Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 4th June 2024

Sheep Sales Reports

New Season Lambs

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903
No – 807 Sold

Top price per kg: 445p – Eastlands Farm
Top price per head: £217.00 – P & E Andreozzi

Another increased entry of lambs this week with over 800 penned and some super quality on offer. Lambs topping £200 on a several occasions and the averages still sticking it out just above £4/kg despite the numbers increasing nationally. Trade will be dictated by the numbers on offer, and with improving weather and many lambs that are currently being fed perhaps coming together, in the next month or so, prices are sure to come under pressure. But the hoggets will disappear very shortly so there is some good room for increased numbers without too much despair. A super run from P & E Andreozzi topped out at £217 today and the run averaged in excess of £200 for the second week running.

33kg – £147.00 (445p/kg) – Eastlands Farm
34kg – £134.00 (394p/kg) – M Hooker & Son
35kg – £133.50 (381p/kg) – R Smith
36kg – £144.00 (400p/kg) – D Isaac
37kg – £130.00 (351p/kg) – Wanstall Farms
38kg – £158.00 (416p/kg) – D Isaac
39kg – £168.00 (431p/kg) – C B Hope
40kg – £164.00 (410p/kg) – Eastlands Farm
41kg – £175.00 (427p/kg) – M J Ashworth
42kg – £184.00 (438p/kg) – M J Ashworth
43kg – £184.00 (428p/kg) – L Stevens & Sons
44kg – £190.00 (432p/kg) – M J Ashworth
45kg – £192.00 (427p/kg) – D Isaac
46kg – £178.00 (387p/kg) – A J Down
47kg – £190.00 (404p/kg) – D Isaac
48kg – £192.00 (400p/kg) – A J Down
49kg – £194.00 (396p/kg) – D Isaac
50kg – £217.00 (434p/kg) – P & E Andreozzi

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 202 – Top 445, Average 389.8
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 466 – Top 438, Average 404.8
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 114 – Top 434, Average 401.3

Finished Hoggets – 550
Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per kg: 378p – K Davis
Top price per head: £219 – Minster Abbey

A fair sized entry for the time of year with just under 600 hoggets penned. Again a very good trade for the best end but a number of “odds and sods” which diluted the averages. Top of the charts were from new vendor, K Davies of Heathfield with 378p for some heavy weight hoggs, grossing at £194, making his journey to Ashford very worthwhile.

Cull Sheep – 274 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewe: Top £190.00 – Beslee Farms – Ave £119.25

A few more numbers in the pens than last week with demand as strong as ever ahead of the upcoming Qurbani festival. The best ewes regularly £120 – £150 to a top price of £190 from Beslee Farms for cracking Texel ewes. Medium sorts £80 – £110 on most occasions with leaner grazing types £40 – £60 throughout, and very few sold below these figures. Please do inform me of any large numbers of ewes that you are intending on selling in the coming weeks.

Top prices included

Texels to £190 – Beslee Farms, Charollais to £190 – H O Champneys Ltd, Texel cross to £176 – G C Tucker, Suffolk cross to £171 – M R Woodroofe, Mules to £157 – H Heathcote, Romneys to £137 – A J Thompson & Sons

Ewes & Lambs – 302 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Good numbers of couples on offer with the top spot taken by J Lukehurst for Beltex ewes with Texel lambs to £82 per life. Romney ewes with late born Texel lambs to £73.50 per life from R M Vidler, and Romney ewes with Romney lambs to £77 per life from A J Thompson & Sons. Grass is plentiful and buyers are keen so please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have breeding sheep to sell in the coming weeks.

 

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  66 Sold

Auctioneer:Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Strong numbers forward this week and a very similar trade overall with a few more customers around the ring to secure both slaughter and further finishing cattle. Trade talk indicates harder retail conditions but with a recognition that numbers are short, in general, and particularly at this time of the year. Downward pressure when lambs ease further might make a little difference, but no major change is likely.
Better bred beef types 270-285p with some exceptional quality from M B Farms seeing them top the tables with Limousin steers and heifers to 313p, grossing to £1953 and £1851 respectively. Robert Martin`s lean Limousin steer sold to 283p £1653 whilst a smart run of heifers from W Alexander (Shoreham) sold to 280p(twice) £1831. Stuart Theobald`s quality heavyweight Limousin steers sold to £2164 (271p).~
A few more dairy bred cattle on offer this week and buyers for flesh and further feeding. Alan Down`s Limousin and Hereford x steers to 268p, respectively £1792 and £1592, with his Friesians to 245p £1345. George Sim`s Blue x Friesians to 260p £1677; maiden Friesian heifers from PHR Farms to 244p £1351.
A few less native sired cattle this week. Angus x heifers from W Alexander (Shoreham) to 280p £1663; Hereford x steers to 263p £1654 Dan Mackelden Ltd; Sussex heifers to 256p £1444 J D Hickman; and some lightweight traditional Hereford steers from Great Malgraves Farm to 233p £1063.
Plenty of interest in feeders of all grades but a strong run of Simmental x Sussex steers from John Hookers sold well at 260-267p (8 av £1602).

