Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 8th April 2025

Sheep Sales Reports

Finished Hoggets –2,307 Sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Top price per kilo – 408p kg – T Crick, Suffolk. & Husk Farms Ltd, Nonnington.
Top price per head – £207.00 – T Crick, Suffolk.

Quite a good entry again today with almost 2,400 hoggets in the pens and trade was slightly improved on last week. Some great quality on offer in places which brought the top prices and averages up, but then several pens of shedding sheep and Romney types that will always pull the averages back slightly. A good entry of females on offer in the finished section today with some North Country Mules topping the section at £207 head from Mr Tim Crick, Beccles, Suffolk. The best end of the finished hoggets topped at £185 this week from Husk Farms Ltd for heavy continental types and the same vendor took top price per kilo at £408p kg. The trade for all hoggets is remaining pretty stable and with Easter just around the corner, the chances are it won’t drop back any time soon. A quantity of sheep with erupted teeth are now beginning to be found and these topped today at £170 from J Boomaars. Overall, the averages are improved this week and are remaining around 320-330p kg.

31 – £117.00 (377p kg) – J Merricks
33 – £113.00 (342p kg) – D G Long
34 – £118.00 (347p kg) – D G Long
35 – £118.00 (337p kg) – Bagshaw Farming
36 – £145.00 (403p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
37 – £124.00 (335p kg) – B G & M A Tomsett
38 – £131.00 (345p kg) – C A Worley Farming Ltd
39 – £159.00 (408p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
40 – £159.00 (328p kg) – B G & M A Tomsett
41 – £162.00 (395p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
42 – £169.00 (402p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
43 – £147.00 (342p kg) – W F Kirk
44 – £176.00 (400p kg) – T Crick
45 – £178.00 (396p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
46 – £176.00 (383p kg) – T Crick
47 – £183.00 (389p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
48 – £160.00 (333p kg) – C Watkins
49 – £200.00 (408p kg) – T Crick
50 – £200.00 (400p kg) – T Crick
51 – £159.00 (312p kg) – W Pynn Contractors Ltd
52 – £167.00 (321p kg) – P Gorringe
53 – £167.00 (315p kg) – R H Smith & Partners
54 – £207.00 (383p kg) – T Crick
55 – £168.00 (305p kg) – R F & E A Simmons
56 – £177.00 (316p kg) – Husk Farms Ltd
57 – £161.00 (282p kg) – W Pynn Contractors Ltd
58 – £160.00 (276p kg) – W Pynn Contractors Ltd

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 198 – Top 403, Average 332.1
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 1008 – Top 408, Average 319.2
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 749 – Top 408, Average 330.5
Other 52.1+ kgs – 338 – Top 396, Average 314.8

Store Hoggets – 301 sold

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

Not so many about today in the store pens, as would be expected at this point of the season, but I would say pound for pound some of the dearest stores we have sold have been in the past 2-3 weeks. Stores topped at £135 from Peter Taylor and averaged an improved £110 head with all included. Numbers will come under pressure in the coming weeks as we begin to look at the incoming crop of new season lambs but any of last years that are still remaining need to be sold soon to avoid any issues with teeth in the coming weeks.

Cull Sheep – 357 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

Top price ewe: £230.00 – Jan Boomaars, Woldingham. – Ave. £145.95

A terrific trade, again, with consistent numbers coming forward but more ewes are wanted. The best regularly £160 – £200 and to a top price of £230 from J Boomaars for tremendous Texel ewes. Medium sorts £110 – £140 on most occasions with leaner grazing types £70 – £100 throughout and only very few sold below these figures. Please do inform me if you have ewes to sell going forward with more wanted to satisfy buyers demands.

Top prices included:

Texel to £230 – J Boomaars, Charollais to £215 – J Boomaars, Crossbred to £204 – M J Ashworth, Texel cross to £194 – P Gorringe, Suffolk cross to £191 – M R Woodroofe, Mules to £176 – P Gorringe, Romneys to £170 – G Homewood.

