – Top 314, Average 256.3

Cull Sheep – 538 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Top price ewe: £158.00 – Link Bros – Ave. £87.69

A cracking trade once again with the best fleshed ewes £120 – £145 on most occasions and more of these best fleshed ewes are wanted. Top call on the day went to Link Bros with a quality pen of Texels at £158, followed by strong Suffolk crosses from A J Down to £151. Majority of medium sorts £85 – £110 with leaner grazing types plentiful and £50 – £70 throughout with only very few sold below these figures. Please do inform me of large numbers of ewes you intend on selling in the coming weeks with buyers present every week for all grades.

Top prices included:

Texels to £158 – Link Bros, Suffolk cross to £151 – A J Down, Texel cross to £150 – M L Wilson & Son, Mules to £120 – M L Wilson & Son, Romneys to £120 – G Homewood.

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  28 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Demand for prime beef remains extremely firm, and more cattle could have been sold to advantage as buyers see nothing but tight supplies throughout the Christmas and New Year period and beyond!!
A pair of outstanding Limousin heifers from Brian Baker led the field realising 330p each, grossing up at £2274 and £2043. Leggat Farming topped the steer section with Limousin x at 318p, £1921. Smart beef breed heifers all up over 300p.
Well covered cattle are what is wanted by todays trade and Alan Down`s Hereford x Friesian steers tick all the boxes selling to 294p, £1791. British Friesian heifers, full of flesh, from T Castle & Son to 282p, £1562.
Native cattle from W S Furnival Ltd saw Angus x heifers to 307p, £1686 and Sussex heifers to 303p, £1528.
A smart shaped Sussex young bull from Chris Woodhead at 261p, £1459.

Top Steers

Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 318p (£1921)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 313p (£1750)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 305p (£1827)
Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 299p (£1970)
A J Down – Hereford cross – 294p (£1511)

Top Heifers

B J Baker – Limousin – 330p (£2274)
B J Baker – Limousin cross – 330p (£2043)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 310p (£1749)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 310p (£1517)
W S Furnival Ltd – Aberdeen Angus cross – 307p (£1686)

Average Prices

Steers 200 to 550 kg – 1 – Top 294p – Ave. 294p
Steers 551 to 650 kg – 13 – Top 318p – Ave. 289p
Steers 651 + – 1 – Top 299p – Ave. 299p
Heifers 300 to 500 kg – 1 – Top 310p – Ave. 310p
Heifers 501 to 590 kg – 7 – Top 310p – Ave. 284p
Heifers 591 kg + – 4 – Top 330p – Ave. 294p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 99 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Another very good number of cows forward and with the New Year only just around the corner, as far as the processing market is concerned, a superb trade from start to finish with buyers out to secure numbers both to slaughter and to feed. Rates certainly firmer and cows will be wanted next week (17^th December) and certainly early in the New Year (6^th January).
Best fleshed beef cows were, in fact, a bit short in supply but readily flying through 220p, with commercial meat cows 190-210p. Feeders an excellent trade and only the very oldest, plainest or lightest finding any resistance from a strong company of buyers.
Limousin x 224p, £1509 (Non FA) Price & Shelbourne, 212p, £1555 (Non FA) Gallagher Farms; Sussex 210p, 190p, £1550, £1213 W J Hurley, 199p, £1340 (Non FA) D & J Murray; Simmental x 210p, 199p, 190p, £1548 Betchworth Estate, 200p, £1217 A J Thompson & Sons, 197p, 188p, 184p (2) £1248, £1218, £1165, £1160 R P Kent & Son; Angus x 209p, £1543 (Non FA) V & C Smith; Blonde 193p, £1569 (Non FA) Jones & Garrett; Hereford 189p, £1555 (Non FA) Uphill Farming; Beef Shorthorn 186p, 182p, £1076, £1053 (Non FA) H Harmer.
Dairy culls, particularly carrying flesh, took a step forward with the best over 200p and several over 190p. The lean cows from the parlour look very well sold, and only the lightweights penalised.
British Friesian 205p, 195p (2), 189p, 186p (2) £1585, £1410, £1363, £1345 Debden Court; 191p, £1410 B J Goodsell & Son; Holstein Friesian 193p, £1530 J W Boyd & Sons; 190p, £1317 Goddard & Son; 187p, 178p, 172p, £1389, £1305, £1287 J Warnock & Sons; Ayrshire 137p, £825 V & C Smith; Jersey 100p, £480.
Stock Bulls (6) A few more forward and well fleshed bulls are selling well, despite all their associated difficulties.
Simmental 180p, 173p, 157p, £1930, £1854, £1463; Hereford 162p, £1405; lean Limousin feeders 158p, 140p.
Overage (5) Just a handful forward this week, but demand remains very strong. 3+ Simmental x heifer 212p, £1132; OTM Angus x heifer 208p, £1266.