Top Steers

M B Farms – Limousin – 313p (£1953)
R Martin – Limousin cross – 283p (£1653)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Limousin cross – 280p (£1831)
S J Theobald & Sons – Limousin cross – 271p (£2164)
S J Theobald & Sons – Limousin cross – 269p (£1812)                           

Top Heifers

M B Farms – Limousin – 313p (£1797)
M B Farms – Limousin – 309p (£1851)
M B Farms – Limousin – 304p (£1851)
W Alexander (Shoreham) – Aberdeen Angus cross – 280p (£1663)
Birt Bros – British Blue cross – 277p (£1576)

Average Prices

Steers 200 to 550kg – 3 Sold – Top 245p – Av 236p
Steers 551 to 650kg – 27 Sold – Top 313p – Av 262p
Steers over 651kg – 8 Sold – Top 280p – Av 263p
Heifers 300 to 500 kg – 4 Sold – Top 253p – Av 236p
Heifers 501 to 590 kg – 18 Sold – Top 313p – Av 263p
Heifers over 591 kg – 6 Sold – Top 309p – Av 276p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 50 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Very short of cows but made up on the day with an excellent run of overage clean cattle. No surprise that cow numbers are shrinking fast with milk wanted, and hopefully beef cows outside with a calf in the plentiful grass. Rates remaining very high and will remain so.
Limousin x 206p, 180p £1397, £1122 (Non FA) J Marshall; Sussex 188p, 170p £1256 (Non FA) H W Richards; Lincoln Red 177p £1262 (Non FA) N Morgan; White Park x 176p £1106 (Non FA) P Ashlee.
Just a handful of Black & Whites but all good fleshed heavyweight Friesians selling to 205p from Debden Court.
British Friesian 205p, 195p, 191p, 187p, 183p £1313, £1278(2), £1200, £1195; Jersey 81p £423
Stock Bulls (8) Plenty forward and trade remaining strong for all grades
Limousin 178p £1509, 157p £1526; Sussex 150p £1346; Angus 148p £1423, 125p £1033; Hereford 130p £1062; Highland 100p.
Overage (22) A good entry with flesh on bones, in general. This slightly cheaper beef is in keen demand in the current market where retailers are very conscious of cost and looking to find a little more margin.
Angus x OTM steer 259p £1435; Blue x OTM steer 254p £1432; Blue x OTM heifers 240p, 233p £1233(2); Sussex OTM steer 242p £1570; Sussex OTM heifers 245p, 228p £1491; Hereford x OTM heifers 235p, 234p £1524, £1238; Simm x OTM heifers 230p, 226p £1274, £1252; Limousin x 3+ heifer 245p £1528; Hereford x 3+ heifer 214p, 212p £1228, £1142; Simm x 3+ heifer 207p £1549.

Beef Cows – 13 Sold – Top 206, Average 168.4
Dairy Cows – 7 Sold – Top 205, Average 173.7

Store Cattle – 99 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Just a small show on offer with the majority native bred and a good number of enthusiastic buyers looking to get cattle bought with an abundance of grass in front of them. Small grazing types really are selling like hot cakes with demand outweighing supply and the stronger short term cattle, being bought by a different clientele, are coming to strong money. Top spot was taken by R Martin for cracking 14mths old Limousin cross steers to £1500 followed closely by J & A Lyon with their 16mths old Angus cross heifers to £1455. Get in touch if you have any store or breeding cattle that you are intending on selling in the coming weeks while demands remain strong.

Continental

14mths Limousin x steers – £1500 – R Martin
22mths Charolais x Friesian steers – £1070 – Ross Farms
26mths Blue x Friesian heifers – £1100/£1090 – C Kearl
9mths Limousin x steers – £590 – T Hope & Son

Native

16mths Angus x heifers – £1455 – J & A Lyon
16mths Angus x steers – £1385 – J & A Lyon
18mths Sussex heifers – £1165 – J D Hickman
14mths Sussex steers – £940 – J D Hickman
14mths Longhorn steers – £770 – N Hutley
12mths Angus x steers – £855 – P Ashlee

Calves – 49 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

A flying trade from the off with, perhaps, the new status quo found in pricing with consistently strong prices for the last month or two now.
A variety of breeds on offer today with Blues leading the trade from W G & T A Manford whose run topped at £270, £255, and £250. Younger Blues from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd topped at £250 whilst a smart calf from Goddard & Son also sold for £250. A single suckler bred Simmental from Barfrestone Court made £180 whilst Limousin suckler breds from A J Thompson & Sons looked well sold topping at £240. Native calves particularly Angus a flying trade with the best to £270 (x2) and £250 from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd. Herefords from Goddard and Son to £195.
Heifers a strong trade with best a few notches up on the fortnight. Blues to £280 and £260 from D Murdoch & Sons with Angus also particularly sought after with tops of £280 from A J Thompson & Sons and £270 from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd.

Weanlings – 1

A single Angus Bull from H O Champneys Limited well sold at £420 – more weaned calves required to fulfil demand!

Please note, we have a number of customers looking for registered sired native breed calves, please remember to record the sire ear tag on the birth registration to ensure it appears on the passport!

Bull Calves

British Blue cross – 17 – Ave £203.24 – Top £270 – W G & T A Manford
Simmental cross – 1 – Ave £180 – Top £180 – Barfrestone Court Farms Ltd
Norwegian Red cross – 1 – Ave £190 – Top £190 – D Murdoch & Sons
Aberdeen Angus cross – 5 – Ave £235 – Top £270 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd
Hereford cross – 2 – Ave £187.50 – Top £195 – Goddard & Son

Heifer Calves

British Blue cross – 10 – Ave £203 – Top £280 – D Murdoch & Sons
Aberdeen Angus cross – 5 – Ave £244 – Top £280 – A J Thompson & Sons

Bull Weanling

Aberdeen Angus cross – 1 – Ave £420 – Top – £420 – H O Champneys Ltd

Steer Calves

Limousin cross – 2 – Ave £210 – Top £240 – A J Thompson & Sons

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 11th June 2024

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

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