LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 24, 29 January 1930, Page 4

LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

SMITHFIELD PRICES IMPROVE. : ",. PIGS IN KEEN DEMAND. The export meat trade continues in a healthy condition, and there are reasonably good market prospects for the large quantities that are now going through the local freezing works. -,;.,, Trade at the week-end in Smithfield was quite good, so much so'that selling prices were advanced both for mutton and lamb. The reason given is that stocks are light. For New Zealand pork the demand is particularly keen, and for 80-1001b 10% d per lb is quoted, as against 7%d at this time last year. -'■•"' ' .„ ~ c Weather conditions, though still far from . settled, have been much more sunimer-hke during the past week, and stock throughout the province is benefitting accordingly If production shows the increase hoped for and prices at Smithfield are maintained when the Dominion's full supplies arrive, the returns should go a. long, way towards compensating for the disastrous slump in wool values. ' Business at the various country sales during the week has continued along normal lines, with' cattle and pigs in keen demand and store sheep somewhat dull of sale. Ram fairs are now being held, and although the demand, is good, sellers are having to accept lower.values in harmony with the general market conditions. At Westfield yesterday fat cattle again realised high prices.l s There was a, small entry of pigs and values firmed accordingly. A large-entry' of lambs sold readily at late rates, but sheep were inclined to be easier!. '• ■ ~ ' .., n. , The range of prices, together with those ruling a week ago, was as follow :~ '.;:.s This Week. Last Week. BEEF (per lOOlbj— Extra choice ox 43/ 43/ ana ; prime /t ., 42/40/t042/ 37/ to 39/ SHEEP (per head)— ; Prime wethers .- 24/.. to 29/6 27/9 to 28/6 TJnfin. wethers .'22/ to 24/ 22/6 to 20/3 Prime ewes .. s* 17/ to 23/ 20/9 to 22/ PrlSe Ss :.. 21/ to 26/3 26/ to 27/ CALVES (per head) — Buhners 100/ to 201/ 90/ to 107/6 Vealers 60/ to 107/ 84/ to 102/ PIG,S (per head)— ~ Baconers .....: 71/ to 90/ 84/ to 91/ Porkers ....... 50/ to 82/ 72/ to 82/ AVeaners .....•'• 12/ to 25/ \ 10/ to. 24/ Slips ■ ......... 28/ to 37/ 28/ to 36/ Large stores .... 40/ to 48/ 40/ to 48/

ALFRED BUCKLAND AND SONS. ■Alfred Buckland and Sons, Ltd.,.report: Our supply of fat cattle totalled 367 Head, as against :337 head •at last week's' sale, comprising' 192' steers; and 175 cows and / heiferß. Competition was steady throughout, and' values were on a. par with last week. Extra choice ox sold to £2 2/ per -1001b; choice and, prime, £119/ to £2 1/; ! eecondary and plain, £1 17/ to: £1 18/6; prime young cow and heifer beef, '£1 14/ to £1 17/; ordinary cow beef, £1 ,10/ to £113/. Extra heavy, prime steers ranged from £16 15/,.t0 £.17.12/6;. heavy prime. £15 10/ to .£l6; 12/6; lighter prime,' £14 to flight 'prime; £12 .15/ ,to £13 17/6;' small and unfinished, £10 10/ to' £12 12/6. .Extra heavy prime young cows and heifers; £10 10/! ta; £11 2/6; heavy prime, £9 to £10 7/6;' lighter prime, £7 10/, to £8 17/6; other killable cows, . £5 10A to £7 7/6. There,wasVafiill yarding; of sheep;- and,; although the demand . was*' not keen, values were similar to those ruling last week; Extra- heavy prime, wethers made:from £1 8/ to £1 9/6;: heavy.primed £1.6/9 to £1 7/9; medium to heavy prime, £15/6, to £1 6/6; light to medium primes £1 4/ to £1 5/3; unfinished; £1 2/ to £1' 3/9; extra heavy: prime young ewes, 19/ to £11/; heavy; pfime;'l7/ to 18/9; lighter prime, 15/6 to! 16/9; other killable, 12/6 to 15/3; others, 10/6 to 12/3. (957 sheep were sold.) Lambs were .penned to- the number of 335, and> sold at about ruling values. Extra heavy : prime. lambs -made from ,£1 4/ to £14/9;: heavy prime, ,£1 3/ to £1 3/9; lighter 1 prime; £1 1/ to £12/9; light prime, 18/ ; to. £1; small and plain; 7/6 to' 16/6. A' smaller 4 number of fat and young calves: was, yarded. Prices were about equal to those.riiling,at last .week's sale. Runners made £05/ to £8 (no extra heavy runners were offered); heavy' yealers, ■>■ £3 19/ to £5 7/ (a truck of prime Hereford calves averaged £4 18/); medium vealers, 11/.'t6::-£3 15/; light, £2 12/ to. £3 4/;' small/. £1 16/ to". £2 4/; bucket-fed calves, £1 5/ to £1 13/; rough,and unfinished, 18/ to £1 3/; small and fresh dropped, 4/ to 17/- (145 calves were sold). A small entry of fat pigs met* keen competition, values again adyahcing. Baconers sold; at v equal ;to;-6%,'d to per lb, and porkers. 7%d' to; 7%d per lb. Choppers made £2 to £5 6/, according to weight, arid quality. -!No extra heavy baconers were penned. Heaivy prime baconers, £4 5/ td -£4 10/; medium, £3 18/ to £4 2/; light, r £3 11/ to £3 15/;- heavy porkers,.£3 3/, to £3 8/; medium,: £2 16/ to £2.19/; light, £2.10/ tov£2U3/; small and unfinished, £2 5/ to -£2'B/;store pigs, £2 to £2 8/; slips, '£1 12/ to £117/ for best;- smaller, £1 6/ to '■J?. £1 8/;;weaners,' 17/ to £1 5/ (a total of 242.pigs was sold).. ,

