LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 148, 25 June 1931, Page 4

LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

EXPORT DEMAND EASES. BUT VALUES UNALTERED. COUNTRY BUSINESS QUIET. Since last week's report the demand for New Zealand lamb and mutton on the London market has eased someAvhat, recent higher prices having checked ■ the demand. Meanwhile shipments from this country continue quite substantial, so that definite benefit should accrue from the improved rates that are now available. For the first half of June shipments from New Zealand to the United Kingdom totalled 800,584 carcases of lamb, and 143,896 carcases of mutton and export dealers are still buying freely. As a result the local freezing works are busier than is usual at this time of year, putting through a few thousand lambs and wethers each week. Total shipments from the Dominion for the present season, namely from October 1, 1930, to June 15. have been as follow, the figures for last eason also being given for comparison:— October 1 to June 15. 1925-30. 1930-31. Lamb carcascs .. 4,911,441 G,017,248 Mutton carcases . 1,445,315 1,704,332 Beef quarters ... 104,433 04,570 Beef (boner) bags 01,428 70,813 Pork carcases ... ' 57946 08,551 So far, thanks to an excellent summer and autumn, supplies have kept up well, but the advent of more wintry conditions will soon bring the season to an end. Just at the moment New Zealand's competition at Smith field is not so keen as it was earlier in the season, for while the Dominion sent away 800,000 carcases of Jamb in the fortnight, the total sent from South America and from Australia for the same period was just over 200,000 carcases. Unfortunately the wool market has relapsed into an exceedingly unsatisfactory condition, and unless an improvement is noted within the next few months the value of sheep and lambs will again rule at low levels. Business in the country is quiet at present, this being virtually an off season for most classes of stock. At Westfield. The new system established at Westfield of grading the fat stock offered on Wednesdays had the efiect yesterday of excluding some lines that had been sent forward in an unfinished condition. Another result was that the auctioneers had no difficulty in clearing the various lots with half an hour of daylight to spare, lhe yarding of fat cattle was a moderate one, and the quality, generally speaking, was exee.lent. \alues showed little change from recent quotations, though there was a distinct preference for light weights, lhe entry or calves was smaller than has been the case of late, aiuL in consequence X? ~S „ lm Pi-°ved. A fair number of bobby calves were also put through, there was a large yarding of fat sheep and lambs, and with exporters again operating the recent advanced rates were fully maintained. An average yarding of pigs met with moderate competition. Mores were m good demand, but fats were irregular with an easing tendency.

The range of prices, together with those nil ling the previous week, was as tollows:— This week. Last week. BEEF (per 1001b) — Extra choice ox . 24/ . 24/ Choice and prime ox .......... 20/ to 22/ 20/ to 22/ Choice and prime cow and heifer 1(5/ to 23/ 18/ to 23/ Boner and rough 8/ to 10/ 8/ to 15/ .SHEEP (per head) — Prime wethers . 13/6 to 18/ 13/ to 17/0 Unfin. wethers . 10/ to 13/3 0/ to 12/0 Prime ewes ... 10/ to 14/6 10/0 to 15/0 Unfm. ewes ... 7/ to 0/9 0/ to 0/0 Prime lambs .. 10/6 to 18/ 12/ to 20/0 unfin. lambs .. 6/6 to 10/ 6/6 to 11/6 CALVES (per head) — Runners 45/ fo 65/ 33/ to 55/ Vcalers 23/ to 50/ 15/ to 40/ PIGS (per head)— Baconers 50/ to 77/ 50/ to 71/ Porkers 30/ to 49/ 30/ to 40/ Stores 7/ to 29/ 8/ to 20/ ALFRED BUCKLAND AND SONS. Alfred Buckland and iSons, Limited, report on the weekly Westfield fat stock sale held yesterday as follows: — Beef.—Our beef pens contained 244 head, as against 326 head at la6t week's market, comprising 158 steers and 86 cows and heifers. There was little or no alteration in the value of ox beef. Prime young cows and heifers were in keener demand. Extra, choice ox sold to £1 4/ per 100'b; choice and prime ox, £1 1/ to £1 3/; secondary and plain ox, 18/ to £1; prime young eow and heifer beef, £11/ to £1 3/; ordinary cow beef, 15/ to £1. Extra heavy prime steers ranged in price from £10 15/ to £12 2/6; heavy, £8 10/ to £10 10/; lighter, £7 to £8 7/6; light, £6 to £6 17/6; small and unfinished, £4 15/ to £5 17/6; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £6 10/ to £7 7/6; heavy prime young cows and heifers, £5 5/ to £6 7/6; lighter, £4 to £5 2/6; other killable cows. £2 10/ to £3 17/6.