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  52 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Another very decent seasonal entry with more of a commercial element to the overall quality but plenty of finish about the cattle. Rates very similar on the week with Easter now catered for in the retail sector with the ongoing shortage, and seasonal dilemma, going to be the controlling factors.
An outstanding Limousin heifer from Sean Marsh clearly topped the day at 422p, £2108 with steers led by Limousin from W Alexander at 395p, £2545. Plenty of well-bred and fed types 380-400p. Gross returns superb with Charolais steers from Dan Mackelden to £2900, Limousin heifers from W S Furnival to £2372.
Quite a show of dairy bred cattle and customers for all grades. Alan Down`s British Friesian types saw Limousin x to 371p (2) £2174, Hereford x to 369p, £2100, and pure Friesian to 368p, £2242. Angus x and Hereford x heifers from the Pickering Family sold to 370p, £1940 and 364p, £2080 respectively.
A strong complement of Sussex cattle meeting strong demand from their heartland, and beyond. Steers to 376p, £2234 from K & P M Sinden, heifers to 378p, £1925 D W Ferguson. Strong Sussex steers to £2509, 375p from Birt Bros, their heifers to £2180, 370p.
Young Bulls (1) A two year old Angus from work at 293p, £2311.

Top Steers

W Alexander (Shoreham) Ltd – Limousin cross – 395p (£2545)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin – 390p (£2123)
Leggat Farming Ltd – Limousin cross – 389p (£2545)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 386p (£2313)
W Alexander (Shoreham) Ltd – Bazadaise cross – 384p (£2282)

Top Heifers

S Marsh – Limousin cross – 422p (£2108)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 398p (£1948)
W Alexander (Shoreham) Ltd – Limousin cross – 389p (£2001)
G L Boulden & Sons – Limousin cross – 384p (£2320)
Dan Mackelden Ltd – Limousin cross – 380p £2220

Average prices

Steers 200 to 550 kg – 2 – Top 390p – Ave. 380p
Steers 551 to 650 kg – 15 – Top 395p – Ave. 373p
Steers 651kg + – 7 – Top 389p – Ave. 368p
Heifers 300 to 500 kg – 2 – Top 422p – Ave. 410p
Heifers 501 to 590 kg – 21 – Top 389p – Ave. 366p
Heifers 591 kg + – 4 – Top 384p – Ave. 365p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 58 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

Another excellent seasonal entry with more dairy culls, a little more flesh generally, and fewer of the very oldest beef cows. Trade ever dearer as supplies of processing beef remain so desperately short, and no one will allow empty shelves of mince or no burgers in the fast food outlets!
An outstanding British Blue cow from Andrew Price, Maidstone to 378p, £2794; younger Simmental x feeding cows to 368p, £2205 Paul Burden, Maidstone; and amongst the minorities Dexters to 256p, £1252 from James Tobitt, Ashford, which must be a RECORD!
Plenty of fleshed beef cows 280-310p with gross returns regularly over £2000, and with old hard grazing cows regularly over 250p there was little below 230p.
Today`s entry averaged £1601 from £707 to £2794. Amazzinggg!!
British Blue 378p, £2794 Price & Shelbourne; Simmental x 368p, £2205 P N & C Burden, 306p, 285p, £2016, £1721 Lawrence & Sons, Canterbury, 286p, 271p, £1785, £1699 R C & J L Pickering, Tonbridge; Limousin x 305p, 296p, £2101, £1980 L E Humphreys & Sons, Maidstone, 288p, £1797 R Martin, Sevenoaks; Angus x 295p, 288p, £2047, £1768 B G & M A Tomsett, Canterbury, 277p, £1797 Gallagher Farms, Maidstone; South Devon 290p, 285p, £2404, £2258 Gardners, Basildon; Hereford x 285p, £1778 R C & J L Pickering, 270p, 260p, £1482, £1466 G D K George; Sussex 272p, £1832 Agricare; Stabiliser 269p, £1759 K I Lingham & Son, Sevenoaks.
The same story amongst the dairy culls with prices on fire. Black & Whites to 282p from J W Boyd & Sons, Ashford; Gross returns to £2065 from W F Farms, Canterbury; Channel Islands to 262p £1791 for Guernsey’s from W G & T A Manford, Cranbrook.
Holstein Friesian 282p, £1553 J W Boyd & Sons, 267p, £2065 W F Farms, 264p, 260p, 250p, £1859, £1831, £1700 Goddard & Son, 264p, 254p, £1901, £1792 W G & T A Manford; Norwegian Red 274p, £1983 R C & J L Pickering; Guernsey 262p, £1791 W G & T A Manford; Jersey 194p, £179p, 176p, £968, £830, £807 Hickson Bros; Dexter 256p, 246p, £1252, £1175 J Tobitt.
Stock Bulls (2) Strong Trade. A good younger Sussex from J & S Harmer, Lewes 330p, £2554 whilst a plain, outwintered Sussex to £1357.
Overage (8) Short of quality this week but all a tremendous trade. Good Limousin x OTM heifers 361p, £2200 L E Humphreys & Sons; Sussex OTM heifer 348p, £1877 D Mackelden; Longhorn 3yo+ heifer 337p, £1800 J Dinnis & Ptnrs.

