Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 7th January 2025

Sheep Sales Reports

Finished Hoggets –1,822 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per kilo – 377p – G P King
Top price per head – £185.00 – C Watkins & P Bates

The first sale back to start the new year, and the 2025 hogget season, and we certainly started with a bang! Just under 2,000 finished hoggets on offer and a flying trade throughout. With sheep numbers at a real low point nationally, prices are very strong with demand for export and home trade both at all time high levels. Despite varying quality in the entry with quite a small number of the top end continental hoggs to raise the averages it still returned at 325p kg, all included. All hoggs are selling well currently with the handy weights often over 350p kg and topping out at 377p kg form G P King for some super Beltex crosses. Heavy hoggets, also, very much in demand with these topping at £185 today from both P. Bates and Colin Watkins, and several other hoggs over £170 from W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm, John Monnington Farms Ltd, Chris Woodhead and R G Hobbs Farms just to name a few. Hogget season has started well for us in Ashford and those of you wishing to sell in the coming weeks please be advised that we are open every Monday afternoon to accept hoggets into overnight lairage. Clean and dry sheep that are presented empty sell for the top prices week in week out, and a belly and dagging service will be also available in the coming weeks. This must be pre-booked with us to ensure the shearers have got capacity so if you wish to avail of this service or have large numbers to come forward on Monday, please let us know in advance.

33 – £112.00 (339p kg) – M A & F W Owen
34 – £116.00 (341p kg) – P M Langridge
35 – £124.00 (354p kg) – G Husk
36 – £126.00 (350p kg) – W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm
37 – £124.00 (335p kg) – E J & T H Gribble
38 – £137.00 (361p kg) – P M & J E Batstone & Son
39 – £147.00 (377p kg) – G P King
40 – £140.00 (350p kg) – M A & F W Owen
41 – £150.00 (366.p kg) – James Bull
42 – £147.00 (350p kg) – R G Hobbs Farms
43 – £147.00 (342p kg) – Jamie Watt
44 – £162.00 (368p kg) – C Watkins
45 – £159.00 (353p kg) – M A & F W Owen
46 – £164.00 (357p kg) – C Watkins
47 – £170.00 (362p kg) – W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm
48 – £168.00 (350p kg) – C Watkins
49 – £170.00 (347p kg) – James Bull
50 – £166.00 (332p kg) – M J Ashworth
51 – £164.00 (322p kg) – F J White & Sons
52 – £179.00 (344p kg) – C Watkins
53 – £177.00 (334p kg) – W & P New T/A Moorhouse Farm
54 – £169.00 (313p kg) – Barleybrook Farm
55 – £178.00 (324p kg) – C Woodhead
56 – £180.00 (321p kg) – P Bates
57 – £185.00 (325p kg) – C Watkins
58 – £168.00 (290) – Lovejoy Farm Partnership
60 – £157.00 (262p kg) – H V Link Partnership
66 – £185.00 (280p kg) – P Bates
67 – £166.00 (248p kg) – John Monnington Farms Ltd

Averages (p/kg)

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 182 – Top 361, Average 330.8
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 965 – Top 377, Average 325.6
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 482 – Top 362, Average 326.1
Other 52.1+ kgs – 192 – Top 353, Average 312.3

Store Hoggets – 336 sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price: £134.00 – G Husk – Ave. £90.80

As a “follow on” from the prices achieved in the finished sections the stores were always going to be in demand.  The quality in here this week was pretty mixed with a lot of small and very long term sheep on offer. The better end of the stores were a flying trade with these topping at £134 head from Graham Husk for some smart Texel stores, and several other stronger lambs selling over £110. Longer term sorts were, maybe, a little harder to sell on the day with the weather conditions not very favourable for these types at the moment. These traded form £75-95 head. More stores expected each week now.

