Weekly Sales News – 15th August 2017

Top price per head – £105 – J Metianu & S Aspital : Top price per kg – 222p – G H Dean & Co

Report on trade: A slightly larger entry of lambs were on offer this week and met a very similar trade throughout the entry. The overall average returned within 1p per kg of last weeks figures. Once again, as we have become accustomed to, the heavier, well finished lambs were the best sold on the day with prices in excess of £100 the norm for the best on offer with the top being £105 for J Metianu & S Aspital for some very shapely Rouge lambs. A super run of export grade continental lambs from G H Dean & Co sold on a strong trade to a top price of 222p (40kg @ £89). Overall the average prices were returned at 193p which was a touch above the national average figures for both Monday and Tuesday.

Producers please note – For top results please present well fleshed lambs which are preferably dry and clean. Lairage facilities are available every Monday evening.

Sheep sales here in Ashford are supported by buyers representing a large cross section of abattoirs throughout the country. Please ensure your FABBL status is up to date and if you are not FABBL assured seriously consider becoming so – certain buyers are restricted to the purchase of only farm assured stock.

Cull Ewes and Rams – 1024 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Report on trade: A large entry of ewes wee on offer once again with over 1000 penned once again. We saw a good trade throughout the entry which was comparable to last week for most classes of ewe on offer. Again the best ewes sold were the grazing sorts with many farmer buyers present to secure some sheep to farm on and present when the ewe numbers reduce during the winter. Top spot was taken by R Price & Sons with some strong Suffolk cross ewes at £94.

Top prices included continental ewes to £90 form Ms H V Link, Mules to £79 from R W R & P Read and Romneys to £78 from SE Lane & Sons

Auctioneers: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901 and John Rossiter 07557 392903

Report on trade: A large entry of ewes wee on offer once again with over 1000 penned once again. We saw a good trade throughout the entry which was comparable to last week for most classes of ewe on offer. Again the best ewes sold were the grazing sorts with many farmer buyers present to secure some sheep to farm on and present when the ewe numbers reduce during the winter. Top spot was taken by R Price & Sons with some strong Suffolk cross ewes at £94.

Top prices included continental ewes to £90 form Ms H V Link, Mules to £79 from R W R & P Read and Romneys to £78 from SE Lane & Sons

We are now selling these sheep on Fridays – see our Store and breeding sheep pages for reports

Report on trade: This was a very similar trade to recent weeks with quality in short supply. Handy weight butcher type cattle attracted prices in excess of 210p per kg with a Limousin cross heifers topping the market at £1152 (220p) from W S Furnival (Brookland) and £1009 (220p) from S Marsh. Heavier sorts grossed up to £1284 (184p) for a Limousin cross steer from W Alexander (Shoreham) and £1201 (208p) for a Blonde cross heifer  from W S Furnival (Brookland).

A run of continental x Friesian steers from A J Down sold up to £1060 (194p).

Cull Cows – 45 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

Report on trade: The majority on offer were black and white dairy culls with the best selling around 130p per kg and grossing in excess of £900 with only very plain sorts sold at prices below 80p.

There were a few beef cows on offer with the pick of the trade including a British White at £1017 (139p) from P R Bayliss and an Aberdeen Angus cross at £947 (145p) from C R Cook.

Other top prices include Holsteins too £1073 (133p) from M W Goddard; £1015 (129p) M A & F W Owen; £991 (131p) J E Scutt & Sons; £973 (133p) R Torrance & Son; £965 (131p) G R Edgar & Son; £949 (128p) P J Forknall; £945 (120p) W P Hope & Sons and Guernsey cross £1097 (136p) A C Ellett..

Report on trade: A very small entry saw a Limousin cross heifer, 29mths make £910, British Blue x Friesian steers, 10 mths £735 and Aberdeen Angus x Friesian steers at 13 mths £600.

We have a larger number of cattle already entered for next Tuesday and the prospects for a substantial sale again on Tuesday 5^th September. Please keep in touch with our auctioneers and fieldsmen is you have cattle to sell.

Report on trade: Numerically  another good entry but not the best quality. A lot of young calves were forward this week  and the averages reflect this but it was encouraging still to see plenty of bidders kenn to secure calves to rear and a few new faces were welcome around the ring.

Highlights through the sale included

J E Scutt & Sons British Blue bulls to £230 and heifers £255at 3 to 4 weeks old.

J Warnock & Son British Blue bulls to £290 and heifers £280 at 3 to 4 weeks old

Falconhurst Farms Sussex cross bulls to £200 and heifers £155 at 4 weeks old

G R Edgar & Sons Aberdeen Angus Aberdeen Angus bulls to £170 at 3 to 4 weeks old

Kingcott Dairy’s Aberdeen Angus bulls to £238 at 5 weeks old

W S Furnival Ltd’s British Blue bull £285 at 6 weeks old and Holstein bulls to £120 at 9 weeks

R Torrance & Sons British Blue bull £272 at 6 weeks old

Please keep your entries of calves coming. At our fortnightly sales we expect to have plenty of enquiries for all shapes, sizes and ages of stock. Thank you all for texts and messages with early notice of your entries for forthcoming sales – it does help.

