Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 15th April 2025

Sheep Sales Reports

Finished Hoggets –1,675 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per kilo – 420p kg – Husk Farms Ltd, Nonnington.
Top price per head – £198.00 – J Metianu & S Aspital.

Less forward which was, perhaps, unexpected in the week before the Easter weekend, but numbers are now beginning to tighten up with many of the producers selling their home bred hoggets now coming to the end of this year’s crop. The remaining hoggets are now in the fewer hands of the bigger finishers. Overall a mixed trade for a mixed entry of sheep but with some real peaks of high prices, but also some harder times for the heavier sheep, especially the wet sheep that came in the morning. Handy weights were the easiest to sell with the SQQ average returned at an improved level of 340p kg with strong competition for all grades that fall into this weight bracket, and a top of 420p kg for super Beltex hoggs from Husk Farms Ltd.

32 – £104.00 (325p kg) – S & V Bullock
33 – £116.00 (352p kg) – P J Gilbert Ltd
34 – £100.00 (294p kg) – N & D Attwood
36 – £149.00 (414p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
37 – £134.00 (362p kg) – S B & A E Martin
38 – £130.00 (342p kg) – S B & A E Martin
39 – £139.00 (356p kg) – S B & A E Martin
40 – £163.00 (408p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
41 – £166.00 (405p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
42 – £144.00 (343p kg) – C Ely
43 – £178.00 (414p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
44 – £176.00 (400p kg) – J Metianu & S Aspital
45 – £189.00 (420p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
46 – £150.00 (326p kg) – S King
47 – £162.00 (345p kg) – J C Loveridge Agri Contracting Ltd
48 – £165.00 (344p kg) – R L Pack
49 – £168.00 (343p kg) – J Wayman
50 – £166.00 (332p kg) – R L Pack
51 – £159.00 (312p kg) – O Tilley
52 – £165.00 (317p kg) – P Loveland
53 – £163.50 (308p kg) – S King
54 – £151.00 (280p kg) – D Moss
55 – £156.00 (284p kg) – J Wayman
56 – £158.00 (282p kg) – J Watt
57 – £169.00 (296p kg) – R L Pack
58 – £159.00 (274p kg) – S King
59 – £164.00 (278p kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
60 – £164.50 (274p kg) – W G Watkins & Sons
61 – £170.00 (279p kg) – J Wayman
62 – £140.00 (226p kg) – H Metcalfe
64 – £177.00 (277p kg) – R L Pack
69 – £138.00 (200p kg) – N A Balcomb & Son
72 – £160.00 (222p kg) – A J Down
73 – £198.00 (271p kg) – J Metianu & S Aspital.

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 51 – Top 414, Average 365.9
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 487 – Top 416, Average 338.5
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 727 – Top 420, Average 306.5
Other 52.1+ kgs – 369 – Top 308, Average 267.8

New Season Lambs – 32 sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

The first real entry of new season milk lambs for this year with about 30 or so on offer, and some good quality for this early time for lambs in the South East. Top price on the day was taken by David Clark Farms at £202 head and 415p kg from David Stephens.

Store Hoggets – 459 sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

A real flyer this week in this section with stores topping at £137 head from Ian Lockwood, and an overall average of £115, which is one of the highest averages we have seen in the past couple of months. Demand for these seemed to be unstoppable today and a bit more confidence for the longer terms sorts for the upcoming festival in June perhaps has pushed some buyers on a little stronger than we have been seeing.

Cull Sheep – 523 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

Top price ewe: £275.00 – Kingswood Farmers Ltd. – Ave. £135.27

A strong trade again. More numbers which tended to be medium sorts rather than those better fleshed heavyweight ewes. These best ewes regularly £160 – £190, to a top price of £275 from Kingswood Farmers for superb Charollais ewes. Medium sorts £120 – £150 on most occasions with a pen of half fleshed Romney ewes from K Loveridge to £142 and looking well sold. Leaner grazing types are not so available at this time of year with plenty £80 – £110 and only very few sold below these figures.
Please do not hesitate to get in contact if you have ewes to sell in the coming weeks with buyers present every week for all grades.

Top prices included:

Charollais to £275 – Kingswood Farmers, Texels to £265 – Kingswood Farmers, Texel cross to £210 – S Fagg, Suffolk cross to £205 – S & D Broad, Mules to £181 – J & C Kellet, Romneys to £177       – Beaute Agri.

