LIVE STOCK MARKET.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 173, 24 July 1930, Page 4

LIVE STOCK MARKET.

FAT STOCK SELLS WELL.

STORE SHEEP HARD TO QUIT.

dairy cattle in demand

Latest cables from Smithfield report a shortage of supplies of Argentine chilled beef. This has had the effect of improving the demand for available stocks of New Zealand beef. What is more important, however, is the effect a, continuation of the shortage would have upon the sale of our mutton and lamb. The severity of South American, as well as the position regarding Australian competition, can be seen from the following table showing the arrivals at the United Kingdom during the month of June: — Lamb Mutton Beef Source. carcases, carcases, quarters. (frozen.) South America 474,460 263,27S 2,877 Australia 92,067 20,565 109,279 New Zeaianc .. 695,889 154,852 1,248 In addition South America delivered 469,746 quarters of chilled beef. At the end of last week the demand for prime New Zealand lamb at Home was well maintained, but secondary sorts, which have to face competition from many markets, were a little easier. The export position is reflected at local sales and although fat stock, which is not in excess of Auckland's requirements, maintains fair values, stores are dull of sale. A year ago ewes in lamb were realising from £1 10/ for aged to £1 15/6 for young stock in good condition; to-day the ruling price at auction_ sales runs from 18/ to £1 for ordinary lines* and up to £16/ for two-tooths. In view of the present general trend to low prices for primary products it is some consolation that the London wool sales, which closed yesterday, finished u,p with a c* .fid en t tone embracing virtually all classes of wool. So far as can be judged at present it would appear that those who refused to sacrifice their wool when rock-bottom was reached last season will be satisfied by results. Dairy cattle are still in demand and in this connection the Home market ior butter and cheese shows a slight improvement, with values more stable than they, have been in recent months. The bobby calf industry is now well into its stride for the new season and already the numbers that are being dealt with at Horotiu, Southdown and Westfield exceed 3000 per day. So far there are no indications of any practical steps to have a supply gxranged for the Moerewa works. Returns this year are likely to be from 1/ to 1/6 per head less for the farmer. At West-field yesterday there was an average yarding of beef cattle, with last week's advanced prices fully maintained. Calves, too, were in firm request and larger sorts evoked keen bidding. A good yarding of fat sheep met a brisk demand for well-finished lines, but inferior pens were dull of sale. Hoggets sold readily at late rates. There was a fair entry of pigs with little alteration in rates and a special preference for porkers. The range of prices, together with those ruling the previous week, was as follows: — This Week. Last Week. BEEF (per 1001b)— Extra choice ox 40/ 40/ Choice and prime , ox .......... 36/ to 39/ 36/ to 39/ Choice and prime tow and heifer 35/ to 37/ 3-/ to 3</ SHEEP (per head)— Prime wethers . 24/ to 32/ 24/6 to 31/6 Unfin. wethers . 18/ to 24/6 19/ to _o/6 Prime ewes .... 15/ to 25/ 16/ to -4/ Prime lambs ... 15/6 to 23/9 17/ to -4/9 Unfin. lambs ... 12/6 to 15/ 12/ to 16/6 CALVES (per head)— Runners 80/ to 136/ 100/ to 127/6 Vealers .., 47/ to 124/ 58/ to 1-4/ PIGS (per head)— Baconers 55/ to 74/ 58/ to 71/ Porkers 36/ to 63/ 30/ to 58/ Weaners 12/ to 28/ 16/ to -9/ Slips 31/ to 34/ 28/ to «o/ Large stores ... 34/ to 40/ 38/ to 44/ LOAN AND MERCANTILE. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, report:—At "W estfield fat stock market yesterday beef was penned in average numbers, and there was a steady demand, with values on a par with last week's sale. Extra choice ox sold to £2 per 1001b; choice and prime, £1 16/ to £1 19/; ordinary and plain, £1 13/ to £1 15/; prime young cow and heifer beef, £1 15/ to £1 17/; ordinary cow beef, £1 10/ to £1 14/. Heavy prime steers realised £14 10/ to £15 10/; lighter prime, £13 to £14 7/6; light prime, £11 10/ to £12 17/6; unfinished and small, £9 to £11 5/; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £11 to £12 15/; heavy prime, £9 10/ to £10 17/6; lighter, £8 to £9 7/6; light cows, £6 10/ to £7 17/6; other cows, £4 10/ to £6 7/6. Sheep were yarded in average numbers, and sold at late rates. Heavy prime wethers brought £1 9/6 to £1 11/; medium prime, £1 7/6 to £1 9/; light prime, £1 5/ to £1 7/3; small and unfinished, £1 to £1 4/6; heavy prime ewes, £1 to £1 3/6; medium prime, 17/9 to 19/9; light prime, 15/ to 17/6; inferiorly fatted ewes, 6/ to 13/. Hoggets were penned in average numbers, -and sold at late rates, prime quality making from 16/ to £1 3/9; unfinished, 7/ to 14/. Pigs were penned in small numbers. Values were firm at late quotations. Choppers sold from £2 10/ to £5; heavy and medium baconers, £3 6/ to £3 14/; light baconers and heavy - porkers, £2 16/ to £3 3/; medium and light porkers, £2 10/ to £2 14/; small and unfinished porkers, £2 to £2 8/. Store pies, penned in average numbers, sold at late quotations. Large stores made £1 14/ to £2; slips, £18/ to £1 12/; weaners, 12/ to £1 7/. Calves were penned in small numbers, and values ■were very firm at last week's quotations. Runners made £4 to £67/; heavy vealers, £5 to. £6 4/; medium, £4 to £4 16/; light, £3 8/ to £3 18/; smaller, £2 16/ to £3 6/; small and fresh dropped, 7/' to £2 14/; rough calves. £1 5/ to £2 10/. DALGETY AND COMPANY. / Dalgety and Company, Ltd., report:— 'At our weekly Westfield fat stock market yesterday we offered ox beef in usual numbers. The qualtity was good and, selling under a steady demand, the previous week's rates again ruled. We yarded no extra heavy cattle. Heavy bullocks realised £13 17/6 to £14 15/; medium, £12 10/ to £13 15/; light, £12 to £12 5/. Cow and heifer beef was yarded in slightly under average numbers, for which a strong demand existed and late rates were fully maintained. Prime heavy cows and heifers realised £11 17/6 to £12; medium, £10 10/ to £11 15/; lighter, £10 to £10,7/6; light, £8 10/ to £9 10/; other cows, £7 5/ to £7 17/6. Extra choice ox sold to 40/ per 1001b; choice and prime, 37/ to 39/; just killable, 34/ to, 36/; prime young cow and heifer, 35/ to 37/; just killable, 27/ to-34/. Sheep were yarded in average numbers. Competition for all well-finished lines was good and they realised late rates. Second quality sheep were in poor demand and values were easier. Extra heavy prime wethers realised 30/6 to 31/6; heavy prime, 28/ to 29/6; medium, 27/ to 27/9; light and unfinished, 24/3 to 26/; light prime ewes, 17/ to 18/6; other ewes, 12/9 to 15/9. Lambs were offered in usual numbers, and sold at late rates. Heavy prime brought 22/9; medium, 21/6; light, 19/6 to 21/. A keen 'demand existed for calves and values generallv were better than last week. Runnere made £5 5/ to £6 15/; heavy vealers, £4 10/ to £5 5/; medium, £3 10/ to £4 5/; light, £2 5/ to £3 5/; small, 20/ to £2 2/. Pigs yarded in fair numbers and sold at barely late rates for baconers. Porkers were firm on last week's sale. Heavy baconers made £3 5/ to £3 9/; heavy porkers, £2 12/ to £2 17/; medium and light baconers, £2 16/ to £3 3/; medium and light porkers, £2 2/ to £2 10/. 1