Beef Cows – 30 Sold – Top 378, Average 267.8
Dairy Cows – 19 Sold – Top 282, Average 228.5

 

Store & Breeding Cattle – 398 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

A tremendous show of cattle with RECORDS BROKEN once again, this time, from Karen Husk with a homebred Limousin cross steer 17 mths making £2700. A Limousin breeding bull from R Coleman & Sons topped the breeding section at £3500. Elliott Farming had a run of harder crossbred dairy types 8 – 10 mths with Simmental cross heifers to £910 and British Blue cross heifers to £860. Gallagher Farms smart single suckled Aberdeen Angus cross steers 6 mths to £990 followed by rougher coated Stabiliser crosses 10 mths from A & N Bullen to £1060. P J & P B Wade sold well done British Blue x Friesian steers 12 mths to £1470 and Angus cross steers from P H Hope 12 mths also to £1450, with heifers from the same home to £1300. Smart cattle from W J Hurley saw their Limousin cross steers 10 -12 mths to £1780, £1690 and £1600 with the heifers from the same home also to £1600. P J S Farm Ltd was the first to break the £2000 barrier with their Limousin cross steers 12 mths to £2080 and their heifers not far behind to £1940. G C Kirby & Son sold Angus cross steers 14 mths to £1530 with Angus cross steers from R J & C M Greengrow to £1580, with Limousin cross steers 14 mths to £2150 from the same home. M L Williams Limousin cross steers 12 mths to £1750 and R D E Spencer Limousin cross steers to £1930 with a single heifer to £2040 from the same home. Cattle from G Bates Ltd sold very well with Limousin steers 13 mths to £2200, followed by neighbours L E Humphreys & Sons with well warmed up Limousin steers 13 mths to £2440, and H J Emery with a superb pen of 14 mths old Limousin steers to £2580. P N & C Burden topped at £1940 with 12 mth old Limousin cross steers and A J Bray topped at £2480 from 20 mth old Limousin cross steers. Ross Farms Angus x Friesian steers 23 mths to £1860 and a lovely pair of Limousin cross steers 23 mths from K I Lingham to £2400 with heifers from the same home to £2040.
We have good numbers of store cattle, with many heifers suitable for bulling, already entered for next week the 15^th April and we also expect good numbers for 22^nd April which will include a sale of breeding bulls. Please do not hesitate to get in contact if you have store or breeding cattle to sell.

Principal prices include:
Continental Breeds:
Limousin cross steer 17 mths – £2700 – Ms K Husk
Limousin steers 14 mths – £2580 – H J Emery & Son
Limousin cross steers 20 mths – £2480 – A J Bray
Limousin cross steers 14 mths – £2440 – L E Humphreys & Sons
Limousin steers 14 mths – £2200 – G Bates Ltd
Limousin cross heifers 14 mths – £2320 – H J Emery & Son
Limousin cross heifers 13 mths – £2040 – R D E Spencer
Limousin cross heifers 14 mths – £1940 – P J S Farms Ltd
Limousin cross heifers 15 mths – £1910 – R J & C M Greengrow
Limousin cross heifers 13 mths – £1710 – P N & C Burden

 Native Breeds:

Sussex cross steers 17 mths – £1960 – W J Hurley
Aberdeen Angus cross steers 13 mths – £1580 – R J & C M Greengrow
Aberdeen Angus cross steers 12 mths – £1450 – P H Hope
Aberdeen Angus steers 12 mths – £1520 – P J S Farms Ltd
Aberdeen Angus heifers 12 mths – £1410 – P J S Farms Ltd
Aberdeen Angus cross steers 14 mths – £1530 – G C Kirby & Son
Aberdeen Angus cross heifers 14 mths – £1360 – G C Kirby & Son
Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers 23 mths – £1860 – Ross Farms
Hereford cross steers 10 mths – £1570 – J Prior & Son
Sussex steers 12 mths – £940 – Goodtrees Farm

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.

Store & Finished Pigs – 23 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07780133678

A poorer quality show overall  with native types to 140p pk and £115.50 per head, remaining harder to shift. Mrs P Banks topped the day with superbly bred pigs, 101kg to 210p pk and £212 per head. The best quality is the way forward if you are looking to sell pigs live in a livestock market system and if you are finishing then 85 kg plus are best sold. Just the one pens of stores from Kingswood to £40 per head, the next sale of pigs will be on Tuesday 22^nd April.

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 15th April 2025

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here