Sheep.—We penned sheep to the number of 1199 and values were very firm at_ last week's rates. Extra heavy prime wethers, 16/9 to IS,'/; heavy, 15/ to 16 '6; medium to heavy, 14/ to 14/9; light to medium, 13/ to 13/9; unfinished wethers, 10/6 to 12/9; extra heavy prime young ewes, 13/6 to 14/9; heavy, 12/ to 13/3; lighter, 10/6 to 11/9; other killable ewes, 9/ to 10/3. Lambs.—Prime lambs sold readily at iecent advanced values. Plain sorts were slightly lower (1022 lambs sold). Extra heavy prime lambs, 16/ to 18/; heavy, 14/ to 15/9; lighter, 12/ to 13/9; licrht. 10/0 to 11/9; small and plain, 6/6 to 8/9. Calves. —A small offering met with keen competition at considerably improved rates. Runners made £2 6/ to £5 7/6 for a heavy Shorthorn heifer; heavy vealers, £3 to £3 11/; medium, £2 '.)/ to £2 15/; light. £1 16/ to £2 2/; small vealers, £1 6/ to £1 12/; rough calves, 18/ to £1 4/; fresh dropped, 4/ to 10/ (194 calves were sold). Pigs.—Bidding was erratic and although in some cases last week's vaiues were reached, prices generally were lower. Choppers made £1 16/ to £3 16/; heavy prime baconers, £3 10/ to £3 18/; medium, £3 to £3 5/; light, .£2 1 to £2 14/; heavy porkers, £2 4/ to £2 //: medium, £1 14/ to £1 19/; £1 9/ to £1 12/; small and unfinished, £1 1/ to £1 7/; best stores £1 8/ to £l 12/; smaller, £1 to £1 4/; slips, 17/ to i 9/, weaners, 7/ to 16/ (a total of 4/9 pgs were sold). DALGETY AND COMPANY. Dalgety and Co;,. Ltd., report on the weekly Westfield tat stock sale held yesterday, as follows; . ' Beef.—Reef sold under steady competition at values 011 a par with late rates. Prime quality young cows and heiters realised improved prices Extra choice ox sold to 24/ per 1001b: choice and prime, 21/ to 23/, just killable, 18/ to. 20/, prime young cow and heifer beef, 21/ to 23/; just killable, 10/ to 20/; heavy prime steers. £9 2/6 to £9 10/; lighter, £8 to £9; light, £6 17/6 to £7 17/6; small and unfinished, £4 5/ to £6 7/6; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £/ 2/b to £7 7/6'; heavy, £6 15/ to £7; lighter, £4 15/ to £6 12/6; other killable cows, £2 10/ to £3 17/6. ■ Sheep.—Sheep sold steadily at last week's rates. Extra heavy prime wethers, 16/9 to 18/; heavy prime, 15/6 to 16/6; medium, 14/ to 15/3; light and unfinished, 12/6 to 13/9; heavy prime ewes, 12/ to 13/; lighter, 11/3 to 11/9; other ewes, 9/9 tc > u/. Lambs.—Lambs also sold steadily at late rates. Heavy prime lambs, 14/ to 14/6; medium, 12/6 to 13/9; light, 10/6 to 12/3. Calves.—Prices showed a decided improvement on late rates. Runners, £2 16/ to £4 5/; heavy vealers. £2 8/ to £2 17/; medium, £2 to £2 7/; light, £1 10/ to £1 19/; rough, 14/ to £' 9/; small, 3/ to 16/.

Pigs.—The demand for fat pigs was inclined to easier, but stores were keenly competed for. Choppers, £1 12/ to £3 12/; heavy baconers, £3 9/ to £3 14/; medium, £3 to£tS 6/; light, £2 9/ to £2 16/; heavy porkers, £2 to £2 5/; medium, £1 14/ to £1 18/; hght, £1 6/ to £1 13/; small and unfinished, £1 4/ to £1' 7/; stores, 20/ to 29/; slips, 16/ to 20/; weanere, 6/ to 19/.