ALFRED BUCKLAND AND SONS.

Alfred Buckland and Sons, ltd., report: Yesterday at our weekly Westfield fat stock market our supply of fat cattle totalled 284 head, as compared with 197 head at last week's market, comprising 203 steers and 81 cows and heifers. The entry included several consignments of heavy prime cattle. There was a steady demand throughout and generally last week's advance was sustained. Extra choice ox sold to £2 per 1001b; choice and prime, £1 17/ to £1 19/; secondary and plain, £1 15/ to £1 16/; prime young cow and heifer beef, £1 15/ to £1 17/; ordinary cow beef, £1 7/ to £1 14/. Extra heavy prime steers ranged in price from £16 10/ to £17 5/, for steers from Mr. B. Reed, Waerenga; heavy prime, £15 to £16 7/6; lighter prime, £13 15/ to £14 17/6; light prime, £12 to £13 12/6; small and unfinished £9 to £11 17/6; extra heavy prime young oows and heifers, £11 10/ to £13 7/6; heavy prime cows and heifers, £9 15/ to £11 7/6; lighter prime, £8 10/ to £9 12/6; other killable cows, £5 10/ to £8 7/6. Sheep were penned to the number of 929, and there was little variation in values from last report. Extra heavy prime wethers realised £1 10/ to £1 12/ for wethers from Mr. J. P. Kidd, Karaka; heavy prime, £1 8/ to £1 9/9;' medium to 'heavy prime, £1 6/ to £1 7/9; light to medium prime, £1 4/ to £1 5/9; unfinished wethers, 18/ to £1 3/6; extra heavy prime young ewes, £1 3/ to £15/, for ewes from J. P. Kidd, Karaka; heavy prime ewes, £1 1/ to £1 2/9; lighter prime, 18/6 to £1 0/6; other killable ewes, 16/ to 18/3; other ewes, 8/ to 15/6. v The 218 lambs Which came forward sold steadily at ruling prices. Extra heavy prime brought £1 2/ to £1 3/9; heavy prime, £1 0/6 to £1 1/9; lighter prime, 18/ to £1; light prime, 15/6 to 17/9; small and plain, 12/6 to 15/. We had a full yarding of calves, consisting mostly of young and small sorts. These were in keen request,, selling at fully late rates. Prices for the heavier sorts improved considerably. No extra heavy runners were offered. Medium sorts made £5 10/ to £6 16/; heavy vealers, £4 5/ to £5 4/; medium, £3 15/ to £4; light, £3 to £3 8/; small vealers, £1 18/ to £2 7/; bucket-fed calves, £1 10/ to £1 16/; rough and unfinished, £1 2/ to £1 7/; small and fresh dropped, 3/ to 18/. There were 397 calves sold. There was an average offering of fat pigs. Values for all classes were about equal to those ruling at last week's sale. Choppers made £2 10/ to £3 10/ (no extra heavy were penned); heavy baconers, £3 5/ to £3 9/; medium, .£3 to £3 3/; light, £2 15/ to £2 18/; heavy porkers, £2 13/ to £2 16/; medium, £2 9/ to £2 11/ light, £2 5/ to £2 7/; small and unfinished, £1 16/ to £2 2/; small stores. £1 17/ to £1 19/; slips, £1 11/ to £1 14/; weaners, £1 5/ to £18/ for best; others, 14/ to IS/. A total of 348 pigs was sold. COUNTRY SALES. Alfred Buckland and Sons, Ltd., report: During the week we held cattle sales at Westfield, Pukekohe, Clevedon, Pokeno, Kumeu and Runciman; pig sales at Pukekohe and Waiuku; and two clearing sales. Dairy cattle continue to be in strong request and there is an improved demand for stores. Best dairv cows made £14 to £19; good cows, £10 10/ to £13 15/; other dairy cows, £4 10/ to £10; best springing heifers, £14 to £18 10/; good heifers, £10 to £13 17/6; other springing heifers, £5 10/ to £9 17/6; empty cows and heifers, £3 10/ to £5 10/; boner and store cows, £1 10/ to £5 15/; fat cows and heifers, £6 to £11 5/; fat steers, £11 to £14; 3 to 4-year-old steers, £8 5/ to £9 12/6; 2 to 3-year-old steers, £7 to £8; yearling to 18-month-old steers, £4 15/ to £6 10/; "\vell-bred yearling heiforis, £5 5/ to £6 15/; other vearling heifers, £2 10/ to £5; cows with calves, £6 10/ to £9; heavy bulls, £4 to £5 5/; sound young herd bulls, £& 4/ to £8 8/; other bulls, £1 10/ to £4. Two-tooth ewes, in lamb, £1 6/; F.f.m. ewes, in lamb, 18/ to £1 2/; fat wethers, £1 6/; store wethers, 19/ to £1 3/; lambs, 9/6 to 15/. At Pukekohe