ADDINGTON STOCK MARKET.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXiX, Issue 7730, 25 February 1909, Page 4

ADDINGTON STOCK MARKET.

CHRISTCHURCH, February 24. There were again good entries of stock and a. large attendance at the Addington live stock market. Prices for fat cattle, store sheep and fat lambs were all easier. Fat sheep showed a further sharp decline m price. Fat pigs showed no change, but stores gold rather better. Store and dair- cattle sold well. Store Sheep.—The store sheep pens were again filled with a large entry, a good proportion being consignments from outside of Canterbury, and these were generally of an indifferent class. There was a fair demand for all classes, a good clearance being effected, but prices were barely equal to those obtained the previous week. The strength of the demand was, however, shown by the fact that the market was firmer at the close, and the weakening of prices was m sympathy with the decline m the values of fats. One of the principal sales of ewes was of a draft of full-mouthed sheep from the Cashmere estate, crossbreds making 17s 6d and halfbreds 17s lOd; email two-tooths made 15s 9d, and two and four-tooth ewes 17s od; medium lambs made 11s 6d to 12s, forward sorts 12s 3d to 12* 9d, and low-conditioned and travelstained 9s to 10s 6d; forward wethers, of which there were some good lots offered, made 13s 6d to 14s 9d, medium 12s to 13s 4d, and low-conditioned 9s to 11s 7d. Fat Lambs.—There was an entry of 5407 fat lambs, the quality, on the whole, being execllent. The lambs were well grown and mostly well finished, but a few lots would have been better for further topping off. The export buyers have reduced their limits for lambs between 361 b and 401 b, the rates over all the works now being : For up to 361 b, 4Jdj for 361 bto 421 b, 4fd; and for over 421 b and second quality, 4d per lb. In consequence of the lower basis of purchasing values, there was a decline m prices, and a number of lots were passed m, the growers declining to accept the reduction. There were 3077 taken for freezing at 13s to 15s 7d, 381 by butchers at 13s 7d to 14s lOd, and a few extra to 17s, 653 by graziers at 12s 7d to 13s 7d, and 1291 were passed m. Fat Sheep.—The yarding of fat sheep was about equal to last week m point of. numbers, ewes again forming a considerable portion of the entry. There was a further fall m prices, ewes showing the most decline, being lower by Is 6d to 2s per head. Wethers were cheaper by about Is per head, and a number of the lighter lots were bought by graziers. There was a little bidding by exporters, but few were secured for the works. The range of prices -was: Prime wethers 15s 6d to 18s 3d, lighter 13s 2d to 15s; prime ewes 12s to 14s Id, extra to 16s, others 9s to 11s 6d; merino wethers 10s 3d to 10s Cd. Fat Cattle.—There were 271 fat cattle entered, and they were mostly useful sorts. The competition was not so keen as last week, and there was a falling-off m prices from the rise of last week. Steers made. £7 5s to £11 2s 6d, heifers £5 to £9, and cows £4 10s to £9 (equal to 22 S to 23s 6d for prime, 19s to 21s 6d for medium, and 17s to 18s 6d for cow and inferior per 1001 b). Vealers.—An average yarding of veal calves sold at 4s Gd to 60s, according to size and quality. Store Cattle.—There was a fair yard-' ing of store cattle, including several lines from the south. The demand showed a marked improvement, and a good clearance was effected. Fifteen to eighteen months made 45s to 47s 6d. two-year stcere £3 to £3 10s, two-year heifers £3 17s 6d. For good stoics, three-year steers made £5 11s threeyear heifers £4 ss, and dry cows 20s to 3^o .LUs. Dairy cows were m good demand, and 1 sold at £3 15s to £8 15s. Pigs.—There was a medium entry of fat pigs, and they sold at last week's prices; and a fair yarding of stores showed a slight improvement. Choppers sold up to £4 se, heavy baconers 50.s to 70s, lighter 48s to 54s (equal to od per lb), large porkers 42s to 48s, and smaller 35s to 40s (equal' to 6d per lb), large stores 3os to 425, medium 28s I to 34.5, good weaners 17s to 20s, and small 12s d 0 to 15s.