DALQETY AND COMPANY. ,' -Dalgety and Co., Ltd.; '■ report:—We offered: ox , beef ; in numbers well up to usual. The quality was first-class, -and .' market lacked a little of its usual tone, values on a whole were on a ; par with late rates; Special lines of bullocksrealised•? up to £14 17/6; cow and heifer .beef , was offered: in large numbers, competition for all good sorts being maintained at values ?'up to late rates. Second quality arid plain' : cattle ■ were shade easier of sale. Extra heavy prime young cows and'heifers, made £10 [12/6 to £11 7/6; heavy prime, £9 to £10 2/6; medium, £7,17/6 to £8 10/; light, £6 5/ to.. £7; '* Extra ;choice,/jox: sold to 42/ per- 1001b; choice and prime,, 38/ to 40/; plain and -Becbndaryy 33/';' to 35/; prime young cow and heifer, -37/ to 39/; just killable, 29/ to 31/., Sheep were offered .iri usual numbers.' Only a limited demand existed and values /.generallyA- were erratic. , Prime heavy wethers realised.27/ to 28/; medium, 25/9 to < 26/9; -good heavy ewes,' 17/-; to 18/6; medium/ewes, 14/6 to"16/; good fat twotooths',"26/6.'Extra heavy prime wethers, 28/6; heavy prime, 27/6; medium, 25/9 to 26/6; light, and. .unfinished, ,24/6; heavy prime-ewes; 18/6; lighter, 16/9 to 17/6. Lambs were, offered in usual numbers;with values on a/par'with late rates. Store lambs ; were in good demand, arid sold steadily at 11/9, to'ls/3. ; Heavy prime lamb?inadeV23/9; medium, 22/; light, 21/. Calves were penned in moderate numbers and* cold firmly at late quotations. Runners made £5 10/ to £7 10/; heavy vealers, : Mii to [':■'.£&: 18/;' "medium; £3 5/ ' to £3 15/; light; £2 10/ to £3; rough, . £1 ito £2; 10/ to. 25/. *Pigs,sold briskly under keen!competition, all classes] being in -request at higher, rates. Choppiersi • made £3 to £4 !10/; heavy bacpriers,- £4 to £4 8/; heavy porkers, £2 18/ to £3 4/; medium bacoriers; 'if 3/ 13/; to ! £3 18/; medium:porkers, £2,12/: to £2 16/; light baconers,.£3 5/ to £3 12/; light porkers, £25/ to £2 10/.. LOAN AND MERCANTILE. The New Zealand Loan and-Mercantile Agency Company;/Limited, ,'reports:-—Beef was penned in average numbers. There; deriiarid and values on''a par 7 &<T$ sale. Extra choice ox sold J° fiL 3 / P«* 1001b; choice and prime, £2 io/?ti- /; 9rdinary and Plain/ £116/ to £l< 17/' V« cow and heifer beef, £t if>. ; l /; o?dinar y cow beef,:£l 10 hghter prune, 15/ to £14 17/6° hght. pnm, £12. l| to 7 £l 3 12% .finished, and. .smalli £iovio/ to £12 7/6extra heavy prime young cows and heifers £10,110/ to £11 10/; heayy, prmw, SlO/ to jeip 7/6; lighter,.£Bty *iTSft^liiftj