Beef Cows – 55 Sold – Top 224, Average 162.7
Dairy Cows – 34 Sold – Top 210, Average 165.4

Store & Breeding Cattle – 182 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

A large entry for the time of year with a good variation of breeds and sizes to suit all customers present. Young, farming cattle remain a good trade despite the time of year with plenty of people looking to fill sheds ready for turn out next year.  We had a few cows and calves with a Blue cross cow and young Angus cross calf from Gallagher Farms to £1300. F J White & Sons sold a smart run of Limousin x Sussex 7 – 8 mths old with the steers to £870 and heifers to £790. Cracking Charolais cross steers 12 mths from Rhino Plant to £1100 followed by Blonde crosses 6 – 8 mths from R D Christie to £730 with 19 mth old steers from the same home to £1310. Smart Beef Shorthorn steers 12 mths from Mrs H Harmer to £970 with 6 mth old Beef Shorthorns from D R Thompson to £850. Angus x Friesian steers 14 – 16 mth from M A & F W Owen to £1105 followed by strong Blue x Friesian steers 26 mths from Yardbrook Farm Partnership at £1450, the heifers from the same home to £1305. Top Call of the day went to E Chantler & Sons for their cracking Limousin cross steers 18 mths to £1560, their heifers to £1390.
Please get in touch with any store or breeding cattle you have to sell with intentions for larger sales being put together for January 2025.

Highlights:

Limousin cross steers 18 mths – £1560 – E Chantler & Sons
Limousin cross heifers 20 mths – £1390 – E Chantler & Sons
British Blue x Friesian steers 26 mths – £1450 – Yardbrook Farm Partnership
British Blue x Friesian heifers 26mths – £1305 – Yardbrook Farm Partnership
Blonde cross steers 19 mths – £1310 – R D Christie
Blonde cross heifers 18 mths – £870 – R D Christie
Charolais cross steers 13 mths – £1100 – Rhino Plant
Limousin cross heifers 26 mths – £1380 – Gallagher Farms
British Blue x Friesian heifers 16 mths – £1170 – M A & F W Owen
Limousin cross steers 8 mths – £870 – F J White & Sons
Limousin cross heifers 8 mths – £790 – F J White & Sons
Charolais cross steers 11 mths – £890 – Goodsell Farm Partnership
Aberdeen Angus cross steers 8 mths – £730 – J K Clay
Aberdeen Angus cross heifers 8 mths – £690 – J K Clay

Pigs – 53 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Our final sale of pigs for 2024 with a larger entry than normal, as to be expected, with top call going to C K Guest with smart 97 kg gilts to £136.50. Majority of the other finished pigs 120 – 135p pk with only the more traditional types being sold below these figures. Cull sows and boars remain hard to shift with the best sows to 30p pk followed by traditional store pigs from East Park Sutton Prison to £30. Thank you to all the vendors and buyers for your support in 2024 and please have a look on our website for upcoming pig sales in 2025.

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 17th December 2024

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here