Ewes and Lambs 42 sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

Just a couple of pens from M Hooker & Son topping at £220 per outfit and £80 per life for full mouthed Texel cross ewes with Texel lambs at foot. Please do inform me of any breeding sheep you have to sell with entries now open for Saturday 3^rd May and large numbers of couples already expected for this sale.

Ear Tags in Sheep
Please be aware of your responsibilities with regard to the tagging of sheep of all ages , and in all sections of the market.

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  50 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Just a few less cattle forward running into the Easter weekend but rates overall holding very similar to recent weeks, despite having fewer of the top end cattle on offer this week.
Plenty of cover about the cattle with a few more heavyweights and a few more lightweights. With supplies remaining so tight wholesalers keener to retain a few more numbers in the fridges to serve early next week.
Few of the best but still pushing close to 400p with Limousin heifers from Leggat Farming, Maidstone selling to 397p, £2181 whilst Limousin steers from R F & E A Simmons, Hythe sold to 380p, £2201. Charolais x steers from Dan Mackelden Ltd sold to £2764, 369p; Simmentals from S J Theobald & Sons, Brentwood to £2552, 374p. Strong Blue x heifers from Birt Bros sold to 380p, £2302 whilst Charolais heifers from Dan Mackelden sold to £2449, 358p.
A good show amongst the dairy bred cattle with Alan Down selling Limousin x Friesian steers to 380p, £2220, Hereford x Friesians to 372p, £2266 and Friesians to 369p, £2217. Limousin x Friesian heifer from T Castle & Son sold to 369p, £1806 whilst their Friesian heifers sold to 362p, £2302.
Hereford x steers from G & R Bailey, Bodiam topped the native section at 380p, £2049, their heifers to 355p, £1927. Angus x steers to 376p, £2403 W S Furnival, Angus x heifers to 363p, £2356 R W Goddard & Ptnrs. Sussex heifers sold to 370p, £2106 W S Furnival, 367p, £2144 L Stevens & Sons, 364p, £2272 Birt Bros, 359p, £2259 High Chimney Farm.
Normal supplies required following the Bank holiday with Monday markets disrupted.

Leading steer prices

Top Steers

A J Down – Limousin cross – 380p (£2220)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 380p (£2201)
G & R Bailey – Hereford cross – 380p (£2049)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 379p (£2403)
W S Furnival Ltd – Aberdeen Angus cross – 376p (£2403)

Top Heifers

Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 397p (£2181)
Dan Mackelden Ltd – Charolais cross – 383p (£2123)
Brit Bros – British Blue cross – 381p (£2302)
Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 380p (£2125)
Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 376p (£2253)