Cull Sheep – 495 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price ewe: £173.50 – Matthew Wickens  – Ave. £117.98
Top price ram: £150.00 – Robert Nuth – Ave. £115.84

Again, another flying trade in the ewe department.  Not quite the high top prices of the last sale but this is based on the quality of the sheep on offer rather than the level of the trade. The overall average price was in fact up by £7 on that sale and the main lift was in the £90-100 price bracket with very few sheep selling below these levels. All best meated Suffolk ewes selling in excess of £150 head and several over £170 to a top price of £173.50 from Matthew Wickens. Ewes for further grazing are a little harder to sell with the current weather conditions but these are still changing hands form £65-85 head. Ewes are in very short supply nationally and the demand for mutton is as strong as ever which is keeping prices buoyant for the supply that is available.

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  26 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

What a great way to start the New Year with the fat trade on fire! More numbers would be nice but that is the reason why they are so dear!!
Averages speak for themselves with a commercial entry with few of the very best on offer but cattle well covered and what the modern trade requires.
W Alexander (Shoreham) topped both sections with a Limousin x heifer at 325p £1525 and a Limousin x steer at 307p, £1794; closely followed by a Blonde x heifer from Paul Boulden at 320p, £1997, and a Limousin x heifer from Stephen Furnival at 315p, £1730.
Well fleshed dairy bred steers from Alan Down saw his Limousin x to 309p, £1916, and Hereford x also to 309p, £1820. George Sim`s Blue x Friesian heifer to 306p, £1879.
Sussex heifers from the Furnival’s to 307p, £1410, their Angus x steer 300p, £1947. Angus x heifers from Tim Ashworth at 306p, £1772.
Young bulls wanted. Heavyweight Angus from the Pickering Family to 198p, £2153, with a Red Poll at 230p, £1354.
More Cattle Wanted, of course, but they want cover, and this trade isn’t going away!

Top Steers
A J Down – Limousin cross – 309p (£1866)
A J Down – Hereford cross – 309p (£1820)
A J Down – Hereford cross – 309p (£1774)
W Alexander (Shoreham) Ltd – Limousin cross – 307p (£1762)
W Alexander (Shoreham) Ltd – Limousin cross – 302p (£1794)

Top Heifers
W Alexander (Shoreham) Ltd – Limousin cross – 325p (£1525)
G L Boulden & Sons – Blonde cross – 320p (£1997)
W S Furnival Ltd – Limousin cross – 315p (£1730)
G L Boulden & Sons – Limousin cross – 307p (£1640)
W S Furnival Ltd – Sussex – 307p (£1410)

Average Prices
Steers 200 to 550 kg – 3 – Top 301p – Ave. 300p
Steers 551 to 650 kg – 13      to 309p – Ave. 293p
Steers 651 + – 2 – Top 293p – Ave. 277p
Heifers 300 to 500 kg – 2 – Top 325p – Ave. 316p
Heifers 501 to 590 kg – 3 – Top 315p – Ave. 309p
Heifers 591 kg + – 2 – Top 320p – Ave. 313p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 57 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

We wanted more but were pleased to have what we did have, as numbers everywhere are desperately short.
Everybody wants cows and everything, bar a few of the very plainest lightweights, a fantastic trade.
The best up over 250p regularly; good commercials 200-220p; young feeders 250+; old feeders 150-200p. Returns outstanding.
Angus x 264p, 200p, £1291 A J Thompson & Sons, 247p, £1578 M J Ashworth, 194p, £1355 (Non FA) B G & M A Tomsett; British Blue x 247p, £1319 A J Thompson & Sons; Sussex 224p, £1453 (Non FA) Earl de La Warr, 208p, £1266 W J Hurley, 194p, 185p, £1448, £1432 (Non FA) C E & W S Millson; Simmental x 222p, £1706 W J Hurley, 219p, 195p, 194p, £1770 (Non FA) P W & P Sim, 201p, £1484 (Non FA) B G & M A Tomsett.
Dairy culls on fire with little flesh on offer.
Holstein Friesian 185p, £1458 P J Forknall; 180p, £1230 R C & J L Pickering; Jersey 147p, £813 S E Lane & Ptnrs
Stock Bulls (2) Limousin 174p twice. £2039, £1744.

