Summer drought warning

Market Prices

Finished Sheep – 2,968 Sold

Report on trade: Another large entry of hoggets on offer this week with 3000 finished sheep penned and 5500 sheep penned in the market in total. These large numbers coming forward are representative of the current climate with sheep finishing quicker due to pleasant weather over the winter but also there appears to be a number of vendors keen to sell hoggets in advance of the impending political deadlines and hedge their bets on the trade on either side of the end of March. There is a big spread in the prices achieved for the finished sheep due to the large variance in quality on offer but the best quality were well sold with all the best heavy sheep selling from £90-£100. Top spot for both in p per kg and £ per head was taken this week by R G Hobbs Farms for a super consignment with 44kg selling to £100. Many other runs of note from L Webber, Beslee Farms, P Ashlee and Kings Farm Partnership were all well presented and showing tremendous finish and were rewarded accordingly at the top of the trade.

Store and Breeding Sheep – 1,408 Sold

Report on trade: Although trade for store hoggets is easier with prices back by some £5 per head on the peak achieved in early January this was a poor show of stores with a high percentage small and plain. The few best stores on offer attracted prices in excess of £65 and up to £72.50 for Suffolk cross from T Crick, medium sorts around £60 and the majority of very small longer term sorts in the £35 to £50 bracket.

Generally trade easier reflected the reduced returns available in the finished market and uncertainty post March 29 th . Averages 1,408 sold to £80 and aver’ £55.04. Experts fear a water shortage this summer due to forecasted warm weather after a dry winter.

Kent County Council’s senior emergency planning officer Tony Harwood said despite having a “fairly wet” autumn, there has not been enough rain in the winter to refill the rivers. There was only 44% of expected average rainfall in January, followed by a hot spell in February.

At the Kent flood risk management committee, he said: “Our concerns are erring on the side of concerns around drought rather than flooding at the moment.”

He explained during the heavy rain in November, water was diverted from rivers into reservoirs but “ground water and Cull Ewes and Rams – 823 Sold

Report on trade: Another big entry of ewes this week and once again trade was somewhat lacklustre due to big numbers on offer across the country. Average prices for the entire entry look disappointing but it is worth noting the quality of the ewes on offer and the huge percentage of leaner sorts currently being sold. Best ewes sold to £80 from J G & M Bray with other best meated sorts from £65-75. Grazing ewes sold on a similar level.

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 89 Sold

Report on trade: Excellent numbers and decent quality overall. A good mixture of fed heavyweight beef and dairy culls and a few more leaner grazing beef cows brought together a strong contingent of buyers with no fewer than 15 customers actually buying on the day! Numbers across the country remain river flows are really at the bottom of normal ranges” due to less rain this winter than average.

Mr Harwood added: “We all must remain vigilant because the weather is doing some quite strange things at the moment and we need to insure we plan appropriately.”

However, Mark Rogers from the Met Office said hotter weather during the summer brought on by climate change could lead to torrential storms.

He said: “Hotter, drier summers cause us a few issues rainfall wise. That doesn’t rule out wet spells during the summer but what is more likely is we end up with more thunderstorms and torrential downpours.” tight with numbers in the pipeline undoubtedly shorter than in most years. Trade very similar to last week though buyers are conscious of ultimate dead weights and ready to discount those cows carrying too much late breakfast!

Calves – 66 Sold

A good day in the calves with no particular fireworks but just enough customers for all grades and breeds to see a good trade throughout.

Good crossbred calves in short supply but farmers and rearers in attendance and with a few beef cows now spring calving we will see that increased demand for replacements. A super run of British Blue calves from Ed and Bethan Williams saw their bulls to £328, heifers to £220. Other British Blue bulls

£320 D Murdoch & Son, heifers to £278 H O Champneys Ltd.