Average prices

Steers 200 to 550 kg – 2 – Top 380p – Ave. 369p
Steers 551 to 650 kg – 14 – Top 380p – Ave. 372p
Steers 651kg + – 7 – Top 369p – Ave. 358p
Heifers 300 to 500 kg – 8 – Top 369p – Ave. 360p
Heifers 501 to 590 kg – 12 – Top 397p – Ave. 367p
Heifers 591 kg + – 7 – Top 381p – Ave. 365p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 70 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A terrific show of cows from far and wide met another superb trade with more buyers around the ring for both meat and feeding cows.
Certainly, more flesh on offer with the wide-ranging entry averaging a staggering £1666 head with all grazing cows benefitting from the good rain overnight.
Best of the cows up over 300p selling to 363p, £2411 for a Limousin x from W Akehurst, Crowborough. Plenty of meat cows 270- 310p. Feeders again electric and all ages a superb trade with hard, older cows readily over 250p.
Limousin x 363p, £2411 W Akehurst, 309p, 272p, £2113, £1765 Beaute Agri, Canterbury, 290p, £1838 I D Machin, Faversham; Angus x 297p, 291p, 290p, £2194, £1946, £1882 V & C Smith, Tunbridge Wells,  276p, £2259 N Tong, Ashford, 274p, 269p, £1906 R W Goddard & Ptnrs, Barham; Sussex 294p, £2201 High Chimney Farms, Canterbury, 277p, 274p, £2010, £2005 C E & W S Millson, Goudhurst, 261p, £1980 R Jones, Rotherfield; Simmental x 277p, £2101 Parrett & Son, Maidstone; British Blue x 260p, £1894 J Saunders, Sevenoaks; British White 248p, £1386 Mrs L Townsend, Fordcombe; Traditional Hereford 214p, £1142 P A Green, Meopham.
A quality show of cattle from the dairy sector and no stopping rates in this department. British Friesian cows to 300p and £2237 from Debden Court, Canterbury and UTM Jerseys to 276p, £1281 from S E Lane & Ptnrs, Biddenden.
British Friesian 300p, 282p, 280p, 279p, 277p, £2237, £2158, £1886, £1846, £1803 Debden Court; Holstein Friesian 279p, 275p, £2228, £1949 J W Boyd & Sons; Jersey 276p, £1281 S E Lane & Ptnrs, 196p, £929 Hickson Bros; Danish Red 231p, £1452, 200p, £1516 (Import) Kingcott Dairy; Ayrshire 268p, £1779 J Howie.
Stock Bull (1) a tremendous Angus bull well sold at 298p, £2871.
Overage (12) Mostly feeders this week but some tremendous cattle on offer, and all grades a marvellous trade, particularly for 3 year plus cattle from W Akehurst, Crowborough selling to 368p, £2389 for both Limousin x steers and heifers.
3yo+ Limousin x steer 368p, £2389, 3yo+ Limousin x heifer 368p, £2132, 3yo+ Blue x steer 334p, £2501 W Akehurst; 3yo+ Parthenais x heifer 326p, £1595 Herbert & Sons, Stanstead; 3yo+ Holstein steer 298p, £2083 R Scott, Horsham.

Beef Cows – 34 Sold – Top 363, Average 257.3
Dairy Cows – 24 Sold – Top 300, Average 253.4

 

Store & Breeding Cattle – 419 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

A big show of cattle in the pens again this week with a larger percentage of natives as opposed to the continentals we had last week. Trade again at marvellous levels with competition strong from a large company of buyers from far and wide
Cows and calves from G & R Bailey, Bodiam topped at £2480 for a Limousin cow and calf with majority of the others £2000 – £2300 from the same home. A & N Bullen, Dorking had a run of Stabiliser crosses 20 – 22 mths which would be harder rough coated types looking well sold at £1360 with the heifers to £1280. P J & P B Wade, Hythe had Blue x Friesian steers 11 mths to £1120, and Holstein Friesian steers 16 mths from Miss E Ashlee, Ashford to £960. A smart run of Simmental cross steers 12 mths from P Tassell, Headcorn topped at £1600, and Angus Friesian crosses 13 mths from K M Goddard Agri saw steers to £1450 and heifers to £1340. A quality pen of Limousin cross steers 11 mths from S & D Broad, Penshurst caught the eye making £1680, with a run of open yarded Limousin steers 20m from F W Hare & Sons, Southborough to £1420. M G Izard, Petham had Simmental crosses 11 – 13 mths which topped at £1800 for the steers, followed by S J Edmed & Sons, Ashford with Simmental crosses 21m at £1900. H & S Nesfield had their annual run of Limousin and Simmental crosses 12- 14 mths topping at £1900 for steers, heifers to £1810. S J M Evans sold Limousin steers 10m at £1760, heifers to £1400. A superb run from Pynn Contractors saw their Blue x Limousin steers 12 mths to £2100 with majority of the run £1600 – £1800. It is always great to see new faces in the Market and we welcomed G&R Bailey, Bodiam with a strong run of Hereford and Limousin x cattle 14-16m topping at £2160 for their steers and the heifers to £1810. Angus steers 13 mths from F Pearce & Sons, Wickford to £1570 followed by a run from R W Goddard & Partners, Canterbury. Their Angus steers 12 mths topped at £1990 with the heifers to £1640. Gallagher Farms, Maidstone had their well put together 14 mths Angus steers to £1720. A fine run of Angus x British Friesian heifers 20 mths from R Haydon and Partners, Arundel rang the bell topping at £1970 with others £1870 and £1740 – all bought to go to a bull. N A Balcomb & Son had 13 mths Sussex steers to £1490 while J C & C Lewis topped the Sussex section with 20 mth old heifers £2300 and £2200 to go to the bull. This shows that Ashford is the only place to be selling your Sussex finished, cull, store or breeding cattle. P Lanham topped at £1980 for a Simmental x Friesian steers 27 mths and B C Ginger had their 24 mth Hereford steers to £2160, their heifers to £1780 and again bought to go to the bull. Top call on the day to Nick Tong, Woodchurch with his Blue x steer 22m at £2450.
This trade is on fire so please let us know if you have store or breeding cattle to sell and strike while the iron is hot.
We have 270 plus stores already entered for next week as well as a good entry of breeding bulls, mainly Limousins but others will also be available.