cows, £7 5/ to £8 2/6; other cows, £6 to £7 2/6.. Sheep were yai'ded in average numbers, and although there was a steady demand values wer& again inclined to.be easier. Heavy prime wethers made £1 7/ to £1 8/; medium-prime,-£1 5/9 to £16/9; light prime, £1 4/6 to £15/6; small and unfinished, £12/6 to £1 4/; heavy prime ewes, £1 1/ to £13/; medium prime, 19/ to £1 0/6; light prime, 17/, to 18/6; interiorly fatted, 12/ to 16/9, Lambs were penned in large numbers, including many lines of store lambs. There was a steady demand for all classes, with values on a par with last week's sales. Extra heavy prime, £1 5/ to £1 6/3; heavy prime, £1 3/ to £1 4/9; medium prime, £1 1/6 to £1 2/9; light prime, 18/ to £1 1/3; un-finished,-best, 10/ to 17/6; others, 12/3 to 14/9. There was a smaller yarding of pigs, which met with a keen demand and values I were firmer on last week's quotations. Choppers sold from £2 to £4 6/; heavy and medium baconers, £4 4/ to £4 10/; light baconers and heavy porkers, £3 14/ to £4 2/; medium and light porkers, £3 to £3 12/; small and unfinished porkers, £2 5/ to £2 16/. Store pigs were penned in small- numbers, values being again firm on late quotations. Large stores,' £2 to £2 6/; slips, £1 8/ to' £1 16/; weaners, 12/ to £1 5/. Calves were penned in less than average numbers. Values were firm on last week's quotations. Runners, £5 to £10 1/; heavy vealers, £4 10/ to £5 4/; medium,- £3 16/ to £4 6/; light, £3 to £3 14/; smaller, £2 to £2 18/;. small and fresh-dropped, 7/ to £1 18/; rough calves, £1 to £2. IN THE COUNTRY. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, reports:—Sales were held during the past week at Westfield, Piikekohe (cattle and pigs), Waiuku and Kaukapakapa. There is a steady demand for all classes of cattle, with values firm at late rates. Fat and store pigs are also selling readily at late values. We quote:—Dairy cows and heifers, close to profit, best, £11 to £15; others, £7 10/ to £10 10/; backward springers, £6 to £0; aged cows and inferior heifers, £4 to £6 15/; bulls, £4 to £11, according, to weight and quality; empty store cows, £4 10/ to £7 5/; weaner heifer calves, £2 5/ to £4 2/6;" weaner steer calves, £3 to £4 12/6; yearling to 18-months heifers, £4 10/- to £8 10/; yearling to 18-montha steers, £5 5/ to £6 15/; 2 to 2%-year steers, £7 to £8; 3 to 3%-year steers, '£8 2/0» to £9 5/; 4 to , 4%-year steers., £9 10/ to £10 15/.

Alfred Buckland and Sons, Limited, report:—During the week we held. sales at Westfield,' Tahekeroa' and Waitakaruru, also horse sale at Pukekohe. There were average yardings and good clearances at ruling values were made at each centre. Best dairy cows made £12 to £15 10/; second-grade dairy cows, £9 to £11 15/; other, dairy cows, £5 to £8 15/; best springing heifers, £10 to £12 10/; other springing heifers, £5 5/ to £9 10/; empty young cows and heifers, £4 5/ to £6 10/; cows with calves, £7 to £10 10/; heavy prime young fat cows and heifers, £8 to £10 15/; lighter fr.t cows and heifers, £5, 10/ to £7 17/6; boner and store cows, £2 10/ to.£6 15/; light fat steers, £11 10/ to £13 10/; four-year-old steers, £9 10/ to £10 15/; three-yeal'-old steers, £8 15/ to £9 7/6; two to three-year-old steers, £7 15/ to £8 15/; yearling to 18-moritli-old steers, £5 10/ to £7 12/6; best 18-month-old in-calf heifers, £7 10/ to £8 15/; other in-calf heifers, £5 15/ to £7 7/6;. weaner! heifers, £2 to £4 5/; weaner steers, £2 15/ to £3 15/; heavy bulls, £8 10/ to £12 7/6; sound young Herd bulls, £5 5/to £12 12/; other bulls, £2 10/ to £5. There was a strong inquiry, for horses at Pukekohe, and we report a good sale.