Report on trade: As we have seen all summer there is good strong demand for finished pigs, a solid trade for culls and feeders looking to keep producing finished pigs who need supplies of store pigs. Prices again this week were as good as we have seen in recent sales.

Best  finished pigs made to 144p per kg from a run of 22 consigned by N Dance with his other pens making 128, 135 and 136p. The rest on offer made 85 to 135p

Cull sows made to 64p with feeders 30 to 35p and a boar 35p

In the store and breeding pens P & R Marshall’s regular run of well bred stores again cought the eye with the best £54 and rest £52 and harder farmed and younger sorts making £29 to 42.

Our pig sales are held once a fortnight and with the summer now we are seeing plenty of competition and more confidence in the pig sector after very low levels which prevailed for about 3 months in the spring. Please keep in touch with us here in Ashford if you have pigs to sell.

For up to date information on all livestock sales please contact

Elwyn Davies (Sheep) 07710 803901 or 01233 861263

Peter Kingwill (Cattle & Sheep) 07795 200357

Martin Crowhurst (Sheep & Cattle) 07710 803903 or 01797 343936

Simon Husk (Sheep & Cattle) 07885 968077 or 01304 842393

Mark Cleverdon (Rams, Breeding Cattle, Pigs & Calves) 07748 202688

DEFRA and our Local Authority trading standards officers regularly remind us of our responsibilities regarding unfit animals. No unfit animal should be exposed for sale in a market.

We have been reminded by the Local Authority that it is against current Welfare and Market Regulations to move stock to market, or any other holding, in the final stages of pregnancy (final 4 weeks). Please be careful with dates on breeding stock and cull stock that might turn out to be in lamb or in calf.

All animals should be fit to travel. All in milk cows should to be milked out prior to movement to market. Do not present lame sheep or those, for any reason, which are not fit to be transported. Thanks for your attention to these matters.

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Notice from Trading Standards on Sheep tags

Sheep producers are reminded that all sheep now require electronic tags, either single, double or re replacements. Please refer to Defra guidelines for the necessary type of tag required depending on the sheep you are presenting for sale.

Vehicle Parking on busy market days – Congestion in the bottom / livestock parking area

Please help us to help you. The upper car park on the top side of the market buildings is available for all cars and Land Rovers with trailers.

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Vacancy at the Romney Sheep Breeders Society

We are looking for a keen, motivated, enthusiastic secretary to get involved in and help run the Romney Sheep Breeders Society.  The position will suit someone who has some knowledge of sheep, is media savvy and can communicate well with farmers.  This is a part time role consisting of two/three days per month based in the Kent/Sussex area.

Please contact Alan Barr on 07881654513 or alan@barrfarms.co.uk for further details.

Livestock for sale

1 Pedigree Limousin Bull, 4 yrs old available, ex farm. TB Low. Contact Mark Cleverdon for details – 07748 202688

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions

run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales are ……

Special Vehicle sale

Monday 29^th August from 10am

This auction of cars will include a special sales of 4 X 4, Diesel, sports and high performance, commercial and general vehicles. Upto 500 vehicles will be on site and in the sale.

Commercial Vehicles

Thursday 7^th September at 3.00pm

A wide selection of up to 40 vehicles are generally offered in these sales

Puddock Farm, Fairfield, Brookland, Romney Marsh

Thursday 14th September

Farm dispersal sale of arable machinery and equipment. Entry forms are available for local farmers to include items in this sale.

Sale of Boats and Maritime items at Ramsgate Harbour

Saturday 16^th September

A good large entry of boats and other maritime items

Chilli Farm Machinery sale

Saturday 30^th September at 9.30am

Entries close Saturday 9^th September

Large entries of tractors, trailers, vehicles, arable equipment, haymaking equipment, tractor attachments & spares, livestock kit, garden machinery, workshop tools and a large and varied selection of rural bygones are expected

Horse & Saddlery Sale

Thursday 26^th Ocotber at 10am

Catalogues will be available about a week before the sale.

Entries expected of riding ponies, event horses and youngstock

New & nearly new saddlery & tack, grooming kit, yard equipment, rugs, harness Riding boots, show jackets, jodhpurs, body protectors, yard clothing & boots

Collective Machinery & Equipment sale

Friday 10^th November at 9.30am.

Catalogues will be available about a week before the sale.

Lots will include new & nearly new mowers & garden machinery. New tools, farm & agricultural equipment, timber plus large selection of miscellaneous items.

