MARKET REPORTS

GRAHAM ELLIS FRICS FAAV FLAA

For and on behalf of Stanfords

T: 01206 842156 E: info@stanfords-colchester.co.uk

www.stanfords-colchester.co.uk BEEF TRADE

As this report was being written at the beginning of July we still saw a very strong beef trade with numbers generally inadequate for the demand, and despite

REMAINS STRONG

reports of a reduced retail demand we saw in Colchester strong competition for all cattle and many more could be sold to advantage.

Prices generally are well above levels seen 12 months ago, something that is very much needed with increased feed costs and the high price of replacement store cattle. It is good to see that weight can be sold to advantage, but good fi nish to the cattle is important as always. Prices are regularly seen in the region of 235p/kg to 245p/kg, with averages between 215p/kg and 220p/kg. The over thirty months (OTM) cattle trade is probably the dearest that has been seen, with strong competition throughout for all over aged cattle including cull cows. Processing meat is required and with the high demand for barbecue meats, no doubt fueled by the success of the England football team and the demand for burgers, the trade is strong. Store cattle as always at this time of year are very short and more could be sold if available. Many fi nished cattle yards are now empty, and with the likelihood of a good supply of winter forage hopefully the demand will stay strong.

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Sheep trade hit a plateau in the four weeks leading up to this report being written, with a sudden drop off the edge which was against most people’s expectations. However, it must be remembered that the price level is still very much in line with 12 months ago and in all honesty we had been warning of a likely adjustment of price levels following the exceptional prices received right through to the beginning of June this year. It is always diffi cult for vendors to take a price drop, but most producers anticipated it. Still, good lambs are trading from £100 to £130 per head for weight and good fi nish and handy weight 36kg to 38kg lambs are regularly trading around the £90 per head level, with best continentals above this. There is still a very strong trade which can hopefully be maintained through the coming months. The cull ewe trade is at very good levels, with plenty of ewes well over £125 per head and averages probably £40 a head up on the year. It will be interesting to see where the replacement ewes and shearlings trade will be this year. By the time this report has been read some evidence will be available, with indications suggesting we could be in for an exceptional year. Very few store sheep are being sold at the time of this report, but there is likely to be a strong trade which will also help to underpin the fi nished sheep trade. Pigs continue to slightly increase in price on deadweight sales, although this is a somewhat slower increase than producers had hoped for. More demand for pork for the barbecue season is obviously helping this increase, and let us hope that continues throughout the summer months. It is also good to see cull sow prices increasing substantially, with strong demand throughout. With the somewhat uncertain weather conditions as this report was being written causing some concern with regard to harvesting of corn crops, it was noticeable that some barleys had been aff ected by the wet weather, but it still appears that there will be a good supply of straw and good corn yields seem possible.

PETER KINGWILL

T: 01233 502222

www.hobbsparker.co.uk

Weather is always a major factor in farming, and indeed in livestock marketing, and summer 2021 has been enough to test the patience of a saint let alone a South East farmer! June started well enough, with dairymen and some bigger operators getting a good fi rst cut of silage, or indeed second, safely gathered in. An extended dry period would have seen the markets go very quiet as farmers concentrated on silage and hay, but it was not to be, as the weather turned changeable at best.

This has helped us in the markets short term, but we are as keen as anyone to see good stocks of forage for winter and beyond. We also want old grass cut to allow that growth of the important fl ush of grass during the late summer and autumn period

Ashford Market has been busy in a quiet month. Prices have remained very strong and confi dence over prospects is buoyant. Positivity from the strong returns over the past 12 months will feed through into the breeding units and demand for bulling heifers has been stronger. Seasonal sales of ewe tegs are just around the corner, but producers are right to be maintaining or expanding their fl ock levels. The diffi cult winters of late have seen signifi cant culling of non-performers in beef and sheep sectors.

It has been good to see more people back in the market buoyed by vaccination, and though Covid-19 is far from over we are all hoping we will be closer to a new normal come 19 July.

We are fortunate to see customers from near and far at Ashford, so while many will visit the pages of market reports online or in hard copy it seemed a good opportunity to report on some of June`s successes to the wider audience of South East Farmer.