Beef Cows – 38 Sold – Top 264, Average 196.6
Dairy Cows – 9 Sold – Top 185 Average 146.8

Calves – 120 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A cracking day in the calf section, and it really worked well, with vendors advising auctioneer of entry; auctioneer getting the message out to a strong attendance of buyers, and potential buyers; and a solid competitive trade for all grades of calves, young and old.
Calves are wanted, and whilst we will not see these numbers every fortnight sadly, we can get the process right that works for sellers and buyers alike.
Quality Blue x bulls from Peter Forknall to £280, £270, and £260; £275, £250 from Peter Boyd with plenty of younger types £150-£210. Blue x heifers from Peter Boyd to £198, plenty £150-£180. Angus x calves in demand with a top of £268 from Goddard & Son and a fine run from Brian Goodsell £225, £214, £200 etc, their heifers to £230. Angus x heifers regularly £120-£180. Simmental x from Jason Ledger saw bulls to £240 twice and heifers to £200. Quite a show of fresh Black & White bull calves and an excellent trade. Some proper Friesian types to £175, £125, £100 Parrett & Son and plenty of Holstein Friesian bulls £40 – £90.
Weaned Calves (19) Probably too much age and not enough growth in a mixed entry but a crowd of buyers around the ring and a reasonable clearance.
Angus x Friesian steers £370, £290, £285 6-9 mths; Hereford x Friesian steers £305 7 mths; Blue x Friesian steers £265 8 mths; Angus x Frisian heifers £280 7 mths; Holstein Friesian steers £250, £165 3-4 mths.
Overall a very good day and ‘thank you’ to all.

Bull Calves
British Blue cross – 21 – Ave £180.90 – Top £280.00 – P J Forknall
Limousin cross – 1 – Ave £125.00 – Top £125.00 – B J Goodsell & Son
Simmental cross – 2 – Ave £240.00 – Top £240.00 – R & J Ledger
Aberdeen Angus cross – 13 – Ave £172.31 – Top £268.00 – Goddard & Son
Holstein Friesian – 8 – Ave £73.13 – Top £165.00 – J Warnock & Sons
British Friesian – 11 – Ave £77.91 – Top £172.00 – Parrett & Son

Heifer Calves
British Blue cross – 15 – Ave £140.47 – Top £198.00 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd
Limousin cross – 1 – Ave £120.00 – Top £120.00 – B J Goodsell & Son
Simmental cross – 2 – Ave £184.00 – Top £200.00 – R & J Ledger
Aberdeen Angus cross – 21 – Ave £145.19 – Top £280.00 – Stilwell Farms Ltd
Hereford cross – 2 – Ave £78.50 – Top £82.00 – Goddard & Son

Steer Weanling
British Blue cross – 4 – Ave £265.00 – Top £265.00 – Stilwell Farms Ltd
Aberdeen Angus cross – 5 – Ave £320.00 – Top £370.00 – J Warnock & Sons
Hereford cross – 5 – Ave £272.00 – Top £305.00 – Stilwell Farms Ltd
Holstein Friesian – 1 Ave £250.00 – Top £250.00 – J Warnock & Sons
British Friesian – 1 – Ave £265.00 – Top £265.00 – Stilwell Farms Ltd
Ayrshire – 1 – Ave £145.00 Top £145.00 – J Howie

Finished & Store Pigs – 47 Sold
Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

The pig trade is always a little at “sixes and sevens” after Christmas with stocks and supplies in excess of demand.
An average entry in terms of quality this week didn’t find a bad trade, but we could have done with more best pigs.
Smart sorts from East Sutton Prison to 152p, £148, with decent boar pigs from C K Guest 132p, £128. A few commercial types 100-110p, with the coloured or minority breeds hard work around 50p.
No interest in cull boars. A little interest in coloured store pigs with good small OSB to £10.

Forthcoming Auctions

Friday Livestock – 14th January 2025

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

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