LOAN AND MERCANTILE. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., report on the weekly Westfield fat stock sale held yesterday as follows: — Beef.—Competition was steady with values very firm at last week's quotations. Extra choice ox sold to 24/ per 1001b; choice and prime, 20/ to 23/; ordinary and plain, 17/ to 19/; prime young cow and heifer beef, 19/ to 23/; ordinary, cow, 14/ to 18/; extra heavy prime steers ranged in price from £9 10/ to £11 7/6; heavy, £8 to £9 5/; lighter, £7 to £7 17/6; light, £6 to £6 17/6; unfinished and small, £4 to £5 15/; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £7 to £8 5/; heavy, £6 to £6 17/6; lighter, £4 15/ to £5 15/; light cows, £3 15/ to £4 12/6; other cows, £2 10/ to £3 12/6. Sheep.—An average yarding sold readily at late rates, prime wethers selling at from 13/6 to 18/9; small and unfinished, 10/ to 13/3; prime ewes, 10/ to 14/6; small and unfinished, 7/ to 9/9. Lambs. —Lambs sold readily at late Prime lambs, 10/6 to 18/; small and unfinished, 6/6 to 9/6. • Pigs.—Choppers sold from £2 to £3 7/; heavy and medium baconers, £3 to £3 13/; light baconers and heavy porkers, £2 10/ to £2 18/; medium porkers and light porkers, £2 to £2 8/; small and unfinished porkers, £1 10/ to £1 18/; large stores, £1 2/ to £1 10/; slips, 12/ to 19/; weaners, 10/ to 19/. Calves.—A very small yarding of calves sold at improved values. Runners, £3 to £4 3/; heavy vealers, £2 8/ to £2 18/: medium, £2 to £2 6/; light. £1 10/ to £1 18/; smaller, 19/ to £1 8/; small and fresh dropped, 5/ to 16/; rough calves, 5/ to 15/.

IN THE WAIKATO. HAMILTON, Wednesday. A week of cold rainy weather has not improved the condition of stock generally. The Waikato district is shorter of feed at the present time than at any period for a number of years. This is no doubt due to the extra stock that lias been carried, and also to the fact that there was a very poor autumn growth this year. Although most farmers have provided sufficient hay and ensilage to carry them through the winter months, the bad weather is beginning to tell on some of the dairy cattle. Especially is this noticeable on exposed farms, and in cold wintry weather sheltering is a big asset where dairy stock are concerned. With the exception of mutton and lamb quotations, "the market generally is quiet. The export buyers are still keen for all classes of fat sheep, and it is no doubt due to their activities that increased business is being done in this section. Beef and store cattle, although coming forward in larger numbers, are meeting with a very poor reception. No doubt the shortage of feed will drive more beef on to the market and prospects look anything but bright. Conditions are as follows: — Beef. —A medium yarding was penned at Frankton this week and prices rem3iued much the same as last week's quotation. Prime ox sold from 21/ to 22/ per 1001b; medium quality, 18/ to 20/; prime young cow and heifer, up to 20/; medium cow, 17/ to 18/. Fat Sheep.—There was affain a heavy yarding of all classes of fat sheep at Frankton, and last week's quotations were fully maintained. _ Very few heavy prime wethers are coming forward and heavy fat ewes appear to be getting scarce. Fat lambs are being yarded in extra large numbers, and here again the export competition makes the price more attractive than what farmers can get in the paddock. Extra heavv prime fat wethers made up to 17/; medium, 14/ to 15/; light, 12/ to 13/; fat ewes, up to 10/6; medium, 7/ to 8/; prime heavy lambs, up to 18/; medium, 15/ to 16/; small, 12/ to 13/.

Store Sheep.—This section is still extremely quiet. A few odd lots of breeding ewes are being yarded, but they arc mostly a nondescript lot. Store wethers have not yet risen in sympathy with fats, as very few farmers appear to have the necessary feed. Not many store lambs are being offered, and those that do come forward are hard, to quit. l'our-tooth wethers have been making from 8/ to 9/; 2-tooth, 7/ to 8/; store lambs, 6/ to 7/6; young breeding ewes, 10/ to 11/; 5-year-old ewes, 7/ to 8/; cull ewes, 5/ to o/. Store Cattle—Although increased yaraings have been coming forward the demand is very dull. A good entry of station bred cattle from the Gisborne district were offered at Frankton on Tuesday, and these met with a poor reception. Grown steers in forward condition have been making from £4 10/ to £5; 2y 2r year-old steers £3 10/ to £4; 18-months steers, £2 10' to' £3; 2-year-old P.A. heifers, in calf. £2 3/ to £2 17/; empty P.A. and Heretord 18-months heifers, 35/ to £2 5/; empty P.A. and Hereford cows, 35/ to £2 o/; weaner Jersey heifer calves, from £2 15/ to £3 5/; medium, from £2 to £2 10/: mixed coloured calves, 10/ to £1.