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Local Agricultural Show and ploughing match dates

Sunday and Monday 27^th and 28^th August – Edenbridge & Oxted Show, Ardenrun Showground, Tandridge Lane, Lingfield, Surrey RH7 6LL. For more information contact show office 01737 645843 or visit www.edenbridge-show.co.uk

Monday 28^th August – Aylesham, Norfolk. www.theaylshamshow.co.uk

Saturday 2^nd September – Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire. www.moretonshow.co.uk

Sunday 3rd September – Romney Marsh Ploughing Match at Kent Ditch Corner, East Guildford, Romney Marsh, TN31 7PB – Ploughing starts at 10am, Fun dog show at 12pm and also sheep shearing, local hounds and  craft stalls. For more information 07785 783662 or email: romneyploughing@yahoo.co.uk,

Saturday 9^th September – Swale Ploughing Match at Greenway Court, Hollingbourne.  For more information please call Andrew Mew on 07759 320496.

Land required for local Land Rover club off road trials.

Southern Rover Owners Club is a registered MSA club and all trials have appropriate insurance. Our events are for members only, structured competitive trials, not timed or speed related. We use rough ground to provide the challenge of driving over gullies, up and down steep banks, through mud hollows etc.

We run two types of trial, usually one on each day of a weekend. So somewhere to camp with caravans would be very welcome, we also gain relevant permits from the appropriate authorities for this. We normally visit each site once a year and have a scale of fees we pay, depending on the type of event. References from existing land owners can be provided. We would also welcome anyone to come to our annual charity day which this year is for RABI at Copford Farm, Horam on Saturday 23^rd September.

For more information www.sroc.co.uk. or contact Graham Bridgland 01233 622234, email competitionsec@sroc.co.uk

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Hobbs Parker and Ashford Livestock Market

We are the South East’s principle livestock market selling around 264,000 head of cattle, sheep and pigs in 2016.

Weekly sales throughout the year of all classes of stock, principally on Tuesdays, run by a fully professional team of auctioneers and support staff, they provide an unmatched level of service and commitment to the livestock farmers in the area. Come and see us on market day soon and bring your livestock for us to sell.

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Market manager’s news

Ray Scott (weekend boot fair and stall market manager) and his team of helpers would like to thank everyone who supported their fundraising stall which runs every weekend here in the market. £20,000 was recently distributed to five charities being Demelza House, The Pilgrims hospice, The Motor Neurone Disease Association, MacMillen Cancer Support and Kent Air Ambulance

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Notices – Brian Wimble

The family have advised that sadly Brian passed away at home, after a long battle with cancer, on the 16^th August. He was a well known farmer on Romney Marsh and supporter of the market here in Ashford. One of his last wishes was “to thank the buyers who support the auctions”

Details of the funeral service will be announced when available

Livestock Hauliers who regularly use Ashford Market

Beckwith Martyn                Hullbridge, Essex                     01702 233174/ 07855 810442

Beer E (Ted) & J                 Dover, Kent                                01304 853174/ 07850 518330

Beesley Tim                        Cranbrook, Kent                        01580 715415/ 07790 273805

Bowens S & A Ltd              Sevenoaks, Kent                       01959 532117/ 07836 793837

Bowers C & Sons              Turners Hills, Sussex              01342 715225/ 07802 358761

Brightling David                  Rye, Sussex                               01797 280552/ 07850 906888

Buxton L J & Sons             Brentwood, Essex                    01277 812674/ 07711 204702

Cobden Roy                         Chichester, Sussex                  01243 573358/ 07860 587058

Croft P                                  Brightling, Sussex                    01424 838278/ 07885 090331

Drury Kevin                          Wadhurst, Sussex                    01580 860546/ 07860 728204

Gilders Transport Ltd       Cheltenham, Glous                  01242 620311

Gooding R H & Son            Ottery St Mary, Devon               01404 812371                

Harris Bros                          Hailsham, Sussex                    01323 833720/ 832354
or 07831 554392

Langrish & Sons                Rye, Sussex                               01424 882250/ 07973 977074

Lampshire John                 Hartfield, Sussex                      01892 770102/ 07759 419844

Legg John                            Bookham, Surrey                      07831 446409

Macer Sid                            Billericay, Essex                        01277 622844

Parrett M & S                      Colchester, Essex                    01206 761703/ 07721 901242

Rumens Alan                      Goudhurst, Kent                        01580 211413/ 07860 842098

Sargent Chris                     Catsfield, Sussex                     01424 892620/ 07866 716188

Standing Geoff                    West Sussex                             07711 865344/ 01798 873010

Thornby R J & K                 Bethersden, Kent                      01233 820297/ 07860 611439

Turner A & Sons                Ringmer, Sussex                      01273 812971/ 07831 570778

Wareham’s                         Heathfield, Sussex                   07941 979901/ 01435 863471

Wickens Shaun                  Maidstone, Kent                        01622 850640/ 07860 437027

Wright Harry                       Cromer, Norfolk                        07860 524120

Wright John                        Cromer, Norfolk                        07920 098930

Yeoell David                         Caterham, Surrey                     01883 345819/ 07966 152684