Weekly Sales News – 8th October 2019

Top price per head – £87 – B Foy Ltd: Top price per kilo – 191p – Messrs P H Hope

Report on trade: Another smaller entry of lambs on offer this week as there are very few grass finished lambs left in the area following the lack of keep available in recent months. The trade however lifted due to the small numbers on offer and the best finished sheep were sold to a marked premium, with some of these up by £6 to £8 on the week. Few top grade continental lambs were on offer but top spot was taken by Messrs P H Hope at 191p per kg and heavier offerings topped at £87 from B Foy Ltd, closely followed by J G & M Bray. It was good to see more lambs selling in excess of £80 this week than we have seen for a few weeks.

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.

Report on trade: Another big entry of ewes on offer with more ewes forward than lambs again this week. Trade was stand on from last week with the best meated types approaching the £80 mark and a big percentage of grazers in the entry changing hands from £30 to £50.

Top prices included Texel ewes to £82 from Vant & Claringbould, Beltex ewes to £67 from P Davies, Suffolk x Mule ewes to £63 from T R & J R Kirk and Romney ewes to £60 from G H S Wilson.

Report on trade: A small but quality entry of finished cattle saw the majority selling readily around 190p per kg and up to £1052 (194p) for a Limousin cross heifer from W S Furnival (Brookland). Other top prices included Limousin cross steers at £1020 (193p) from G L Boulden & Sons, £1108 (188p) from W Alexander (Shoreham) and a well finished Sussex cross at £1053 (192p) from M A Piper & Sons.

A relatively high percentage of OTM clean cattle saw Aberdeen Angus cross heifers topping at £1005 (170p) and Aberdeen Angus cross steers to £1069 (158p) from B W C Brooks.

Report on trade: A strong entry of culls and overage this week with the vast majority coming from the beef sector as the weather hits the ground and a few more scannings get completed. Another tremendous attendance of potential purchasers for all grades and breeds with a total of 21 different buyers taking cattle.

The Sussex cattle society’s penned cattle classes were judged by Brenda Hide and prize winners were – Best steers 1^st W J Hurley, 2^nd Bowes-Lyon Estates, 3^rd Augustinian Care and 4^th Bowes-Lyon. Best heifers 1^st Augustinian Care, 2^nd S Hasemore, 3^rd Augustinian Care

Nothing like the overall quality of last week with only a few purebred continental beef cows on offer. Trade was strong throughout with meat cows and feeding cows finding excellent demand. Farm Assurance is a factor on the slaughter cows but had little impact on the feeding sector.

Plenty of good beef cows, assured and not made 110p to 130p per kg with younger feeders also the same level of money. A few older cows were below 100p but only the oldest and coldest down below 60p.

Highlight included Sussex 128p, 120p, 117p, 116p and £753 Bowes Lyon Estate and 113p £799 (non FA) D T Marden; Limousin cross 118p, 115p (Non FA) M C Dowling; 115p, 114p, 112p £812 J Berryman; 115p (Non FA) F W Hare & Sons and 113p £878 (Non FA) B Luck Ltd; Simmental 116p £976 Freshfields and Aberdeen Angus 119p, 118p, 116p £904 (Non FA) Simon Lewis Agencies.

We were short of dairy culls this week but those forward met a very similar trade with good meat generally 100p to 110p and plenty of leaner cows 80p to 100p looking well sold. Best calls 108p £839 J Leggat & Son and 107p £896 Huddlestone Farmers.

Another run of overage Friesian steers 3yrs plus from E T Ledger & Son Ltd selling well at 116p, 114p, 113p, 112p (3)  and to £891.

Report on trade: On Sussex day we penned a quality show of cattle with native breeds dominating the entry being mainly purebred Sussex and Sussex x Limousin, ideal cattle for the weight ranges specifically in demand by the abattoirs and butchers. While prices were back on the year on average by some £50 to £100 per head the deductions are small compared to the discounts suffered in the finished market.

Two annual consignments of quality 18 mths Sussex stores notably from Bowes Lyon Estate and Bob Luck Ltd attracted keen bidding with the steers to £870 and £860 respectively and heifers up to £795 from Bob Luck Ltd.

Quality youngsters sold well with 6 mths Charolais cross steers at £685 from S W Batch and smart 10 mths Limousin cross steers at £800 from L Palmer & Sons while a 23 mths Aberdeen Angus cross steer topped the market at £1000 from A E & L A Lidgett.

Report on trade: The Sussex Cattle Society’s autumn show and sale of pedigree cattle was incorporated into this week breeding cattle section. Brenda Hide judged champion bull Petworth General 45^th from Mrs Polly Dumbreck and female Twyford Gipsy 1st from Mr M Moncreiffe

In the sale ring the 2009 bull Duke 5^th of Goldstone made £2,500 for Mr G Bridges and the champion heifer £750. Mr M Moncreiffe sold the top priced female with young calf at £910, Hoopers (Dumbreck) 2008 to 2010 born in calf cows made to £860. Young in calf cows made to £810 from S Hasemore and April 2018 born maiden heifers from Augustinian Care £610.