! ■ Dalgety and Co., Ltd., report having held their monthly sales at Helensville and Tuakau last: week. With a fair attendance of buyers present, entries at both fixtures sold at Very satisfactory prices. The company also reports having conducted, on January 27, the'annual sale of stud and ;flock Southdown ewes and rams on account of Messrs.' G-. and R. Coates, Ruatuna, Matakohe. There was a smaller attendance of buyers than in previous years, and although competition on most lots was keen, as,was expected, prices were not up to last year's standard. Two-shear stud rams realised up to lOgs; three-shear stud rams, up to BM:gs; one-shear flock rains, up to Bgs; two-shear flock rams, up to 7gs; three-shear flock rams, up to B%gs; stud ewes; up to 7gs.

, FRANKTON SALE. COW BEEF CHEAPER! Messrs. Dalgety and Company, Limited,' Hamilton, report having held their usual weekly stock sale at Frankton on Tuesday> January 28, as under: — There: was an average yarding of beef, including some good lines of bullocks. ' Prime bullocks sold at about last week's rates, but fat cows and heifers were 10/ to 15/ per head lower. Best fat bullocks sold at up to £13 17/6;, good light ditto, £13 10/;. prime fat heifers, £9 16/; others, £6 10/ to £8 5/; inferior and rough cows,. £4 15/ to £5 15/. There was only a few pens of store cattle which sold at late rates. Forward store cows, £7; others; £6 7/6. There was a large yarding of sheep. Fat sheep ,were; if anything, lower. Store lambs were yarded in large numbers and met with a good demand at late rates. Woolly black-faced forward lambs up to 15/3;. woplley Romney M.S. lambs, 14/11; small ditto, 11/3; black-faced medium, lambs, 12/10; small ditto, 7/6 to 9/;, 2tooth wethers, 22/6; cull ewes, 10/. ,

There was a large yarding of fat pigs which met with a keen demand, prices beingfirmer compared with last week.. Heavy prime baconers sold up to £4 9/; lighter ditto, £2 14/ to £4; best porkers, £2 18/ to £3 7/; inferior, £2 9/. There was a large yarding of store pigs, prices being slightly easier. Best stores, £2 2/ to £2 7/; inferior, up to £2; slips, £17/6 to 33/6; weaners, 18/ to 22/6. .

Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company, Limited.—A medium yarding of cattle and a full yarding of sheep. Steer beef was slightly easier, while fat cows showed a decline - of 15/ a head. There was 'a good attendance of buyers for all classes of sheep, which made satisfactory prices, especially stord lambs. There was a large yarding of all classes of pigs, baconers and porkers selling at increased prices. All were quitted under the hammer. Store and weaner pigs were slightly easier. Baconers averaged 7d to 7%d per lb, while porkers averaged 7%d to Bd. Quotations:—Fat steers, £13 15/ to £14 7/; lighter steers, £11 10/ to £13 8/; fat cows and heifers, £9 11/ to £10 19/; medium fat, £8 to £9 1/; light fat cows, *£7 1/ to £7 3/; store cows, £3 10/ to £6 12/6; heifer/calves, £2 18/; forward wethers, £12/7; fat lambs, £10/2; m.s. lambs,-11/8 to 12/; wether lambs, 14/6; cull-lambs, 7/3 to 8/11; heavy baconers, £4.4/ to £4 10/; medium baconers, £3 15/ to £4; light/baconers, £3 7/ to £3 12/; heavy porkers, £2 l/.to £3;*.'; light, £2 12/ to £2>lß/; slips, 30/ to 36/; weaners, 15/ to 28/. >'

TAUMARUNUISALE. (By Telegraph.-rOwn Correspondent.) , '' y : TATJMARUNUI, 'Tuesday. There were large yardings of: sheep and cattle at the Taumarunui stock sale today. Prices for cattle declined and a large number of well-bred steers were passed in. Sheep -were 1 not v in "demand and, the majority yarded failed to, change .hands. There was an absence of outside buyers. The following prices' were realised:—Pigs:' Weaner«;;:l6/2 to 22/6;'slips>:26/: to_2?/. Bheep" Two, four and six-tooth wethers, ["-21/;' four-tobth -wethers,. 21/8; .two-tooth I 'wethers, 16/,% shorn' wether lambs, 11/ to ! 14/1; mixed sex lambs, 7/10 to 8A;. small lambs, 5/4; two-tooth ewes (Woolly), 20/. Cattle:', Fat bullocks, £8 15/; fat .cows, £7 5/; fat heifers, £7-4/; primerlight; fat steers; i £10 1/; - runners, £6; store cows, £7 16/; atore heifers, £4 7/6; store steers,, I £6 5/ to £6 18/; store bullock* £8 10/.