and Waiuku pigs realised Westfield values. New • Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, report: —Sales were held during the past week at Westfield, Papakura, Kaukapakapa, Paeroa, Ngatea, and two clearing sales, one at Whitford, the other at Matakana. We report good sales with values for all classes of cattle on a par with last report. We quote:—Best dairy cows and heifers, £11 to £16 10/; other cows and heifers, £6 10/ to £10 10/; aged cows and inferior heifers, £3 10/ to £6 7/6; herd bulls, £4 10/ to £19 19/, according to breed and quality; store and boner cows, £2 10/ to £5 17/6; boner bulls, £2 to £.5 10/, according to weight; weaner heifers, £2 to £4 10/; weaner steers, £2 5/ to £4 5/; yearling to 18-nionths heifers. £4 12/6 to £6 17/6; yearling to 18-montiis steers, £4 15/ to £5 17/6; 2 to 2%-year steers, £6 to £7 2/6; 3 to 3%-year steers, £7 5/ to £8 10/; 4 to 4 1 /i-year steers, £8 15/ to £10 5/; beef at fully Westfield quotations. S.M. breeding ewes,'l4/ to £1. Dalgety and Company, Limited, report: During the past week we held sales at Oue, Ohaeawai, Kaiko'he, Coromandel, Kauroa, Matamata, Morrinsville, Ngaruawahia, Te Awamutu and Te Kuiti. We also held a dispersal sale on account of Mr. T. J. Bowden at Dairy Flat. At all centres yardings were offered. _ A good demand still exists for good quality springing cows and heifers, but for other classes of stock the demand has not shown any improvement and values remain on a par with recent quotations. We quote:—Best dairy cows and heifers, £15 to £19; good, £11 to £14 15/; others, £5 10/ to £10 15/- bulls, to £10 10/; fat oows and heifers, £5 15/ to £10 10/; empty young cows and heifers, £3 15/ to £5 10/; boner and store cows, £1 10/ to £5 5/; fat steers, £10 to £13 15/; yearling to 18months steers, £4 to £6 5/. Pigs on a par with Westfield rates. MATAMATA STOCK SALE. The Farmers' Auctioneering Co., Ltd., held the weekly Matamata stock sale yesterday. With the commencement of the milking season there was a strong demand for store pigs. There was very keen competition for cow beef, and generally throughout a big sale late rates were firm. Prices were: — Beef.—Prime fat cows, £9 17/6 to £11 15/; fat cows, £8 5/ to £9; medium fat cows, £7 to £7 15/; light fat cows, £5 12/6 to £6 9/; forward-conditioned cows, £4 10/ to £5 5/; store cows, £3 10/ to £4 3/; boner cows, £2 5/ to £3; bulls (potters), up to £3 15/; two-year empty heifers, £5. Dairy Cattle.—Best Jersey and Jerseycross heifers, £11 to £12 15/; best Fnesian heifers, £10 10/ to £11 10/; Jersey-cross cows, £10 5/ to £12; backward cows, £7 10/ to £8 5/. o J Pigs.—Good stores, 36/ to £2; slips, 26/ to 34/; weaners, 16/6 to 23/. ■ Sheep.—Fat wethers, £1 6/; killable hoggets, 13/9; mixed sex hoggets, 10/8;! breeding ewes, four-tooth to fan., £1 0/9. IN THE WAIKATO. (From Our Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, Wednesday. The stock market during the week has been fairly quiet. Good yardings of ail classes of sheep have been coming lorward, with very little demand existing. Fat. cattle have shown an improvement, especially in prime fat cows and heiiers, of which moderate supplies are _ being yarded. A demand has also set in tor store cattle, but very few are being offered. Quotations are as follows:— Beef—Beef has been yarded at most of the centres in slightly better than average numbers, and the prices for prime quality ox have remained nrm. Cow and heifer beef have shown an increase, and it looks as though not much of this class of stock is being held" by graziers. Best quality ox is making from 35/ to 36/ per 1001b; second quality, 32/ to 33/; prime young cow and heifer, 32/ to 34/; cow beef, 2S/ to 30/; canner cows, 16/ to IS/. Fat Sheep.—Owing to the extra heavy yardings fat sheep are dull of sale. A number of unfinished sheep are coming on to the market, and these also help to keep the price low. Prime fat wethers have been making up to 29/6, medium