1 JUNE

• Lambs £160, H & J Noakes Romney Marsh and 353p/kg, Miss K Tucker, Pulborough

WEATHER AGAIN!

• Finished Limousin heifer 237p/kg £1559, W

Alexander, Sevenoaks • Limousin steer 235p/kg, R F & E A Simmons, Hythe • Limousin cull cow 226p/kg £1150, Burden Bros,

Sheppey • Sussex store heifers £1015, Bowes Lyon Estate,

Hitchen • Finished pigs Ms M Godden, Ashford, 147p/kg and £118

8 JUNE

• Lambs £158.50, T Masters, Seaford and 343p/kg,

K Lukehurst, Ashford • Cull ewes £162, Link Bros, Romney Marsh • Finished British Blue heifer 254p/kg £1645, A

Price, Maidstone • Limousin steer 250p/kg £1524, W Alexander • British Blue cull cow 207p/kg £1610, A Price • Sussex store steers £1320, E T Ledger & Son,

Sittingbourne • Aberdeen Angus store heifers £1140, Ells Farm,

Dorking • Sussex cow and calf £1320, M Gibb, Maidstone • Calves, Limousin bull £355 and Sussex heifer £300, R L Goodman & Son, Ashford

15 JUNE

• Lambs £152.50, J Metianu & S Aspital, Ashford and 330p/kg, N C & C Hedges, Robertsbridge • Cull ewes £160, Miss R Thompson, Romney

Marsh • Finished Limousin steer 229p/kg, R F & E A

Simmons • British Blue steer £1544, K&PM Sinden,

Sevenoaks • Limousin heifer 235p/kg £1527, WS Furnival,

Romney Marsh • Limousin cull cow 173p/kg £1431, MB Farms,

Sittingbourne • Finished pigs 130p/kg £139, P&R Marshall,

Sittingbourne

22 JUNE

• Lambs £125, T Masters, Seaford and 272p/kg, M

Keeley, Ashford • Cull ewes £155, M Keeley • North country Mule ewes with Suff olk lambs £230 (£78.90/life), Paley Farm, Cranbrook • Finished Limousin x Friesian steer 217p/kg £1379, AJ Down, Ashford • Limousin heifer 227p/kg £1404, AJ Thompson &

Sons, Romney Marsh • Cull Limousin cow 172p/kg £1526, HJ Emery &

Son, Tonbridge • Cull Holstein cow 150p/kg £1299, Appleton

Farm, Deal • Limousin x Friesian steers £975 • British Blue x Friesian heifers £980, AJ Kearl,

Dorking • Calves, British Blue bull £380, D Murdoch &

Sons, Maidstone and Simmental heifer £380, R &

J Ledger, Ashford

29 JUNE

• Lambs £125, D J Morphett, Ashford and 300p/kg,

G Husk, Ashford • Cull ewes £155, D Masters, Cranbrook • Finished Limousin steer 239p/kg, R C & J L

Pickering, Hadlow • Limousin x Friesian steer £1472, A J Down,

Ashford • Blonde heifer 249p/kg £1466, D W Ferguson,

Dover • Cull Hereford cow 169p/kg £1255, M J Burton,

Reigate • Cull British Friesian cow 146p/kg £1192, R & J

Ledger, Ashford • Finished pigs 150p/kg and £114, Brooker & Son,

Edenbridge

Let us all hope that we will see more of the sunshine in the coming months to help with all the upcoming harvests.

While welcoming the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, introduced by the Government to improve “the UK’s already world-leading position on animal welfare”, the National Sheep Association (NSA) is challenging the

CONCERNS OVER AVAILABILITY AND CAPACITY OF UK ABATTOIRS

wider implications of the Bill, particularly around the suggested ban on live exports.

Chief Executive Phil Stocker said the aim of reducing travel time from production to slaughter ”needs to also address the availability, capacity and location of abattoirs and slaughter facilities, alongside a real shortage of staff and labour and how ministers will ensure future international trade deals also meet and uphold these standards”.

The NSA believes that for a ban to be feasible, there needs to be enough abattoirs in the right areas providing the right service. “Most farmers want to keep journeys to slaughter as short as possible, but there still needs to be choice and competition in order to maintain prices,” the association stressed.