STOCK NOTES.

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 28, 7 November 1905, Page 2

STOCK NOTES.

OCTOBEB 1905. Probably owing to the fact that farmers for the most part take a natural pride m the number of bales they can turn out at shearing, and also to the sanguine hope tbat has-been fostered by the late sales m London that record p ices will be ruling, the entries of sheep at the public yards .bave been very limited this month, even the fat pens at Wallace.own producing scarcely sufficient to supply the looal butchers. Consequently, the market for fats has kept* up, notwithstanding freezers were not competing ;' but the store market has been Joy no means ac-. tive, although the entries were few and the' fleece heavier. It may be that " coming events throw their shadows before," but therft is no donbt that an uneasy feeling is abroad that there will be a comparative fall m prices after shearing. Indeed, it is a question with some as to whether it would not be wiser to accept the present market or sell hefore shearing ; and without wishing to pose as a pessim st, the writer is inclined to think it would be the safest course to pursue aa regards wether hoggets at- least. The bottom seems to have altogether fallen out of the frozen mutton market, and, m the face of the threatened competition from Australia, even lamb looka none too bright. ' Still, there is no telling what the morrow will bring forth, and the writer is quite aware that, although suoh a course might be pursued by a breeder, it would scarcely commend itself to anyone wh6 had bought at the prices that have been ruling during the last three months; 1 regret to see also from the latest cables that the Bradford wool market seems to have a weakening tendency, which is not altogether surprising now that peace has been definitely proclaimed between Russia and Japan, and m view of the enormous increase m the wool shipments, from Australia ; but it was not anticipated by, experts that prices would be affected to a great extent this year, so we have reason to hope that our first sale at lest will still find values on the flow. Cattle — Doubtless owing to the heavy drafts that left Southland . during Sep, tember, the pnoe of prime beef has not fallen to any appreciable extent this month, and those who have been able to bring their stock to thelate metropolitan sales have met with a short supply and consequent good competi, tion. However, as the season advances and entries increase, history will probably repeat itself, and the butchers will have the graziers at their mercy ras, at present: at^ least, there seems to be no reason to indulge m the hope that freezers -. will come to the rescue. I would therefore advise those readers who are hanging on to fat cattle, to Btrike the iron while it is hot, for assuredly it will cool shortly and suddenly. Hitherto the various, saleyards have been crowded •with Btores of all kinds aud sizes wh : ch have either been slaughtered 6r taken baok by thei* indignant owners, for, unless exooptionally well bred, there is absolutely no competition ; but now, for some inexplicable reason, a sudden breeze has sprung up and there seems to be a glimmer of hope that, during the next month or two, it will freshen into a fair demand for young cattle and dairy cowSi Appended are some prices :— Sheep -Pat Wethers, 21s to. 255; ewe 3, 17s to 21s : ewes with lamba, young, 14s ta 15s, all counted ; old. 9s to "las, all counted; hoggets, 13s to 18s ; exceptional do, 20s to 21s.

Cattle— Fat Bullocks, 22s to 24s per lOOlbs : fat cows and heifers, 18s to 22s per lOOlbs ; 3 and 4yrold forward cattle, L5 to L 6 ; 3 and 4yr-old Rtore cattle, L 3 10s to L 5; 2 yr-old store cattle, L2 to L 3 10s ; yearlings, Ll ta L 2 10s,