Dairy Cattle—There still appears to be a good demand for good young genuine dairy cows, and some quite satisfactory averages have resulted from the vaiious clearing sales where good quality cattle have been offered. Dairy heifers are not as popular this year as other yeais, although in some districts quite good s?nes have taken place. A number are now changing hands in the paddock, but mostly in truck lots. Genuine younjr Jersey dairy cows at clearing sales bring Irom £0 to £10, with, a few extra choice up to £12; Jerscy-cross cows from £0 Friesian and Shorthorn cross from £5 to £G- best 2-year Jersey heifers, up to .LlO 10/; medium, £7 to £8; backward heiters, £5 to £6.

Pigs.—The yardings for all classes of pigs have fallen off considerably, and very tew heavy bacouers are coming forward. Heavy baeoners made from £3 5/ to £3 10/, medium, £3 to £3 5/; heavy 40/ to 50/; stores, 25/ to 35/; slips, 15/ to 20/; weaners, 5/ to 14/.

THE ADDINGTON MARKET. WINTRY CONDITIONS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) * CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. The stock sale at Addington to-day was conducted under the most wintry conditions. and the attendance of operators in the store stock sections was the smallest for some years. There were only a few pens forward of store sheep, store cattle, dairy cattle and store pigs. Fat Lambs—A total of 2600 was penned. The schedule for export has been reduced during the week, and values were easier by 1/ to 1/6 a head. Extra prime lambs realised to 23/4; prime, 18/6 to 20/; medium, 16/ to 18/; light, 12/6 to 10/6. Fat Sheep.—A neavy yarning of 6600 head. The schedule for export for wethers has improved during the week, while tnat for ewes has receded. Export buyers bought freelv, but with less keenness than thp week before. Best wethers made up to 4d"per lb, and ewes to 2%d; Extra prime wethers realised up to 25/1; prime, 17/ to 19/3; medium, 14/ to 16/6; hght. 11/ to is/fi - extra prime ewes, to 10/ lO; prime. 12/6 to 14/6; medium. 9/6 to 12/; light and aged, to 9/. Fat Cattle. —Two lines from the No:rth Island, 28 and 29, averaged £11 2/ and £10 2/ respectively, and a v eTypnine di att of 24 local steers averaged £13 3/. G-ener ally the sale showed an easing tendency. Best beef sold at about 29/ per 1001b, prime, 25/ to 28/; and secondary, down to 19/ " . . Fat Pigs.—There was an irregular sale. Choppers made 40/ to £4 11/; baconeis, 47/0 to 66/6 (average price per lb, 4 .act to sd); porkers, 25/ to 4S/6 (average imce per lb, 5%d to IVsd). 1

M ATA M ATA. The weekly Matamata stock sale was conducted by the Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Co., Ltd., on Wednesday. The sale was marked by a rise in the rates for store pigs. Cattle and sheep came forward in ordinary quantities and late rates were anaintained. Prices were: — Cattle.—Light fat steers, £4 15/ to £5; medium fat cows, £2 4/ to £3 7/6; light and unfinished cowe, 36/ to £2; fresh conditioned cows, 30/ to 35/; store cows, 23/ to 29/; boners, 10/ to 21/; yearling steers, 19/ to 23/; bulls, 26/; dairy heifers, £5 10/ ■to £6; backward cows, £2 7/6. Pigs.—Medium porkers, £2 4/ to £2 10/; light porkers, 30/ to 37/; good stores, 23/6 to 25/; slips, 17/6 to 22/; weanere, 13/ to 15/. Sheep.—Prime .fat wethers, 14/4; fat lambs, 10/6 to 12/7; breeding ewes, in lamb, 5-year-old, 7/. HAWKE'S BAY VALUES. (By Telegraph.—Special to " Star.") HASTIN&S, this day. At the Stortford Lodge sale there was a good attendance. There was a large yarding of fat cattle and a good yarding of fat and store sheep. Prime bullocks realised from £8 to £9; fat bullocks, £6 to £7 10/; prime heifers, £6; fat heifers.. £4 to £5; prime cows, £5 to £6; fat cowe, £3 to £5; dairy cows, in profit, £4 to £10; prime lambs, 16/ to 21/;. fat lambs, 10/ to 15/; prime wethers, 16/ to 17/; fat wethers, 12/ to 15/; prime ewes, 14/ to 16/6; fat ewes, 9/ to 12/; fat and forward wethers, 13/; store wethers, 9/ to 11/; m.a. ewes, in lamb, 7/ to 10/; wether lambs, 7/ to 8/6; ewe lambs, 7/ to 11/; fat and forward ewes, 5/ to 8/3.