STRONGER DEMAND FOR HOGGETS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 51, 9 December 1948, Page 7

STRONGER DEMAND FOR HOGGETS

STORE SHEEP MARKET AT ADDINGTON (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. S. The store sheep entry at Addington to-day was 3625, comprising 1786 hoggets, 624 ewes and lambs, 1167 wethers and 48 dry ewes. The demand for hoggets was strong at prices 1,3 to 2s higher than last week. Top price was 50s for a line of 72 Romney ewe hoggets. Other good lots made 35s 6d to 40s, and the remainder 29s , 6d to 345. Top price for wether hoggets was 44s 6d for a line of earlyshorn halfbreds. Best wether hog-, gets made 38s 6d to top price, medium 33s to 36s 9d, and others down to 28s. The ewes and lambs were a mixed lot, the inquiry being better than for some weeks, and best made 29s to 335, and others down to 16s 3d. There was an advance in wether prices of Is to 2s. The entry consisted largely of Merinos and station halfbreds. Best Wethers sold at 34s 8d to 39s 3d, medium 24s to 295, and culls down to 13s 4d. The fat lamb entry was 1330, the quality being mixed. The demand was keen throughout, with heavier sorts above schedule and others at schedule rates. Freezing buyers operated sparingly. Values: Extra prime fat lambs to 45s Id, prime 38s to 41s, good 35s to 375, medium 31s to 345, light 2Ss to 30s. Ashburton sales were: G. Scartli (Ashburton), 84 at 36s Id to 38s 7d. The fat sheep entry was about 7000. Although the quality was mixed, an ample choice of wethers and young ewes was available. In spite of the larger entry values, although lower, held surprisingly well.'Wethers, except best, were 5s to 6s lower, and ewes about Bs. Freezing buyers were unable to take many sheep at the ruling prices. Values: Extra prime heavy wethers to 62s 7d, prime heavy 54s to 58s, prime medium-weight 49s to 525, ordinary 43s to 48s, plain and unfinished 37s to 425, prime heavy ewes to 41s 7d, prime 30s to 355, medium 26s to 295, plain and unfinished 22s to 255. J. C. Irwin (Rakaia) ,53 wethers 61s Id to 62s 7d, 7 ewes 35s to 38s Id; estate H. J. Harrison (Rakaia) 53 wethers 49s to 56s Id, 3 maiden ewes 49s Id; C. A. Watson (Winchmore) 6 wethers 55s Id; M. S. Turton (Ashburton Forks) 15 wethers 47s Id to 52s Id, 22 ewes 31s 7d; C. V. May (Methven) 25 wethers 42s Id to sls Id; F. W. and A. D. Ferguson (Winchmore) 61 wethers 36s 7d to 50s 7d; estate A. McKay (Methven) 7 wethers 50s Id, 20 ewes 35s Id to 38s Id; C. P. Wright (Winchmore) 25 wethers 41s Id to 47s Id; D. C. Dolan (Rakaia) 26 wethers 40s 7d to 46s Id, 96 ewes 28s Id to 35s Id; R. Robinson (Eiffelton) 23 wethers 44s Id to 46s Id; R. D. Robinson (Ashburton.) 55 wethers 42s Id to 45s Id; ,T. B. Ferguson (Winchmore) 22 wethers 37s Id to 37s 7d, 37 ewes 27s 7d to 33s Id; estate S. Cross (Chertsey) 40 ewes 34s Id to 35s id; Lands' and Survey Department (Ashburton) 64 ewes 29s 7d to 35s Id; R. Robinson • (Eiffelton) 22 ewes 32s Id; estate A. J. O’Connell (Rakaia) 82 ewes 26s 7d to 31s 7d; J. Robinson (Eiffelton) 19 ewes 30s Id; E. S. Johnstone (Winchmore) 14 ewes 30s Id. In the fat cattle entry of 659 the quality was the best for some weeks. The demand was not as keen as last week, and best steers and heifers were £1 cheaper. Plainer heavy sorts ' dropped by as much as, £1 10s, and light about 10s. Best beef made to 65s per 1001 b, good 50s to 555, medium 42s 6d to 47s 6d, best cow to 47,s 6d, and secondary to 41s 6d. Values: Extra prime heavy steers, to £3O 2s 6d ; prime heavy, £25 to .€27 1 10s; prime medium-weight, £2O 10s to £24; ordinary and light; £l4 to £2O; extra prime heifers, to £23 17s 6d; prime, £ls to £18; ordinary and light, £lO 10s to £l4 10s; extra prime cows, to £22 2s 6d; prime, £l2 10s to £ls; ordinary and light,, £7 to £ll I.os. * The porker yarding was again large, and the market opened with prices a shade above last week, but when later entries arrived prices eased to last week and remained at that level except for overfat fat types, which were 5s to 6s easier. Choppers were yarded in fairly heavy numbers, and the sale lacked spirit. Values if anything wore a shade easier. The bacon entry Was also large, and included too many overfat and overweight types. These were easier, / but others remained about on a par. Values-. Light pork-

ers, £4 2s Cd to £-r 14s Cd; medium, £4 17s Cd to £5 9s Cd; heavy, £5 12s Cd to £6 2s Cd; average per lb, lid to 14d; choppers, £3 18s Cd to £8 3s Cd; light baconers, £0 4s Cd to £C 12s Gd; medium, £G 13s Cd to £0 17s Cd; heavy, £6 19s Cd to £7 9s Cd; heavy overfat, £5 19s Cd to £G 14s Cd; average per lb, 10-id to 11 Jd.