Principal prices include:
Continental Breeds:

British Blue cross steers 22 mths – £2450 – N Tong
Limousin cross steers 13 mths – £2100 – Pynn Contractors
Simmental x Friesian steers 27 mths – £1980 – P Lanham
Limousin cross steers 12 mths – £1900 – H & S Nesfield
Limousin cross heifers 14 mths – £1810 – H & S Nesfield
Limousin cross heifers 16 mths – £1610 – G & R Bailey
British Blue x Friesian heifers 28 mths – £1550 – C Kearl
Limousin cross heifers 12 mths – £1550 – Pynn Contractors

 Native Breeds:

Aberdeen Angus cross steers 20 mths – £2420 – G Stokes
Herford cross steers 16 mths – £2160 – G & R Bailey
Aberdeen Angus cross steers 13 mths – £1990 – R W Goddard & Ptnrs
Herford cross steers 24 mths – £2160 – B C Ginger
Sussex steers 13 mths – £1490 – N A Balcomb & Son
Sussex heifers 20 mths – £2300 – J C & C Lewis
Aberdeen Angus x Friesian heifers 20 mths – £1970 – R Haydon & Ptnrs
Hereford cross heifers 17 mths – £1810 – G & R Bailey
Aberdeen Angus heifers 24 mths – £1780 – G D Venner

 

Calves – 46 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Another outstanding demand for all calves with a busy ring of buyers, and potential buyers. More calves would sell to advantage but clearly there are only so many dairy herds in the county!
A nice mix of Blues and Blacks with best bulls close to £500, best heifers close to £400. Very strong demand for weaned calves.
British Blue x bulls £425, £400, £385, £380, £370; heifers £390(2), £335 J W Boyd & Son
British Blue x bulls £225, £185; heifers £295, £270, £255, £245 Hickson Bros
Angus x bulls £495, £465; heifers £340 H O Champneys Ltd
Angus x bulls £320, £310, £240; heifers £260, £245, £232, £230 J Warnock & Sons
Sussex x heifers £240, £185 J Warnock & Sons
Charolais bull £450 PJ Forknall; Black & white bulls £300 Parrett Bros, £200 J Warnock & Sons
Weaned Calves
Simmental x heifers 14 wks. £645; bull £615 HO Champneys.
British Blue x bull 4 mths £335 Hickson Bros
Angus x steers 4 mths £230, £190 S E Lane & Ptnrs

Bull Calves
British Blue cross – 9 – Ave £339.44 – Top £425.00 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd
Charolais cross – 1 – Ave £450.00 – Top £450.00 – P J Forknall
British Friesian – 1 – Ave £300.00 – Top £300.00 – Parrett & Son
Aberdeen Angus cross – 6 – Ave £369.17 – Top £495.00 – H O Champneys Ltd
Holstein Friesian – 1 – Ave £200.00 – Top £200.00 – J Warnock & Sons
Heifer Calves
British Blue cross – 9 – Ave £282.78 – Top £390.00 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd
Aberdeen Angus cross – 9 – Ave £215.88 – Top £340.00 – H O Champneys Ltd
Sussex – 3 – Ave £185.00 – Top £240.00 – J Warnock & Sons
Steer Calves
Aberdeen Angus cross – 4 – Ave £210.00 – Top £230.00 – S E Lane & Partners
Bull Weanling
Simmental cross – 1 – Ave £615.00 – Top £615.00 – H O Champneys Ltd
Heifer Weanlings

Simmental cross – 2 – Ave £645.00 – Top £645.00 – H O Champneys Ltd

Cattle Passports
We remind producers that on no occasion should the details on a cattle passport be changed other than by returning it to BCMS.
If details are incorrect return and advise BCMS or advise the auctioneers on market day without writing on the passport.

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 22nd April 2025

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

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