26/ to 27/; prime fat ewes, up to 19/; medium, 17/ to 18/; fat lambs, up to 19/; medium, 16/ to 17/. Store Cattle—There is still an inquiry for all classes of grown cattle, although very few have been coming forward to the yards. A moderate demand exists for yearling Jersey heifers, but not many good quality heifers are coming on to the market. Breeding cows and station-bred heifers are also being inquired for, with very few quotations coming to hand, lorward conditioned steers have been making up to £9 10/; three-year-old steers, £7 15/ to £8 15/; two-year-old steers, £5 15/ to £6 10/; weaners, £3 10/ to £4 10/; forward conditioned cows, £4 10/ to £5 5/; boner cows, £2 to £3 10/; Jersey heifer calves, £4 10/ to £5 10/; smaller, £3 to £4; Shorthorn heifers, £2 10/ to £3 10/. Store Sheep.—The demand for store sheep has been very neglected. A few genuinely farmed ewes in lamb are changing hands at prices which certainly look as though they are a good investment. Store hoggets and wethers are being inquired for, but at prices which are not very tempting to the vendor. Best young ewes in lamb to Southdowns have been making np to 24/6; five-year-old ewes, 18/ to £1; sound-mouth ewes, 15/ to 17/; two-tooth wethers, 17/ to 18/; four-tooth wethers, up to 21/6; mixed sex woolly hoggets, 12/ to 13/; mixed sex shorn hoggets, 10/ to 11/; small hoggets, 7/ to 8/ Dairy Cattle—The demand for dairy cows is still very strong, and most of the clearing sales are well patronised. Dairy heifers close to profit are also sought after. Backward sorts are not so much in demand. Best dairy cows have been making from 15/ to 18/, and in a few cases of exceptional cows, up to £25; average cows, £12 to £14; in calf heifers, close to profit, £12 10/ to £14; medium quality in calf heifers, £10 to £12; backward, £7 to £8. Pigs.—Very few fat pigs are being yarded, and most of the entry comprises store and weaner pigs. Fats are not in very keen demand, no doubt owing to the small numbers offering, but stores and weaners are still at advanced prices. Baconers, £3 to, £3 11/; porkers, £2 12/ to £2 18/; good stores, 30/ to 36/; weaners, 15/ to 25/; sows to farrow, £8 to £10.