The Sussex were followed into the ring by Charolais and Hereford bulls with S W Batch’s Charolais making £960. The dispersal of the Batch’s in calf cows saw prices top at £820 (20 aver’ £656). The calves, weaned on Tuesday morning, were sold in the stores and the couples averaged £1,211 if put back together.

An in calf South Devon cross young cow from G J Reynolds made £1045.

RABI, Young Farmers Clubs, 91 Club, Kent Herdsmans Club and FCN news

RABI – copies of a summer newsletter are available here in the market.

For further information on all RABI events in Kent ring Charles Tassell – 01622 858733, 07973 412179 or email charles@tassell.co.uk

Kent Herdsmans Club.

Monday 14th October 2019 at 7.30pm – a talk by David Potter about his life in farming, at the Conningbrook Hotel, Canterbury Road,  Ashford TN24 9QR

For all details on Herdsman’s Club events please contact Chairman Alan Jull 07708283220 or Jo Masters 01580 240568.

FCN – Friday 18^th October at 6.30pm – a talk by Doug Avery AKA “The resilient farmer” and as featured on BBC Radio 4’s farming programme, at South of England Events Centre, Ardingly, West Sussex. Tickets £10 including a light supper.

Ashford Young Farmers – copies of their August / September newsletter are available here in the market.

For all details on Ashford Young Farmers please contact Amy Langdon at amy.langdon1234@hotmail.co.uk

Tonbridge Young Farmers – Debbie Broad is keen to reopen this club.

For all details of plans please contact the Broads through Debbie’s Facebook page –Email tonbridgeyfc19@gmail.com

South East Farmer and Farm Machinery magazines

The October edition of this popular regional farming magazine is now available here in the market. Hobbs Parker are regular contributors to the editorial content.

Romney Sheepbreeders News

Friday 15^th November – Romney Sheep Breeders Dinner at The Swan, Chapel Down Vineyard, Tenterden. TN30 7NG at 7pm for 7.30. £39.50 per ticket. Places are limited.

The recent edition of the breeders Society newsletter, produced by breed secretary Julie Lukehurst, is available here in the market. For all society information Julie can be contacted on 07538 938425

Notices – Judy Bishop, Cranbrook

Family and friends have asked to advise that Judy sadly passed away recently after a long battle with illness. Judy, with husband Chris, have farmed at Cranbrook with livestock for a number of years now and been regular supporters of the market. She will be missed by all who met and knew her within the market and rural community in the area.

A private funeral will be followed by a memorial service at Goudhurst Church on Wednesday 6th November at 11:30 am.

Something different … a local charity event

Perry Court Farm, Bilting, Ashford – Annual Apple Fayre. Saturday and Sunday 19^th and 20^th October (10am to 5pm). Raising money for the Pilgrims Hospice

Over 200 varieties of apples and pears on display, arts and crafts stalls, apple cake and many more attractions

Ashford Cattle Show – It is Christmas Show time!!!

Monday and Tuesday 25th and 26th November

Annual show of livestock, crops, carcases and much much more. All details from Julie Coney 07887 643002 or email ashfordcattleshow@gmail.co.uk

Entries close on Tuesday 15^th October.

Miscellaneous livestock and general goods and services for sale and wanted ex farm

For Sale – Border Collie puppies from excellent working parents. 3 Boys, tri coloured and black/white – Call Holly on 07850524206

Livestock for sale by private treaty – ex farm

For Sale – 2 pedigree polled Hereford bulls, 17 mths on a West Kent farm.

For Sale – 15 Aberdeen Angus x Friesian heifers, 20-24 mths on a West Sussex farm

Hobbs Parker Auctioneers and Car Auctions

run over 200 auction sales every year

Our next Auction Sales are ……

Commercial Vehicles

Thursday 17^th and 31^st October at 3.00pm

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

Classic Car Auction

Friday 25^th October at 12pm

A wide selection of Vintage and Classic Motorbikes, Campervans, Sports Cars, Commercials and other vehicles are generally offered in these sales

Model Railway, Collectable and Toy Auction

Friday 25^th October

Featuring a large collection of Hornby, Triang and other model trains memorabilia, books, etc

Special 4 x 4, Diesel and MPV Vehicle sale

Wednesday 6^th November at 4pm

This auction of cars will include a special sale of 4 X 4, Diesel and MPV with the normal car auction to follow

Collective Machinery & Equipment sale

Friday 8^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.

Special Sports and High Performance Vehicle sale

Wednesday 27^th November at 5pm

This auction of cars will include a special sale sports and high performance cars with the normal car auction to follow