THE ADDINQTON MARKET.

BEEF PRICES ADVANCE

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday,

The principal feature of the weekly metropolitan market at Addington to-day was an advance in fat cattle values. The entry was again a fairly heavy one and included over 100 head of steers from the North Island. On an average over the whole sale the increase in price was up to £1 a head for all classes, compared with last week's rates. The fat lamb entry was very small and sold firmly at late rates. The entry of store sheep was also a small one and comprised in the main unattractive sorts, but the basis of values ruling at recent sales was maintained. For fat sheep the sale was steady, although there was an easier tone. Store Sheep.—The range of prices was: Ordinary ewe hoggets, to 9/6; ordinary wether hoggets, 8/7 to 11/6; good 2, 4 and 6-tooth crossbred ewes, to 28/; good .2, 4 and 6-tooth half bred ewes, 22/3 to 24/3; good sound-mouthed lialfbred ewes, 13/ to 14/3; ordinary 6-tooth three-quarterbred wethers, to 16/7; ordinary 2-tooth half bred wethers, 12/ to 13/3. Fat Lambs.—An entry of 274. The top price was 33/4. Fat Sheep.—An entry of 4700 head, compared with 5200 head last week. Extra prime wethers realised up to 34/10; prime, 26/ to 29/; medium, 22/ to 25/; light, 17/ to 21/; maiden ewes, to 30/1; extra prime, to 24/1; prime, 19/ to 21/6; medium, 15/ to 18/; light, 12/ to 14/6. Fat Cattle. —An entry of 420 head. Best handy-weight steer and heifer beef made from 39/6 to 43/ per 1001b, and early in the sale a few pens made a little above that figure; best lieavy-weight steer beef, 36/ to 38/; medium quality, 33/ to 35/6; best cow beef, to 38/; good cow beef, 33/ to 36/; secondary, to 31/. Fat Pigs.—There was a much larger yarding of porkers forward in the fat pig pens, totalling about 500 head. The market opened with a firm demand which was maintained throughout at prices slightly lower than recent rates. Porkers made 48/6 to 58/6; heavy porkers, £3 to £3 11/6 (average price per lb, 9d to 9%d); choppers, £4 to £9 1/; baconers, £3 14/6 to £4 16/6; heavy baconers, £4 18/6 to £5 9/6 (average price per lb, to B%d).